Kazuo Kumakura

Kazuo Kumakura
熊倉 一雄
Born	(1927-01-30)January 30, 1927 Minato, Tokyo, Japan
Died	October 12, 2015(2015-10-12) (aged 88) Tokyo, Japan
Occupation(s)	Actor, voice actor, theatre director
Years active	1949–2015
Organization	Theatre Echo
Notable credit(s)	Japanese voice of Alfred Hitchcock and Hercule Poirot

Kazuo Kumakura (熊倉 一雄, Kumakura Kazuo, January 30, 1927 – October 12, 2015) was a Japanese actor, voice actor, and theatre director. He was the head of the Theatre Echo agency at the time of his death.[1]

Biography

Kazuo Kumakura was born in the Azabu district of Minato, Tokyo on January 30, 1927.[2] In 1956, he joined the Theatre Echo theatre group.[2] From 1957, he became the Japanese voice of Alfred Hitchcock in Nippon TV's TV broadcasts of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and from 1989, he played the voice of Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie's Poirot.[2]

He died of rectal cancer on October 12, 2015, at a hospital in Tokyo, at the age of 88.[1]

Filmography

Puppet show

• Hyokkori Hyoutanjima (1964) (Torahige)

Television animation

• Kimba the White Lion (1965) (Dick)
• Super Jetter (1965) (Matabee Saigou)
• Marine Boy (1969) (Doctor Akkeran)
• The Ultraman (1979) (Professor Henry Nishiki)
• Astro Boy (1980) (Higeoyaji)
• Reign: The Conqueror (1999) (Diogenes of Sinope)
• Monster (2004) (The Baby)

Theatrical animation

• Jack and the Witch (1967) (Bear cub)
• The Wonderful World of Puss 'n Boots (1969) (Boss Mouse)
• Panda! Go, Panda! (1972) (Papanda)
• The Rainy-Day Circus (1973) (Papanda)
• The Great Adventures of Kikansha Yaemon D51 (1974) (Yaemon)
• Phoenix 2772 (1980) (Doctor Saruta)
• Doraemon: Nobita and the Steel Troops (1986) (Doctor)
• Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise (1987) (Prince Toness)
• Bonobono (1993) (Kuzuri-kun's father)

Video games

• Kingdom Hearts (2002) (Mister Smee, Geppetto)[3]
• GeGeGe no Kitarō: Ibun Yōkai Kitan (2003) (Medama Oyaji)
• Kingdom Hearts II (2005) (Cogsworth)
• Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (2010) (Mister Smee, Doc)[3]
• Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (2012) (Geppetto)[3]

Dubbing roles

Live-action

• Alfred Hitchcock Presents (Alfred Hitchcock)
• Agatha Christie's Poirot (Hercule Poirot (David Suchet))
• The Elephant Man (Bytes (Freddie Jones))
• Hart to Hart (Max (Lionel Stander))
• Lost in Space (Doctor Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris))
• The Wizard of Oz (NHK edition) (Professor Marvel, The Doorman, The Cabby, The Guard, The Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan))

Puppet show

• Fraggle Rock (Cantus)
• The Muppet Show (Gonzo the Great)
• Stingray (King Titan of Titanica)

Animation

• Alice in Wonderland (The Mad Hatter)[4]
• The Aristocats (Scat Cat)
• Bambi (Friend Owl)[5]
• Bambi II (Friend Owl)[6]
• Beauty and the Beast (Cogsworth)
• Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (Cogsworth)
• Belle's Magical World (Cogsworth)
• The Black Cauldron (Dallben)[7]
• Disney's Christmas Carol (Mister Fezziwig & Old Joe)[8]
• The Fox and the Hound (Boomer the Woodpecker)
• Fun and Fancy Free (Jiminy Cricket, Willie the Giant)[9]
• Lady and the Tramp (Tony)
• Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (Tony)
• One Hundred and One Dalmatians (Jasper)[10]
• Peter Pan (Buena Vista edition) (Mister Smee)
• Pinocchio (Geppetto)
• Popeye (Bluto)
• Return to Never Land (Mister Smee)[11]
• Scooby-Doo (Scooby-Doo)
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Doc)[12]
• SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron (Dark Kat)
• The Magic Voyage (Christopher Columbus)

Japanese Voiceover

• Peter Pan's Flight (Mr. Smee)
• Snow White's Adventures (Doc)
• Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast（Cogsworth）
• E.T. Adventure (Monster James)
• The Amazing Adventure of Spider-Man the Ride (Truck driver)

Radio

• GeGeGe no Kitaro radio drama (Theme song)

Songs

• Captain Ultra (TV series) (Insert song Tom & Huck)
• Denki Groove's "Karateka" (Narration)
• GeGeGe no Kitaro (First and second opening themes)
• M-Flo's "Beat Space Nine" (Intermezzo)

Awards

Kumakura received the 1998 Kinokuniya theater award for his performance in Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys.[1] In 2011, he won the selection committee's special award at the Yomiuri Theatrical Grand Awards.[1]

Honours

• Medal with Purple Ribbon (1991)
• Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette (1998)

References

1. "Obituary / Kazuo Kumakura / Actor". The Japan News. Japan: The Yomiuri Shimbun. 2015-10-17. Archived from the original on 2015-10-20. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
2. 「鬼太郎」主題歌・熊倉一雄さん死去 ["Kitaro" theme song voice Kazuo Kumakura dies]. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Japan: Daily Sports. 2015-10-16. Retrieved 2015-10-20.
3. "Kazuo Kumakura - 31 Character Images | Behind The Voice Actors". behindthevoiceactors.com. Check mark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources.
4. "ふしぎの国のアリス". The Cinema. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
5. "バンビ". The Cinema. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
6. "バンビ2 森のプリンス". The Cinema. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
7. "コルドロン". The Cinema. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
8. "Ｄｉｓｎｅｙ'ｓ クリスマス・キャロル[吹]". Star Channel. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
9. "ファン・アンド・ファンシー・フリー". The Cinema. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
10. "101匹わんちゃん". The Cinema. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
11. "ピーター・パン2 ネバーランドの秘密". The Cinema. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
12. "白雪姫". The Cinema. Retrieved February 1, 2023.

External links

• Theatre Echo profile (in Japanese)
• Kazuo Kumakura at Anime News Network's encyclopedia