Hisaya Morishige

In this Japanese name, the family name is "Morishige".

Hisaya Morishige
Born	May 4, 1913 Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
Died	November 10, 2009(2009-11-10) (aged 96) Tokyo, Japan
Other names	Jiji, Jijiya, Zachō, Za, Morishige, Shige-san
Occupation	Actor, composer, lyricist, announcer
Years active	1936-2007

Hisaya Morishige (森繁久彌, Morishige Hisaya^?) (May 4, 1913 – November 10, 2009) was a Japanese actor and comedian. Born in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, he graduated from what was known under the old education system as Kitano Middle School (now Kitano High School), and subsequently attended Waseda University. He began his career as a stage actor, then became an announcer for NHK, working in Manchuria. He became famous in films first for comedy roles, appearing in many of the famous comedy series, such as the "Company President" (Shacho) and "Station Front" (Ekimae) series, produced by Toho. But he also showed his talents in many serious roles as well, appearing in nearly 250 films in his life, in both contemporary (gendaigeki) and jidaigeki roles. He was also famous on stage playing Teyve in the Japanese version of Fiddler on the Roof.^[1] He also appeared in television series and specials, and was the first guest on the television talk show Tetsuko's Room in 1975, beginning its ongoing (as of 2006) 31-year run. He was long-time head of the Japan Actors Union. Among many honors, Morishige received the Order of Culture from the Emperor of Japan in 1991.

Hisaya Morishige died of natural causes at a hospital in Tokyo at 8:16 A.M. on November 10, 2009, at the age of 96.

Filmography

• Keisatsu nikki (警察日記) (1955)
• Meoto zenzai (夫婦善哉) (1955)
• Romantic Daughters (ロマンス娘 Romansu musume) (1956)
• Snow Country (雪国 Yukiguni) (1957)
• The End of Summer (小早川家の秋 Kohayagawa-ke no aki) (1961)
• The Sword (剣 Ken) (1964)
• Sayonara Jupiter (film) (さよならジュピター Sayonara Jupitā) (1984)

Animation

• The Tale of the White Serpent (1958)
• When the Wind Blows (1987, Jim)
• Princess Mononoke (1997, Okkotonushi)
• Hercules (1997, Opening narrator)
• Doraemon: Nobita to Tsubasa no Yūshatachi (2001, Doctor Kami Torino)

References

1. ^ Gerow, Aaron (November 11, 2009). "Morishige Hisaya". Tangemania. http://www.aarongerow.com/news/morishige_hisaya.html. Retrieved November 11, 2009. 

External links

• Hisaya Morishige at the Internet Movie Database
• The Times: Hisaya Morishige, actor and singer, was born on May 4, 1913. He died on November 10, 2009, aged 96
• "Morishige Hisaya at JMDB" (in Japanese). http://www.jmdb.ne.jp/person/p0199960.htm. 
• Japan Actors Union (in Japanese)
• TV Drama Database (in Japanese)

Persondata
Name	Morishige, Hisaya
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	May 4, 1913
Place of birth	Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
Date of death	November 10, 2009
Place of death	Tokyo, Japan