Tetsuro Tamba
Biography
Tetsuro Tamba (July 17, 1922 – September 24, 2006) was a distinguished Japanese actor known for his versatile talent across five decades. Recognized globally for his portrayal of Tiger Tanaka in the iconic 1967 James Bond film "You Only Live Twice," Tamba's cinematic journey was a remarkable blend of cultural bridges.
Before embarking on his acting career, Tamba worked as an interpreter for the Allied Powers' Supreme Commander. Graduating from Chuo University in 1948, he later joined Shintoho company, making his debut in the film Satsujin Yougishain in 1951.
Tamba's impact on Western audiences extended beyond Bond, with standout performances in films like Bridge to the Sun and The 7th Dawn. He earned acclaim in Japan as well, most notably as the lead in police dramas like Key Hunter and G-Men '75.
His talents weren't confined to the screen alone. Tamba lent his voice to characters like the Cat King in Studio Ghibli's The Cat Returns and graced historical roles in television dramas, leaving an indelible mark on period pieces.
In 2005, Tamba faced health challenges but continued to contribute until the end. Sadly, he passed away in Tokyo at 84 due to pneumonia on September 24, 2006. His legacy lives on through his son, actor Yoshitaka Tamba, while his last appearances in the 2005 Taiga drama Yoshitsune and the 2006 film Sinking of Japan remain a testament to his enduring impact on Japanese cinema and beyond.
Personal info
Gender
Male
Birthday
1922-07-17
Place of birth
Tokyo, Japan
Images
Cast
You Only Live Twice
1967
6.58
Minamoto Yoshitsune
1991
5.00
Kwaidan
1965
7.71
Operation Diamond
1962
0.00
Spycatcher J3: SOS Close Shave
1966
6.00
Pigs and Battleships
1961
7.08
Tokyo Gang vs. Hong Kong Gang
1964
0.00
Demon Pond
2005
6.60
South Pacific Waves Are High
1962
0.00
Gozu
2003
6.82
The Wolves
1971
7.40
King of Pornography
1971
5.90
The Castle of Sand
1974
7.40
Deadly Outlaw: Rekka
2002
6.70
Hawk of the Harbour
1967
0.00
Tokyo Untouchable
1962
0.00
The Cat Returns
2002
7.10
長七郎江戸日記スペシャル 長七郎 大奥まかり通る
1989
0.00
The Water Margin
1972
6.70
13 Assassins
1990
7.00
Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs
1974
6.40
Under the Flag of the Rising Sun
1972
7.50
Futari dake no toride
1963
0.00
The Happiness of the Katakuris
2002
6.94
Hunter in the Dark
1979
6.50
The 5-Man Army
1969
6.55
Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky
1991
6.81
Violent Streets
1974
6.90
Samurai Spy
1965
6.59
Goyokin
1969
7.53
The Peking Man
1997
3.00
Gamblers: The Dragon Tattoo
1967
0.00
The Political Game
1989
0.00
Silence
1971
7.20
Revenge
1964
7.50
The Sound of the Waves
1985
0.00
The School Deviate Waru
1973
0.00
The 7th Dawn
1964
6.40
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron
1978
6.30
Shadow Hunters
1972
6.50
Three Outlaw Samurai
1964
7.50
Japanese Hell
1999
4.20
Assassination
1964
7.10
Submersion of Japan
1973
6.70
Umineko ga tonde
1962
0.00
Blackmail Is My Life
1968
6.40
Screwed
1998
4.90
Mount Hakkoda
1977
6.40
Heat Wave
1991
5.90
Twilight Saloon
1955
8.00
Aurora Borealis
1990
4.88
Bridge to the Sun
1961
6.80
The Tale of Genji
1991
0.00
The Tale of Saikaido
1983
0.00
Prophecies of Nostradamus
1974
6.00
Zero Fighter
1976
4.20
Ino Tadataka: Meridian dreams
2001
0.00
Ankoku gai jingi
1965
0.00
Zankokuna tsuki
1962
0.00
The White Tiger Battalion
1986
0.00
Shōwa Gokudōshi
1972
0.00
Kuronekokan ni Kieta Otoko
1956
0.00
Detective
1964
0.00
Homicide
1964
0.00
Hanran
1954
0.00
Kōgen ni ressha ga hashitta
1984
0.00
A Taxing Woman's Return
1988
6.50
Capone: Roppongi Renkin no Teio
2004
0.00
Shogun's Shadow
1989
6.80
The Return of the Filthy Seven
1967
0.00
The Gambler
1965
0.00
Sky Scraper!
1969
0.00
Kizu-darake no futeki-sha
1963
0.00
Tokyo Untouchable: Escape
1963
0.00
The Code of Man
1968
0.00
Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather
1982
6.30
The Kingdom of Jirocho 3
1964
0.00
Shura Group
2002
0.00
Kim's War
1991
0.00
Red Flowers of Hell
1961
0.00
Uragirimono wa jigoku daze
1962
0.00
Bond Girls Are Forever
2002
5.80
Continental Drifter
1966
0.00
Best Ever Bond
2002
5.00
Element of Surprise
1963
0.00
The Imperial Japanese Empire
1982
5.50
Zero
1984
4.20
Battle Anthem
1983
7.00
Monument to Holy Service
1978
0.00
Shura Group Part 1
2002
0.00
Shura Group Part 2
2002
0.00
剣聖 暁の三十六番斬り
1957
0.00
You're My Destiny
1987
6.00
Ronin on a Mission
1987
0.00
雪夫人繪圖
1975
0.00
Seven Nights in Japan
1976
6.50
The Gambling Samurai
1960
6.30
Never Give Up
1978
5.70
April Fish
1986
5.50
Tokyo Blackout
1987
5.00
Sakuya: The Slayer of Demons
2000
6.10
The Battle of Okinawa
1971
7.50
There Goes Benio, the Smart Girl
1987
6.00
An Outlaw
1964
4.80
Rajo to satsujin-meiro
1959
0.00
Flickering Flames
1977
10.00
The Bad Boss
1968
0.00
August without Emperor
1978
7.00
Kukai
1984
9.00
Dead Angle
1979
7.00
Tokyo Pop
1988
7.30
Be Free!
1986
0.00
A Madcap Corporation
1983
0.00
Suspicion
1982
6.70
The Challenge
1962
7.00
A Class to Remember IV: Fifteen
2000
8.00
Daredevil in the Castle
1961
7.40
Jubaku: Spellbound
1999
6.00
Night Train
1987
1.00
Kyōen Kobanzame
1958
0.00
G-Men in the Pacific
1962
6.00
Tange Sazen
1963
0.00
Blind Beast vs Killer Dwarf
2001
3.50
金語楼の雷社長
1956
0.00
The Shogun's Vault
1964
6.50
The Young Eagles of the Kamikaze
1968
6.00
Flames of Blood
1981
7.00
Female Neo-Ninjas
1991
4.00
Shogun's Ninja
1980
6.20
The Fencing Collegian
1956
0.00
Graveyard of Honor
2002
6.30
Queen of Asia
1957
6.00
Kingoro's Soldier
1956
0.00
Psychic: Traveler to the Unknown
1994
0.00
All Rascals
1962
0.00
Kuro to aka no hanabira
1962
0.00
Army Intelligence
1968
0.00
Mukeisatsu
1959
0.00
A Flame at the Pier
1962
6.00
Abashiri Prison
1965
7.10
Shinran: Path to Purity
1987
5.00
The Alaska Story
1977
6.00
Harakiri
1962
8.41
The Wild Daisy
1981
6.00
Samurai from Somewhere
1964
7.00
The Ceiling at Utsunomiya
1956
5.80
Conflagration
1975
4.00
Underwater Murder
1958
0.00
Human Revolution II
1976
0.00
Submarine Ro Hasn't Surfaced
1954
0.00
Samurai from Nowhere
1964
7.10
Greatest Boss of the Showa Era
1966
0.00
High Seas Hijack
1977
10.00
Gang vs. Gang
1962
7.00
Nezumi Kozō kaitō den
1984
0.00
Quick on the Trigger
1958
8.00
Speed King
1956
0.00
Call from Darkness
1981
5.70
Kaachan
1961
0.00
Kingorō no kaigun taishô
1959
0.00
The Incident
1978
6.30
Gambler's Farewell
1968
6.00
The International Gang of Kobe
1975
5.70
Mysterious Pygmy
1955
0.00
All Men Are Brothers
1975
6.90
Nichiren
1979
0.00
Jakoman and Tetsu
1964
6.00
Thirst for Love
1966
5.50
Yakuza Ladies 3
1989
0.00
Greed in Broad Daylight
1961
7.00
The Bullet Train
1975
6.76
Blood of Revenge
1965
6.60
The Ghost of Kasane
1957
6.70
A Wicked Woman
1958
6.50
Four Sisters
1962
6.00
Organized Violence II
1967
6.00
Four Days of Snow and Blood
1989
6.90
King of the Gang
1967
0.00
Penitentiary Brothers
1969
0.00
The Private Police
1969
7.00
Tales of Young Genji Kuro 3
1962
7.20
The Way to The Gold Medals
1980
0.00
Fireflies in the North
1984
5.30
The Last True Yakuza
1985
4.80
Gang vs. G-Men
1962
6.00
Dissolution Rites
1967
6.00
Yakuza Skirmishes
1972
0.00
Quarreling with Yakuza
1973
5.00
Black Lizard
1968
6.70
The Ando Gang Documentary Film
1973
6.00
Portrait of Chieko
1967
0.00
The Fall of Ako Castle
1978
6.60
Shogun's Samurai
1978
7.10
Samurai Reincarnation
1981
6.00
13 Assassins
1963
7.50
Wild Cop 2
1973
6.50
The Geisha
1983
6.40
The Imperial Navy
1981
6.60
The Yellow Climate
1961
0.00
The Classroom of Terror
1976
6.00
The Armed Organization
1971
8.00
To Trap a Kidnapper
1982
6.00
Eleven Gangsters
1963
0.00
Port Arthur
1980
7.50
Twilight of the Cockroaches
1987
6.10
The Shogun Assassins
1979
5.00
Get 'em All
1960
6.00
L・O・V・I・N・G
1983
0.00
The Thousand Year Fire
2004
5.00
Once and For All
1967
0.00
The Story of a Man Among Men
1984
6.00
Destroyer Yukikaze
1964
0.00
Blood and Law
1965
0.00
Rise and Fall of Chivalry
1970
6.50
The Gambler's Counterattack
1971
7.00
Organized Violence
1967
6.00
Informal Dress
1972
0.00
The Kii River
1966
8.00
Gang Loyalty and Vengeance
1963
5.00
Mist and Shadows
1961
0.00
Female Slave Ship
1960
6.00
The Sand Boat
1980
0.00
Japan's Top Gangster
1973
0.00
The Twilight Samurai
2002
7.80
Operation Plazma in Osaka
1976
6.50
Organized Crime: Killer's Glory
1972
0.00
1750 Days of Turbulence
1990
8.50
Postwar Secrets
1970
10.00
Murderer!
1976
7.00
The Bushido Blade
1981
5.40
Tale of Ninja Duty
1965
1.00
Love: Starting on a Journey
1985
2.50
Karafuto 1945 Summer
1974
8.50
Yakuza Warfare
1991
6.00
School Be-In Bully
1990
0.00
Vendetta of Obligation
1985
0.00
The Great Duel
1964
6.00
The Human Revolution
1973
0.00
The Making Of The Katakuris
2001
6.00
Game of Chance 3
1967
6.00
Company Buggers
1975
7.00
Gamblers and Racketeers
1964
0.00
Cabaret
1986
4.70
Secret Prophecies of Nostradamus
1974
0.00
Message from Space
1978
5.82
The Stupid Teacher
2000
0.00
The Supernormal II
1993
4.00
Sugata Sanshiro
1977
0.00
Troops of Darkness
1971
6.00
Teruo Ishii Fan Club
2006
0.00
Taira no Kiyomori
1992
0.00
The Great Shogunate Battle
1991
6.00
Gang and G-Men Part 2
1963
0.00
Lone Rebel
1969
0.00
The Corporation
1976
1.00
T.R.Y.
2003
7.00
Hell's Kitchen
1962
0.00
Drive for the Future
1980
0.00
花眞珠
1955
0.00
Tabaruzaka
1987
0.00
The Prosecutor and His Sister
1956
0.00
Zero sen no jorō gun
1960
0.00
Snake Woman's Curse
1968
6.10
Tokyo: The Last War
1989
7.20
Yakuza Demon
2003
6.00
Lady Vengeance and the 47 Ronin
1983
0.00
High-Ranking Yakuza
1965
0.00
Tidal Wave
1975
0.00
The Last Days of Planet Earth
1981
0.00
Diamonds of the Andes
1968
0.00
Emperor of Upheaval
1993
0.00
売春地下組織
1964
0.00
やくざ番外地 抹殺
1969
0.00