Kenichi Enomoto

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Kenichi Enomoto (October 11, 1904 – January 7, 1970) was a popular Japanese singing comedian, mostly known by his stage name Enoken. A major innovator during his heyday, Enoken's stage shows, radio appearances, and film roles were a major influence within Tokyo theatre before World War II, and was a catalyst for the revival of comedy in the postwar period. Born in Aoyama, Tokyo, the son of rice cracker shop owners, Enomoto fell under the spell of such stars of the Asakusa Opera as Taya Rikizo and Fujiwara Yoshie, and in 1922 he made his stage debut at age 18 as a chorus member of the Asakusa Kinryukan Theatre. The Great Kanto Earthquake of the following year dealt a great blow to the opera world in Tokyo, at which time Enomoto shifted to comic theatre. Playing small roles in various comedy productions, he returned to the Asakusa stage in 1929 as part of the troupe Casino Folly. The following year saw him launch his own troupe, Enoken Gekidan, which would firmly establish him as a leading figure in Tokyo theatrical circles. In 1934, he starred in the movie Enoken no Seishun Suikoden (Enoken’s Tale of Youth’s Folly), and gained national popularity. His subsequent film career saw him parody a whole parade of Japanese historical personages, including Kondo Isami and Sakamoto Ryoma, in a series of "jidai-geki" (historical dramas) and "chanbara" (samurai drama) films, including some directed by Kajirō Yamamoto, Nobuo Nakagawa and Akira Kurosawa. Enomoto became afflicted with necrosis of the right leg in the 1950s, which required amputation, curtailing his film and stage career. He did, however, make a legendary comeback at the Shinjuku Koma Theatre 1963 wearing a prosthetic leg. He died in 1970, and is entombed in Hase Temple in Nishi-Azabu, Minato, Tokyo, on whose tombstone is inscribed "The King of Comedy". Description above from the Wikipedia article Kenichi Enomoto, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Elephant from "Zoo Story"

The Three Treasures

The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail

Kin no tamago: Golden Girl

Nonki saiban

The Beloved Imposters

Four Love Stories

The Monkey King

All Movies (75)

• The Dangoro Party in the Sky1962
• Pleasant Company1962
• A Country Boss1962 · as Ryunosuke Edohara
• 次郎長社長と石松社員 威風堂々1962
• The Happy-Go-Lucky Guy1961
• 誰よりも金を愛す1961
• Zoku bantōhan to detchidon1960
• The Three Treasures1959 · as God of Yaoyorozu
• Nitōhei monogatari: Aa senyū no maki1958
• Dai Abare Tokaido1958
• The Beloved Imposters1958
• Elephant from "Zoo Story"1957 · as Zen-san (Elephant Officer)
• とんちんかん八百八町1957
• らくだの馬さん1957
• The Paradise Island Story1957
• Excursion to Treasure Isle1956 · as Sarukichi
• Fighting Cha Cha Girl1956 · as Iwasuke Egawa
• Masura o hashutsu fukai1956
• A Doting Parent’s Lullaby1955
• むっつり右門捕物帖 鬼面屋敷1955
• Nonki saiban1955
• Bridal Candidates1955 · as Yoshiro Ishibashi
• Tomboy Daughter Diary1955 · as Ken'ichi Enomoto
• Diary of the First Incredible Laughing Trip1955 · as Furaibo Kinta
• Enomoto's Heaven and Hell1954
• Love Express1954
• A Long Comic Story-Houses' Ghost Affairs1954
• Nonsense Detective Story: The Phantom Woman1952
• Fighting Yasubei1952 · as Ginji Tateya
• Kin no tamago: Golden Girl1952
• The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail1952 · as Porter
• Grease Paint Serenade1952 · as Kenichi Hanemoto
• The Well-known Magistrate1951
• Umon's Detective Stories: The One-Eyed Wolf1951
• Enoken the Hero1950 · as Onihime Yakurota
• The Tokyo Kid1950
• Enoken roppa no yajikita bugiugi dōchū1950
• Enoken ohako rakuda no Ma-san1950
• The Adventures of Tobisuke1949 · as Tobisuke
• Enoken’s Boxing Generation1949
• Enoken's Singing Detective Story1948
• Enoken's Home Run King1948
• These Foolish Times1947
• The 99th Bride1947
• Four Love Stories1947
• A Luxurious Ship for the Bridegroom1947
• Life Is like a Somersault1946
• Uta e! Taiyō1945
• Until Victory Day1945
• The Admirable Isshin Tasuke!1945
• Sagohei the Three-footer1944 · as 'Three-Footer' Sagohei
• Idaten Kaido1944
• Hyoroku's Dream Tale1943 · as Hyoroku Oishi
• Exploits of Heisuke Isokawa1942
• The Man Who Waited1942
• The Monkey King1940 · as Son Goku
• Enoken's Bow-Wow General1940 · as Santa
• Enoken Enters the Ring1940
• Enoken's Cropped Hair1940
• Enoken's Yaji and Kita1939
• Rivals1939
• Enoken's Mori no Ishimatsu1939
• Enoken's Kurama Tengu1939
• Enoken’s Shrewd Period1939 · as Enoken
• Enoken's Surprising Life1938 · as Enoken
• Enoken's Hokaibo1938
• Enoken's Sarutobi Sasuke1937
• Enoken's Chikiri Kinta Part 2 – Returning Is Scary, but the Weather Will Clear If You Wait1937
• Enoken's Chikiri Kinta Part 1 – Momma, the Hat: The Nice Way1937
• Enoken’s Ten Millions Sequel1936 · as Enoken
• Enoken’s Ten Millions1936
• Enoken's Donguri Tonbei1936
• Enoken's Kondo Isami1935 · as Kondo Isami / Sakamoto Ryoma
• Enoken's The Magician1934
• Romantic and Crazy1934 · as Enoken