Minegishi Toru (1943-2008)

[Roland Domenig]

After the untimely dead of Ogata Ken last week news reported today that actor Minegishi Toru died on October 11 at age 65 as Ogata of lung cancer. The film and TV actor began his career in 1962 as Mine Kenji for the Toho studio. In 1968 he contracted with Daiei and changed his name to Minegishi Ryunosuke. The same year he was awarded the price for Best Newcomer from the Japanese Film Producers Association. In 1975 he finally changed his name to Minegishi Toru. Although rarely casted as leading actor, he made some memorable appearances in supporting roles and on TV. His last appearance is in Takita Yojiro?s current box-office hit Okuribito where he plays the dead father of Motoki Masahiro. How said to learn that he is now dead in reality.

R.D.