Mifune Toshiro dead at 77

[Alan Kita]

I have a Mifune story to relate.

In 1985, the Nisei Week Japanese Festival in Los Angeles honored Mifune
Toshiro as the Grand Marshal for that year's parade.  And to honor his
presence, the NWJF Committee had elected to hold a Mifune Toshiro Film
Festival at the then newly-opened Japan America Theatre where I happend
to be an intern at that time.  (Much in the same way as they did a
Kurosawa film festival this past August.)

I served as the project coordinator for the film screenings.  So I
selected about 10 films or so, made up a schedule and went around the
city picking up the films.  Shochiku had an office with a storeroom of
films at that time, and also a former owner of one of L.A.'s Japanese
movie houses (the Kokusai on Crenshaw Blvd.) had some of the films.

Mr. Mifune came early for the parade (which was then held at the end of
Nisei Week) and was available to appear before screenings.  So I
escorted him on stage.  Since the Japan America Theatre (part of the
nonprofit Japanese American Cultural & Community Center where I
continued to work - full time - for the following nine years) was new,
Mr. Mifune presented the organization with a yoroi, the replica samurai
armor, whcih we displayed around the theatre for some time before it got
tucked away into someone's office.  (I hope they pull it out again for
old times' sake.)

We gave away signed photographs and shiki boards.  And we even
reproduced his signature on his 8x10s to give out.  I still have his
autograph (the real one) on a shi board and a signed 8x10 (also
personally signed).

Anyways, despite his persona on the big screen, he was a down to earth
person by 1985.  And certainly enjoyed his company and listening to some
of his stories.

For many years, I would receive a nengajou from Mifune Productions.  And
even though I figured I was just on his address list, and received one
automatically (and impersonal), I like to think, for about nine years,
that he was indeed a humble man and that such a star would think of me
every year - having only known him for less that a week.

Alan
-- 

  Alan Hitoshi Kita   Program Associate, Arts & Culture        
  The JAPAN FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES OFFICE       
     URL: http://www.jflalc.org
 Address: 2425 Olympic Boulevard Suite 650East
          Santa Monica California  90404-4034 U.S.A.                   
   Voice: 1(888) 667-0880 ext 104
          1(310) 449-0027 ext 104        
     Fax: 1(310) 449-1127             
  E-mail:  <jfla at jflalc.org>          
           <alkita at jflalc.org>        

  E-mail:  <alkita at earthlink.net>              
     URL:  http://home.earthlink.net/~alkita/

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