Tetsuro Tamba
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1922-07-17
Day of Death
2006-09-24 (84 years old)
Place of Birth
Tokyo, Japan
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.
Known For
Acting
(2006)
(2005)
(2004)
(2004)
(2003)
Yakuza Demon
as Michitane Tendou
(2003)
(2003)
(2003)
(2002)
The Cat Returns
as Cat King (voice)
(2002)
The Happiness of the Katakuris
as Granpa Jinpei Katakuri
(2002)
Graveyard of Honor
as Tetsuji Tokura
(2002)
Deadly Outlaw: Rekka
as Sanada
(2002)
The Twilight Samurai
as Tozaemon Iguchi
(2002)
(2002)
(2002)
(2001)
(2001)
(2001)
(2000)
Sakuya: The Slayer of Demons
as Old Master
(2000)
The Stupid Teacher
as Utaemon Baba
(2000)
A Class to Remember IV: Fifteen
as Tetsuo Hatake
(1999)
(1999)
Jubaku: Spellbound
as Tajiro Kawakami
(1999)
Japanese Hell
as Asu Shino
(1998)
Screwed
as Landlord
(1997)
The Peking Man
as Osone
(1994)
(1994)
(1993)
(1993)
(1992)
(1991)
Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky
as Master Zhang
(1991)
Heat Wave
as Denkichi Tsuzaki
(1991)
(1991)
(1991)
(1991)
(1991)
Female Neo-Ninjas
as Time Patrol leader
(1991)
(1991)
(1991)
(1990)
Aurora Borealis
as Tsuneiro Kamisaka
(1990)
(1990)
School Be-In Bully
as Ryotaro Sakurazawa
(1990)
(1990)
(1989)
Shogun's Shadow
as Hotta Masamori
(1989)
Tokyo: The Last War
as Kanaami Kohou
(1989)
Yakuza Ladies 3
as Takeo Sakanishi
(1989)
(1989)
(1989)
(1989)
Four Days of Snow and Blood
as Jinzaburi Shinzaki
(1988)
A Taxing Woman's Return
as Sadohara
(1988)
(1988)
Tokyo Pop
as Mr. Dota
(1987)
Night Train
as Isaburo Tamura
(1987)
Twilight of the Cockroaches
as Grandpa (voice)
(1987)
Ronin on a Mission
as Ōishi Kuranosuke
(1987)
(1987)
(1987)
(1987)
Tokyo Blackout
as Nakata
(1987)
(1986)
Be Free!
as Keizo Hasegawa
(1986)
Cabaret
as Yakuza boss
(1986)
April Fish
as Panapora Chief Handa
(1986)
(1985)
(1985)
The Last True Yakuza
as Kazumasa Tashiro
(1985)
(1985)
(1984)
(1984)
Fireflies in the North
as Ishikura
(1984)
(1984)
Choshichiro's Edo Diaries: The Yagyu Conspiracy
as Yagyu Munefuyu
(1984)
(1984)
Zero
as Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
(1984)
(1984)
(1983)
Battle Anthem
as Yamamoto
(1983)
The Geisha
as Kochi Notable
(1983)
(1983)
(1983)
(1983)
(1983)
(1983)
(1982)
Onimasa: A Japanese Godfather
as Uichi Suda, The Big Boss
(1982)
The Imperial Japanese Empire
as Hideki Tojo
(1982)
Suspicion
as Kanetaka Okamura
(1982)
(1982)
(1981)
The Imperial Navy
as Jisaburo Ozawa
(1981)
Samurai Reincarnation
as Muramasa
(1981)
Call from Darkness
as Sugibayashi
(1981)
The Wild Daisy
as Gozaburo Saito
(1981)
(1981)
The Bushido Blade
as Lord Yamato
(1981)
The Last Days of Planet Earth
as Dr. Nishiyama
(1980)
Shogun's Ninja
as Tozawa Hakuunsai
(1980)
Port Arthur
as Gentaro Kodama
(1980)
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: The Complete Saga
as Tatsuo Akashi
(1980)
(1980)
Drive for the Future
as Akiji Nishikawa
(1980)
The Way to The Gold Medals
as President Sakakibara
(1979)
The Shogun Assassins
as Kato Kiyomasa
(1979)
Hunter in the Dark
as Okitsugu Tanuma
(1979)
(1979)
(1978)
The Fall of Ako Castle
as Yanagisawa
(1978)
Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron
as Kichibei
(1978)
Shogun's Samurai
as Ogasawara Gensinsai
(1978)
Message from Space
as Ernest Noguchi
(1978)
August without Emperor
as Army General Mikami
(1978)
Never Give Up
as General Wada
(1978)
The Incident
as Lawyer Kikuchi
(1978)
(1977)
(1977)
The Alaska Story
as Arashuk
(1977)
Mount Hakkoda
as Colonel Kojima
(1977)
Sugata Sanshiro
as Iinuma
(1977)
High Seas Hijack
as Captain Munekata
(1976)
Zero Fighter
as Captain Saito
(1976)
(1976)
Murderer!
as Nīto Kouken
(1976)
(1976)
(1976)
(1976)
Seven Nights in Japan
as Terrorist Leader (uncredited)
(1975)
The Bullet Train
as Sunaga
(1975)
All Men Are Brothers
as Lu Chun I
(1975)
(1975)
(1975)
The International Gang of Kobe
as Rinsei
(1975)
Conflagration
as Captain Munekata
(1975)
Tidal Wave
as Prime Minister Yamato
(1974)
The Castle of Sand
as Detective Eitaro Imanishi
(1974)
Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs
as Nagumo
(1974)
Violent Streets
as Shimamura Kansai
(1974)
(1974)
Prophecies of Nostradamus
as Dr. Nishiyama
(1974)
(1974)
Secret Prophecies of Nostradamus
as Himself
(1973)
Battles Without Honor and Humanity: Proxy War
as Tatsuo Akashi
(1973)
(1973)
(1973)
(1973)
(1973)
(1973)
Japan's Top Gangster
as Noboru Yamaguchi
(1973)
Submersion of Japan
as Prime Minister Yamamoto
(1973)
(1973)
(1972)
Under the Flag of the Rising Sun
as Sergeant Katsuo Togashi
(1972)
(1972)
The Water Margin
as Jade Unicorn, Lu Chun I
(1972)
(1972)
Shadow Hunters 2: Echo of Destiny
as Kagemetsuke
(1972)
(1972)
(1972)
(1972)
(1971)
The Battle of Okinawa
as Lieutenant General Isamu Cho
(1971)
The Gambler's Counterattack
as Chief Inspector
(1971)
The Wolves
as Genryu Asakura
(1971)
(1971)
(1971)
(1971)
Silence
as Cristóvão Ferreira
(1970)
(1970)
(1970)
Postwar Secrets
as Kuroki
(1970)
(1970)
The Scandalous Adventures of Buraikan
as Soshun Kochiyama
(1970)
(1969)
(1969)
Goyokin
as Rokugo Tatewaki
(1969)
(1969)
(1969)
(1969)
(1969)
(1969)
(1969)
The 5-Man Army
as Samurai
(1968)
(1968)
Black Lizard
as Kuroki
(1968)
(1968)
Army Intelligence
as Lieutenant Colonel Akiyama
(1968)
(1968)
Gambler's Farewell
as Tetsuji Kasai
(1968)
Snake Woman's Curse
as Commander
(1968)
(1968)
(1967)
You Only Live Twice
as Tiger Tanaka
(1967)
(1967)
Portrait of Chieko
as Kotaro Takamura
(1967)
(1967)
(1967)
Organized Violence II
as Police Inspector Kitagawa
(1967)
(1967)
(1967)
(1967)
Dissolution Rites
as Sakai
(1967)
(1967)
(1967)
(1966)
The Kii River
as Shintani Kosaku
(1966)
Sazen Tange and The Secret of the Urn
as Lord Tsushima Yagyu
(1966)
Thirst for Love
as Kosuke Aso
(1966)
(1966)
(1966)
Spycatcher J3: SOS Close Shave
as J1 (TULIP Japan Branch Chief)
(1965)
Kwaidan
as Warrior (segment "Hoichi the Earless")
(1965)
Samurai Spy
as Sakon Takatani
(1965)
(1965)
(1965)
Abashiri Prison
as Tsumaki
(1965)
Blood of Revenge
as Yutaro Nomura
(1965)
(1965)
Tale of Ninja Duty
as Mumyo Tsunataro
(1965)
(1965)
(1964)
Revenge
as Shume Okuno
(1964)
Three Outlaw Samurai
as Sakon Shiba
(1964)
(1964)
(1964)
Samurai from Nowhere
as Gunjuro Ohba
(1964)
(1964)
(1964)
Jakoman and Tetsu
as Jakoman
(1964)
(1964)
(1964)
(1964)
(1964)
(1964)
(1964)
Homicide
as Lieutenant Aikawa
(1964)
Assassination
as Hachiro Kiyokawa
(1964)
The 7th Dawn
as Ng
(1963)
(1963)
13 Assassins
as Doi Ōkō Toshi
(1963)
Tokyo Untouchable: Escape
as Goro Kawamoto
(1963)
Gang and G-Men Part 2
as 手塚徹
(1963)
(1963)
(1963)
(1963)
Gang Loyalty and Vengeance
as Gu Shimizu
(1963)
(1963)
(1962)
Harakiri
as Hikokuro Omodaka
(1962)
(1962)
(1962)
Four Sisters
as Masao Igarashi
(1962)
(1962)
(1962)
(1962)
(1962)
(1962)
(1962)
Gang vs. G-Men
as Toru Tezuka
(1962)
The Challenge
as Takayama
(1962)
G-Men in the Pacific
as Mizuhara
(1962)
Tokyo Untouchable
as Goro Kawamoto
(1962)
Operation Diamond
as Kazuo Kasami
(1962)
(1962)
(1961)
Kill the Killer!
as Narumi
(1961)
(1961)
Pigs and Battleships
as Slasher Tetsuji
(1961)
Greed in Broad Daylight
as Miyahara
(1961)
(1961)
(1961)
(1961)
(1961)
(1961)
Mist and Shadows
as Yusuke Komiya
(1961)
Daredevil in the Castle
as Sadamasa Ishikawa
(1961)
Bridge to the Sun
as Jiro
(1960)
(1960)
(1960)
The Gambling Samurai
as Fumizo Mitsuki
(1960)
Get 'em All
as Tanabe
(1959)
(1959)
Rajo to satsujin-meiro
as Senba
(1959)
(1959)
(1958)
Emperor & Empress Meiji and the Sino-Japanese War
as Keisuke Otori
(1958)
A Wicked Woman
as Ihei Ôsawa
(1958)
(1958)
(1958)
(1957)
Storming Osaka Castle: The Sanada Ten Braves
as Mondonoshô Hirano
(1957)
Emperor Meiji and the Great Russo-Japanese War
as Rear Admiral Shimamura
(1957)
The Ghost of Kasane
as Jinjûrô Ômura
(1957)
Mysterious Clouds: Legend of Satomi's Heroic Deed
as Aboshi Samajirô
(1957)
(1957)
(1957)
(1957)
(1956)
(1956)
(1956)
(1956)
(1956)
(1956)
(1956)
(1956)
(1956)
The Ceiling at Utsunomiya
as Kurozumi Tenzen
(1955)
(1955)
Twilight Saloon
as Morimoto
(1955)
(1955)
(1954)
(1954)
(1954)
Hanran
as Captain Koda
Crew
(1994)
(1990)
Tetsuro Tamba's Great Spirit World 2: I was surprised when I died!!
Executive Producer, Screenplay
(1989)
Tetsuro Tamba's Great Spirit World: What Happens When You Die
Idea, General Manager, Writer
(1988)
Tetsuro Tamba's Spirit World
Director
(1980)
The Sand Boat
Executive Producer, Screenplay, Director
(1964)
Three Outlaw Samurai
Producer