Haruo Nakajima

CrewActor Jan 1 (died age 88) Sakata, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan 1952–2019 (67 year career)

6.8 avg rating

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

Film

Seven Samurai

Bandit

Film

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

In Memory Of

Film

Godzilla

Film

The Hidden Fortress

Soldier (uncredited)

Film

Mothra vs. Godzilla

Godzilla

Film

King Kong vs. Godzilla

Godzilla

Film

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster

Godzilla

Film

Destroy All Monsters

Godzilla / Military Advisor

Filmography

Acting (81)

Movies (78)

The Dawn of Kaiju Eiga

2019

as Self - Suit Actor

8.6

Mifune: The Last Samurai

as Self - Actor

Men in Suits

as Self

Bringing Godzilla Down to Size: The Art of Japanese Special Effects

2008

as Himself

8.5

スピリットオブゴジラ～怪獣を演じた男たちの軌跡～

2004

8.0

Godzilla, King of the Monsters

1998

9.0

Faces of Horror

1989

as Gezora - Kameba (archive)

10.0

Godzilla 1985

1985

as Original Godzilla (archive footage) (uncredited)

6.8

Godzilla

1977

as Godzilla (uncredited)

6.8

Bloodthirsty Hawk

1977

as Bloodthirsty Hawk (uncredited)

9.0

Godzilla vs. Megalon

1973

as Godzilla (archive footage) (uncredited)

6.1

Submersion of Japan

1973

as Prime Minister's Chauffeur

6.9

Godzilla vs. Gigan

1972

as Godzilla / JSDF Officer / Background Comic Editor

6.4

Godzilla vs. Hedorah

1971

as Godzilla

6.8

First-Decade President vs. Second-Decade Staff

1971

It's a Man's Way of Life

Space Amoeba

as Gezora / Ganimes

All Monsters Attack

as Godzilla

Black Comedy - Ah, Fool

1969

8.0

Latitude Zero

1969

as Griffon / Giant Rat / Bat Man

5.8

Destroy All Monsters

1968

as Godzilla / Military Advisor

6.9

Admiral Yamamoto

1968

as Staff of Flying Dragon / Staff of Rabaul

8.3

Son of Godzilla

1967

as Godzilla (water scenes)

6.4

King Kong Escapes

1967

as King Kong

6.2

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

1966

as Godzilla / Infant Islander

6.3

The War of the Gargantuas

1966

as Gaira

6.4

What's Up, Tiger Lily?

1966

as Wong Henchman

5.3

Invasion of Astro-Monster

1965

as Godzilla

6.8

The Retreat from Kiska

Key of Keys

as Gegen's Henchman

Frankenstein Conquers the World

1965

as Baragon / JSDF Soldier

6.7

Ironfinger

1965

as Detective (uncredited)

The School of Flesh

Mothra vs. Godzilla

as Godzilla

Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster

1964

as Godzilla

7.0

Dogora

1964

as Coal plant witness

6.7

Yearning

1964

as Shopkeeper

8.1

Legend of the Irresponsible Hero

1964

Matango

1963

as Matango

6.7

King Kong vs. Godzilla

1963

as Godzilla (uncredited)

6.5

Atragon

1963

as Mu Empire man / Self Defense Forces exec

6.6

Japan's No. 1 Playboy

1963

Gorath

1962

as Maguma

6.4

King Kong vs. Godzilla

1962

as Godzilla

6.9

Varan the Unbelievable

as Varan

Mothra

as Mothra

Daredevil in the Castle

Blueprint of Murder

The Last Gunfight

as Henchman (uncredited)

6.1

The Storm of the Pacific

1960

5.6

The Human Vapor

1960

as Transitional Vapor Man (uncredited)

6.6

Saga of the Vagabonds

1959

6.2

Submarine I-57 Will Not Surrender

1959

8.5

Gigantis, the Fire Monster

1959

as Gigantis (uncredited)

6.4

The H-Man

1958

as Second Dissolved Sailor (uncredited)

5.7

The Hidden Fortress

1958

as Soldier (uncredited)

8.0

Varan

1958

as Varan

5.7

Adults Cannot Understand - Record of Youth

The Mysterians

as Giant Robot

A Man in the Storm

Rodan! The Flying Monster

1957

as Rodan / Meganulon (uncredited)

5.7

Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman

1957

3.0

Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean

1957

as Godzilla (uncredited)

8.5

Tokyo 1960

1957

as Godzilla

Rodan

1956

as Rodan / Meganulon

6.5

Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island

1956

as (uncredited)

7.1

Godzilla, King of the Monsters!

1956

as Godzilla (uncredited)

6.5

Rebels on the High Sea

1956

I Live in Fear

1955

as Foundry employee (uncredited)

Godzilla Raids Again

as Godzilla

Beast Man Snow Man

as Mountain searcher

Seven Samurai

as Bandit

Godzilla

as Godzilla

Invisible Man

as Haruo Akita / Invisible Man Akita

6.4

Farewell Rabaul

1954

as Soldier (uncredited)

8.4

The Eagle of the Pacific

1953

as Zero Fighter in Flames (uncredited)

Mr. Pu

Sword for Hire

Television (3)

Ultraseven

1967

as U-Tom (Suit Actor)

Ultraman

as Neronga

Ultra Q

as Gomess (Suit Actor)

8.1

Crew (18)

Movies (18)

Godzilla: King of the Monsters

2019

In Memory Of

6.7

For the Love of Godzilla

In Memory Of

Godzilla vs. Gigan

Stunts

Space Amoeba

Stunts

All Monsters Attack

Stunts

Destroy All Monsters

Stunt Coordinator

King Kong Escapes

Stunts

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

1966

Stunt Coordinator

6.3

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep

1966

Stunts

6.3

Invasion of Astro-Monster

Stunt Coordinator

Mothra vs. Godzilla

Stunts

King Kong vs. Godzilla

Stunts

Varan

Stunts

The Mysterians

Stunts

Rodan! The Flying Monster

Stunts

Rodan

Stunts

Seven Samurai

Stunts

The Eagle of the Pacific

1953

Stunts

7.6