Akio Isono

Known for ActingBorn 1910-10-20Died 1986-01-21Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan

Akio Isono (October 20, 1910 – January 21, 1986) was born in Tsurumi, near Yokohama in 1910. His family ran a newspaper sales business. In 1917, at the age of seven, he became a pupil of Hanayanagi Shotaro, who was known as a great actor of the new school, and trod the boards for the first time in child roles at the Hongoza theater. After that he went on to perform in theaters run by Shochiku. In 1921, he performed in his first leading film role in Yamagureru under the direction of Ushihara Kiyohiko, and he then alternated leading roles on the stage with those at Shochiku Pictures. In 1925, he became an exclusive actor for Shochiku Cinema, Kamata Studios and starred in a number of films. Isono, together with Mitsui Hideo and Abe Shozaburo, won great popularity as the Yotamono Trio. The Yotamono Trio appeared in a series of movies, beginning with the 1931 film Reijo to Yotamono. In 1932, his excellent performance in the film Arashi no Naka no Shojo, directed by Shimazu Yasujiro, won great critical acclaim. In 1943, he left Shochiku and joined the theater company Warai no Okoku. After the war, he continued to appear in supporting roles, mainly for Shochiku, but from the late 1960s he began appearing exclusively in TV dramas. His gentle and humorous acting style won him great acclaim. He died of lung cancer at 8:18 a.m. on January 21, 1986, at the Ofuna Kyosai Hospital in Totsuka Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture. He was 75 years old.Read more

Movies & web series

Flying in the Air

Okinu and Banto

The Genealogy of Women

The Young Avenger

Ultra Q

The Human Condition I: No Greater Love

Mole Alley

The Tokyo Kid

Five Siblings

The Layabout and Seabathing

The Story of Tank Commander Nishizumi

Our Neighbor, Miss Yae

I Will Buy You

Always in My Heart Part 3

Love Letter

Apart from You

Men vs. Women

Lumberjack and Lady

The Masseurs and a Woman

Okoto and Sasuke

Always in My Heart Part 2

Street Without End

Zero Focus

Carmen Comes Home

The Lights of Asakusa

The Rose on His Arm

Lady Doctor Kinuyo

Carmen's Innocent Love

Kono ni uruwashi

Pfc. Story - The Divine Tempest

Hiroi Ten

Love in the Deep

Akuma no kao

Hearts A-Flutter

Story of Second Class Private, Sequel

続二等兵物語 南方孤島の巻

荒木又右衛門

The Bronze Monster

Hibari's Circus: The Sad Little Dove

Odoru ryûgûjô

The Woman Who Holds the Key

Dawn Chorus

Mother and Child

Mother's Love Letter

Storm in the City

Before the Wedding

Arashi no naka no shojo

If Only She...

続二等兵物語　南方孤島の巻