Kaichi Yamamoto
Date of birth: 1877-09-06
Place of birth: Tokyo, Japan
Known for: Acting
Also known as: Каити Ямамото
Biography
Kaichi Yamamoto, also known as Yamakichi, was a distinguished Japanese actor renowned for his performances in both contemporary and period films. He was a prominent figure at Nikkatsu studios following the era of Onoe Matsunosuke. At the age of 18 in 1895, he joined the "Kawakami Onjuro Troupe," a prominent New School (Shinpa) theater group led by Onjuro Kawakami. Four years later, at the age of 22, Yamamoto participated in the troupe's overseas performances, including those in the United States, showcasing his talent on international stages. In 1917, he was invited to join the Nikkatsu Mukojima Studio, where he transitioned to film acting after a prolific 22-year theatrical career, shortly before turning 40. His first film at Nikkatsu, "Tsuyu no Chigiri" (Oath of Dew), was released on June 30, 1917, at the Asakusa Opera Hall. After the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, which devastated the Mukojima Studio, Yamamoto transferred to Nikkatsu Kyoto Studio. He continued to excel in contemporary dramas, including films like "Okina to Seizo" (Okina and Seizo) and "Toge no Uta" (The Song of the Mountain Pass), the latter being part of the New Year's line-up in 1924[3]. For over a decade, he resided in Kyoto, where he became a stalwart in period dramas, particularly after the passing of Kabuki actor Onoe Matsunosuke. In 1934, with the establishment of Nikkatsu Tamagawa Studio (now Kadokawa Daiei Studio) as a hub for contemporary dramas, Yamamoto moved there and appeared in films like "Aizou Toge" (Love and Hate Pass). Yamamoto's filmography boasts a remarkable 250-plus films, demonstrating his enduring legacy in Japanese cinema. He passed away on December 17, 1939, at the age of 62, having left an indelible mark on the world of acting and film.
Movie Credits
Jinsei Gekijo: Zankyaku hen
1938-07-01
1938 Theater of Life adaptation.
The Homeland
1923-02-25
A Japanese silent drama about two farmers
Jihishincho
1927-09-15
Shizuko hesitates between two suitors. While the one she marries commits suicide following a scandal
The 26 Martyrs of Japan
1931-10-01
Jesuit priests in Japan during the 17th century are persecuted by the shogunate to for trying to spr
Earth
1939-04-13
Kanji is a poor peasant widower who struggles to earn a living for his daughter and himself and to p
Mito Kōmon
1926-10-15
Happy Daughter
1934-05-03
Foggy Harbour
1923-07-29
An adaptation of Anna Christie, considered lost.
Moken no himitsu
1924-03-14
When a nobleman is threatened by a family curse on his newly inherited estate, Sherlock Holmes is hi
Aiyoku no nayami
1923-04-29
Directed by Kensaku Suzuki.
Mistress of a Foreigner
1930-07-01
Tōjin Okichi is a 1930 film by Kenji Mizoguchi based on the novel by Gisaburo Juichiya. Only 4 minu
A Paper Doll's Whisper of Spring
1926-02-28
Otane, the daughter of a thread shop owner in Ryogoku, is in love with Sumio, the son of an ivory cr
Skull Dance
1923-03-15
Directed by Eizo Tanaka.
Metropolitan Symphony
1929-01-02
A young woman seduced by a rich man, takes revenge on him with the help of a young idealistic worker
Anguish of a Human Being
1923-05-31
Directed by Kensaku Suzuki.
Jean Valjean: Part One
1931-02-17
The first part of a fascinating melodrama based on Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, the action of which
Jean Valjean: Part Two
1931-02-25
The second part of the melodrama based on the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo, the action of whi
Great Bodhisattva Pass 2
1936-04-14
The sequel to the 1935 film Great Bodhisattva Pass
Zōho kaitei Chūshingura
1927-09-01
The legendary tale of the forty-seven samurai and their mission to avenge the death of their master.
Banquet Under the Midnight Sun
1932-10-13
In old Edo, Kakunojo (Chiezo), a dandy about town, falls in love with Oichi (Isuzu Yamada), whose me
Akatsuki
1918-03-16
The Naked Town
1937-05-13
A 1937 Japanese language film directed by Tomu Uchida, starring Ryo Akaboshi, Mitsuru Date and Hisao
The Living Corpse
1918-03-31
A film adaptation of the play by Leo Tolstoy.
Zoku Mito Kōmon
1928-04-15
The earliest existing version (incomplete) of Mito Komon history. It was one of the most famous (and
The Day Love Came Back
1923-02-04
An old potter despairs of having only two daughters and no son, hoping his apprentice will one day b
Hatobue wo Fuku Onna
1932-03-03
Sonno Joi
1927-10-01
For nearly 300 years, Japan had been hermetically sealed to the outside world. When, in that pivotal
日輪 前篇
1926-05-21
Directed by Minoru Murata.