Sadako Sawamura
Biography
Sadako Sawamura (沢村貞子, Sawamura Sadako; 11 November 1908 – 16 August 1996) was a Japanese stage and film actress and essayist who appeared in more than 350 films between 1935 and 1976. Sawamura was born in the Asakusa district of Tokyo. After dropping out of Japan Women's University, she was active in left-wing theatre groups and was twice arrested for her political beliefs, spending over a year in prison with much of it in solitary confinement. She started acting in films in 1934, first at the Nikkatsu studio, later at Toho. She appeared in many supporting roles after the war, often working with director Mikio Naruse. Sawamura also acted in films by directors including Kenji Mizoguchi, Yasujirō Ozu, Keisuke Kinoshita and Kaneto Shindō. Her brothers were the actors Daisuke Katō and Kunitarō Sawamura. Her autobiography Watashi no Asakusa has been translated into English as My Asakusa. She was married three times: to actor Shigeo Imamura (1931-33), actor Kamatari Fujiwara (1936-46) and subsequently to film magazine editor and critic Yasuhiko Ohashi (1968-96, though domestic partners from 1946 onward).
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (45)
When Winter Comes
1985
Japan Beauty Story: A Woman Among Women
1975
The Street Car Game
as Deguchi Ume
1969
Waga koi waga uta
1969
My Brother, My Love
as Kayo Kitagawa
1968
Rose Buds in the Rainbow
as Setsuko Sasaki
1968
The Young Eagles of the Kamikaze
1968
Nunnery Confidential
1968
Thoroughbred Women Gamblers
1967
The Rickshaw Man’s Son
as Taki
1967
Swift Current
1967
Flower Cards Chivalry
1967
Sayonara ressha
1966
Once a Rainy Day
1966
The Kii River
as Ichi, housekeeper
1966
A Sky Full of Tears
as Kikue Sugisaki
1966
Bad Reputation: Cherry Blossoms
1966
Night Bitch
as Matsu Komazaki
1966
The Passionate Spinster
as Riki Tonobe
1965
Snow Country
as Dance teacher
1965
That Cute Girl
1965
Love on the Rainbow
as Masako Yamashita
1965
Salaryman's Medal
1965
Nami kage
1965
A Fugitive from the Past
as Motojima's Wife
1965
Eddy Currents of Life
as Teacher Ikegami
1964
Whirlpool of Flesh
as Tomiko Sekiguchi
1964
Sweet Sweat
as Matsuko
1964
Taiyou wo Daku Onna
1964
I'm a Bodyguard
1964
A Story from Echigo
1964
Youth Season Continued
as Sawamura Sawako (Restaurant "Sawamura" proprietress and Keiko's older sister)
1964
Night Scandal in Japan
as Tetsu Kawabe
1964
Mr. Giant's Victory Flag
1964
Miren
as Hostess at 'Mitsuda'
1963
At the Side of the Bridge 4
1963
Double Wedding
as Shigeko
1963
Tale of Army Brutality
as Toki, Yahichi's mother
1963
The Life of Rikisha-Man
1963
Dokuritsu bijin-tai
1963
Crazy Operation: First Move
1963
Police Precinct: Backing Investigation
1963
At the Side of the Bridge 3
1963
A Comedy in Front of the Station: Chinese Restaurant
1962
Naite waratta hanayome
1962
