83-year-old actor Kinya Kitaoji will appear on Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's long-running talk show "Tetsuko's Room" (TV Asahi), which airs on April 8th at 1 p.m.
Born as the son of Ichikawa Utaemon, a great star of period dramas, he made his debut at the age of 13 in the film "Father and Son Hawk" (1956), and 70 years have passed since then. Last year, he was honored as a distinguished artist by his alma mater, Waseda University, which he said made him very happy.
Originally from Kyoto Prefecture, he moved to Tokyo in junior high school to learn standard Japanese. At the school he transferred to, he met Matsumoto Hakuō, who was the same age as him. He was amazed by Hakuō's ability to balance school life with his life as a Kabuki actor. He has learned a great deal from many senior actors throughout his life, but he was especially favored by Yorozuya Kinnosuke from the moment he made his debut. Kinnosuke was a considerate person who would immediately offer help not only to himself but also to anyone in need.
