
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.
Acting (54 movies)

Kin no tamago: Golden Girl
1952

次郎長社長と石松社員 威風堂々
1962

Enoken's Bow-Wow General
1940

Enomoto's Heaven and Hell
1954

The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
1952

The Dangoro Party in the Sky
1962

A Doting Parent’s Lullaby
1955

Enoken roppa no yajikita bugiugi dōchū
1950

The Beloved Imposters
1958

Life Is like a Somersault
1946

Enoken ohako rakuda no Ma-san
1950

Fighting Yasubei
1952

Enoken's Surprising Life
1938

Enoken’s Shrewd Period
1939

The Admirable Isshin Tasuke!
1945

The Monkey King
1940

Enoken’s Boxing Generation
1949

Romantic and Crazy
1934

Uta e! Taiyō
1945

Excursion to Treasure Isle
1956

聟入り豪華船
1947

Nitōhei monogatari: Aa senyū no maki
1958

The Adventures of Tobisuke
1949

Enoken the Hero
1950

Nonki saiban
1955

The Man Who Waited
1942

Rivals
1939

Enoken's Chikiri Kinta Part 1 – Momma, the Hat: The Nice Way
1937

Enoken's Chikiri Kinta Part 2 – Returning Is Scary, but the Weather Will Clear If You Wait
1937

Enoken’s Ten Millions
1936

Enoken’s Ten Millions Sequel
1936

Enoken's Home Run King
1948

The Tokyo Kid
1950

A Country Boss
1962

Masura o hashutsu fukai
1956

The Three Treasures
1959

The Paradise Island Story
1957

Four Love Stories
1947

Hyoroku's Dream Tale
1943

These Foolish Times
1947

Exploits of Heisuke Isokawa
1942

Idaten Kaido
1944

Sagohei the Three-footer
1944

Diary of the First Incredible Laughing Trip
1955

Pleasant Company
1962

Dai Abare Tokaido
1958

とんちんかん八百八町
1957

むっつり右門捕物帖 鬼面屋敷
1955

右門捕物帖 片眼狼
1951

Elephant from "Zoo Story"
1957

Zoku bantōhan to detchidon
1960

Tomboy Daughter Diary
1955

Bridal Candidates
1955

Fighting Cha Cha Girl
1956
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