Haruo Nakajima

Personal Info

Birthday

January 1, 1929

Day of Death

2017-08-07

(88 years old)

Place of Birth

Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan

Also Known As

中岛春雄

Haruo Nakajima

Biography

Haruo Nakajima (Japanese: 中島春雄, Hepburn: Nakajima Haruo; January 1, 1929 – August 7, 2017) was a Japanese actor and stuntman. A pioneer of suit acting, he is best known for playing Godzilla in 12 consecutive films, starting from the original Godzilla until Godzilla vs. Gigan. Nakajima also played various other kaiju in Toho's tokusatsu films, including Rodan, Mothra and The War of the Gargantuas and also appeared in minor roles in Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, Yojimbo, and Stray Dog.

Known For

Ultraman

Seven Samurai

Ultraseven

What's Up, Tiger Lily?

The War of the Gargantuas

Frankenstein Conquers the World

Tokyo 1960

Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean

Filmography

2019
The Dawn of Kaiju Eiga
as Self - Suit Actor
2016
Mifune: The Last Samurai
as Self - Actor
2012
Men in Suits
as Self
2008
Bringing Godzilla Down to Size: The Art of Japanese Special Effects
as Himself
1989
Faces of Horror
as Gezora - Kameba (archive)
1985
Godzilla 1985
as Original Godzilla (archive footage) (uncredited)
1973
Submersion of Japan
as Prime Minister's Chauffeur
Godzilla vs. Megalon
as Godzilla (archive footage) (uncredited)
1972
Godzilla vs. Gigan
as Godzilla / JSDF Officer / Background Comic Editor
1971
Godzilla vs. Hedorah
as Godzilla
1970
Space Amoeba
as Gezora / Ganimes
1969
All Monsters Attack
as Godzilla
Latitude Zero
as Flying Lion/Giant Rat
1968
Admiral Yamamoto
as Staff of Flying Dragon / Staff of Rabaul
Destroy All Monsters
as Godzilla / Military Advisor
1967
Son of Godzilla
as Godzilla (water scenes)
King Kong Escapes
as King Kong
1966
Ebirah, Horror of the Deep
as Godzilla / Infant Islander
What's Up, Tiger Lily?
as Wong Henchman
The War of the Gargantuas
as Gaira
1965
Invasion of Astro-Monster
as Godzilla
Ironfinger
as Detective (uncredited)
Key of Keys
as Gegen's Henchman
Frankenstein Conquers the World
as Baragon / JSDF Soldier
1964
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster
as Godzilla (uncredited)
Dogora
as Coal plant witness
Mothra vs. Godzilla
as Godzilla
Yearning
as Shopkeeper
1963
Atragon
as Mu Empire man / Self Defense Forces exec
Matango
as Matango
1962
Varan the Unbelievable
as Varan
King Kong vs. Godzilla
as Godzilla
Gorath
as Maguma
1961
Mothra
as Mothra
1960
The Human Vapor
as Transitional Vapor Man (uncredited)
The Last Gunfight
as Henchman (uncredited)
1959
Gigantis, the Fire Monster
as Gigantis (uncredited)
1958
The Hidden Fortress
as Soldier (uncredited)
Varan
as Varan
The H-Man
as Second Dissolved Sailor (uncredited)
1957
The Mysterians
as Giant Robot
Tokyo 1960
as Godzilla
Rodan! The Flying Monster
as Rodan / Meganulon (uncredited)
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean
as Godzilla (uncredited)
1956
Rodan
as Rodan / Meganulon
Godzilla, King of the Monsters!
as Godzilla (uncredited)
Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
as (uncredited)
1955
I Live in Fear
as Foundry employee (uncredited)
Beast Man Snow Man
as Mountain searcher
Godzilla Raids Again
as Godzilla
1954
Invisible Man
as Haruo Akita / Invisible Man Akita
Godzilla
as Godzilla
Seven Samurai
as Bandit
Farewell Rabaul
as Soldier (uncredited)
1953
The Eagle of the Pacific
as Zero Fighter in Flames (uncredited)