{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Short description|Japanese actor (1923–2007)}} {{Infobox person | name = Eiji Funakoshi | image = Ataka-ke no hitobito.jpg | image_size = | caption = [[Nobuko Otowa]] and Eiji Funakoshi in 1952 Japanese movie ''Ataka-ke no hitobito'' | birth_date = {{Birth date|1923|3|17|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Tokyo]], Japan | death_date ={{death date and age|2007|3|17|1923|3|17|df=y}} | death_place = [[Shizuoka, Shizuoka|Shizuoka]], Japan | birth_name = Eijiro Funakoshi | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1947–2001 | website = }} {{Nihongo|'''Eiji Funakoshi'''|船越 英二|Funakoshi Eiji|extra=17 March 1923 – 17 March 2007}} was a Japanese actor. He received the [[Kinema Junpo Awards|Kinema Junpo Award]] for Best Actor and the [[Mainichi Film Concours]] for Best Actor for his performance in ''[[Fires on the Plain (1959 film)|Fires on the Plain]]''.
==Biography== Born Eijirō Funakoshi on 17 March 1923, in Tokyo, Eiji Funakoshi signed up for the [[Daiei Motion Picture Company]] in 1947 and made his acting debut the following year with ''Beautiful Enemy''. In a career that spanned three decades Funakoshi starred in a variety of genres and worked for directors [[Kōzaburō Yoshimura]], [[Mikio Naruse]], [[Kon Ichikawa]] and [[Yasuzo Masumura]].<ref name="scifijapan.com">[http://www.scifijapan.com/articles/2007/03/19/eiji-funakoshi-1923-2007/ SciFi Japan » Eiji Funakoshi: 1923–2007]</ref>
Funakoshi was a favorite actor of internationally renowned director [[Kon Ichikawa]].<ref name="scifijapan.com"/> Perhaps their most notable film was the [[World War II]] drama ''[[Fires on the Plain (1959 film)|Fires on the Plain]]'' (Nobi, 1959). Funakoshi played the lead role of [[Imperial Japanese Army|Imperial Army]] Private Tamura, a soldier stationed on [[Leyte Island]] in the [[Philippines]]. ''[[Fires on the Plain (1959 film)|Fires on the Plain]]'' won awards in Japan and overseas, including prizes for [[Kon Ichikawa]] from the Blue Ribbon in Japan and the [[Locarno Film Festival]] in Switzerland.
For several years, Funakoshi portrayed Tanokura Magobei, a close associate of the shogun, on ''[[Abarenbō Shōgun]].''
His son [[Eiichirō Funakoshi]] is also a famous actor in Japan.
Eiji Funakoshi died of a stroke on 17 March 2007, his 84th birthday.<ref name="scifijapan.com"/>
== Filmography == {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role |- | 1953 | ''[[Older Brother, Younger Sister]]'' <br />(''あにいもうと Ani Imōto'') | Kobata |- | 1955 | ''[[A Girl Isn't Allowed to Love]]'' <br />(''薔薇いくたびか Bara ikutabika'') | Tsuruo Ichioka |- | 1957 | ''[[The Hole (1957 film)|The Hole]]'' <br />(''穴 Ana'') | Koisuke Sengi |- | 1958 | ''[[The Loyal 47 Ronin (1958 film)|The Loyal 47 Ronin]]'' <br />(''忠臣蔵 [[Chūshingura]]'') | Tsunanori Uesugi |- | 1959 | ''[[Fires on the Plain (1959 film)|Fires on the Plain]]'' <br />(''野火 Nobi'') | Tamura |- | 1960 | ''[[Jokyo (film)|Jokyo]]'' <br />(''女経 Jokyo'') | Yasushi |- |1961 |''[[Ten Dark Women]]'' <br />(''黒い十人の女 Kuroi Jūnin no Onna'') | |- | 1962 | ''[[Being Two Isn't Easy]]'' <br />(''私は二歳 Watashi wa nisai'') | Goro, the father |- | 1962 | ''[[The Graceful Brute]]'' <br />(''しとやかな獣 Shitoyakana kedamono'') | Eisaku Kamiya |- | 1963 | ''[[An Actor's Revenge]]'' <br />(''雪之丞変化 Yukinojō Henge'') | Heima Kadokura |- | 1964 | ''[[Manji (film)|Manji]]'' <br />(''卍'') | Kotaro Kakiuchi |- | 1965 | ''[[Gamera (film)|Gamera]]'' <br />(''大怪獣ガメラ Daikaijū Gamera'') | Dr. Hidaka |- | 1966 | ''[[Shiroi Kyotō]]'' <br />(''白い巨塔'') | Professor Kikukawa |- | 1969 | ''[[Gamera vs. Guiron]]'' <br />(''ガメラ対大悪獣ギロン Gamera Tai Daiakujū Giron'') | Dr. Shiga |- | 1969 | ''[[Blind Beast]]'' <br />(''盲獣 Mōjū'') | Michio Sofu |- | 1975 | ''[[Tora-san's Rise and Fall]]'' <br />(''男はつらいよ 寅次郎相合い傘 Otoko wa Tsurai yo: Torajirō Aiaigasa'') | |}
==Honours== *[[Medals of Honor (Japan)|Medal with Purple Ribbon]] (1989) *[[Order of the Rising Sun]], 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette (1995)
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|0298576}}
{{Mainichi Film Award for Best Actor}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Funakoshi, Eiji}} [[Category:1923 births]] [[Category:2007 deaths]] [[Category:Japanese male actors]] [[Category:Recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon]] [[Category:Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th class]]