{{Short description|Japanese comedian (1950–2020)}} {{Expand Japanese|topic=bio|志村けん|date=April 2020}} {{More citations needed|date=March 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox person | name = Ken Shimura | image = | caption = | native_name = 志村けん | birth_name = {{nihongo|Yasunori Shimura|志村 康徳}} | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1950|2|20}}<ref>[https://ameblo.jp/shimura--ken/entry-12354091566.html 68歳誕生日] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200330020849/https://ameblo.jp/shimura--ken/entry-12354091566.html |date=30 March 2020 }}. Shimura's Official Blog. 19 February 2018</ref> | birth_place = Higashimurayama, Tokyo, Japan | death_date = {{death date and age|2020|3|29|1950|2|20|df=y}} | death_place = Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan | education = {{ill|Tokyo Metropolitan Kurume High School|ja|東京都立久留米高等学校}} | occupation = {{flatlist| * Comedian * actor * voice actor * singer * television personality}} | years_active = 1972–2020 | footnotes = {{Center|'''Same year/generation as:'''<br />Beat Takeshi<br/>Shofukutei Tsurube II}} }}
{{nihongo|'''Yasunori Shimura'''|志村 康徳|Shimura Yasunori|February 20, 1950 – March 29, 2020}}, known professionally as {{nihongo|'''Ken Shimura'''|志村 けん|Shimura Ken}}, was a Japanese comedian. He was born in Higashimurayama, Tokyo.
He started his career as an assistant to the comedy band The Drifters, led by Chōsuke Ikariya. In 1974, He joined the group, replacing Chū Arai. He appeared as members of the group on popular comedy shows that gained massive popularity from the 1970s to the 1980s. Hachiji-dayo! Zen'in-shūgō achieved the highest viewership rating of 50.5%, and {{Nihongo||ドリフ大爆笑|The Drifters Daibakushō}} reached 40.4% viewership. These shows made him nationally popular. After the end of ''Hachiji-dayo!'' in 1985, he began to work independently as well. He appeared on shows like {{Nihongo|2=加トちゃんケンちゃんごきげんテレビ|3=Kato-chan Ken-chan Gokigen TV}}, with Cha Katō, a fellow member of the group, {{Nihongo|2=志村けんのだいじょうぶだぁ|3=Shimura Ken no Daijōbu-dā}}," and {{Nihongo|2=志村けんのバカ殿様|3=Shimura Ken no Baka Tono-sama}}, portraying characters like {{Nihongo3|Stupid Lord|バカ殿様|Baka Tono-sama}} and {{Nihongo3|Strange Older Man|変なおじさん|Hen na Oji-san}}. These characters became highly popular.
Shimura's comedic work was inspired in part by that of Jerry Lewis.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ken Shimura dead of coronavirus; Japanese comic was 70 years old |publisher=USA Today |date=March 30, 2020 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/03/30/ken-shimura-dies-coronavirus-japanese-comic-70-years-old/5085889002/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703184006/https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/03/30/ken-shimura-dies-coronavirus-japanese-comic-70-years-old/5085889002/|archive-date=July 3, 2022}}</ref>
== Career == {{unreferenced section|date=March 2020}} Shimura became known in 1974, replacing Chu Arai<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/03/af7259e5ad04-breaking-news-japan-comedian-ken-shimura-dies-after-coronavirus-infection.html|title=Japanese comedian Ken Shimura dies of coronavirus-related pneumonia|website=Kyodo News+|access-date=30 March 2020}}</ref> in the famous comedy group The Drifters.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Frishberg |first=Hannah |date=30 March 2020 |title=Ken Shimura, 'Japan's Robin Williams,' dies from coronavirus at 70 |url=https://nypost.com/2020/03/30/ken-shimura-japans-robin-williams-dies-from-coronavirus-at-70/ |access-date=30 March 2020 |website=New York Post |language=en}}</ref> With the help of the other members of the group, he learned to act and make the audience laugh. Over time, he showed a knack for comedy. Some memorable pictures of that time are the mustache dance, in which he starred with Cha Katō and the song Higashimurayama, referring to his homeland.
With this group, he participated in the weekly program ''Hachiji Dayo! Zen'inshugo!'' from 1974 to 1985, reaching 40% to 50% of viewers at their best. From 1977, he also participated in the television program ''Dorifu Daibakusho'' ("Dorifu, big burst of laughter"), which were special sketches, totaling one and a half hours. It is currently possible to see members together only on television specials.
The rapport Shimura had with Cha Katō, also a member of Higashimurayama, kept them together on television. In 1986, they created the ''Kato-chan Ken-chan Gokigen Terebi'', which aired until 1992. In ''The Detective Story'', they are two detective friends who get into a lot of trouble. The high ratings allowed for high-cost scenes with exploding cars, helicopters and crowds. A famous painting of this time is Shimura as a monk, who asked people to repeat the words "Daijoubuda, ... ueh, ueh, ueh", whereas "daijoubuda" literally means "I'm all right."
This program ran about three times a year since 1986. In it, Shimura is a feudal lord ("tono") who does not want to rule and only thinks about having fun. The character was created at the time of ''Hachiji Dayo! Zen'inshugo!'' and is characterized by an all-white face, extremely thick eyebrows and hair tied at the top of the head. The program always featured celebrity stakes.
His show, ''Ken Shimura Daijoubuda'', a satire of modern Japanese society, aired from 1987 to 1993.<ref>{{cite web | last=Mijola | first=Camille | title=Ken Shimura: Comedian whose slapstick characters and sketches made him a household name in Japan | website=The Independent | date=April 30, 2020 | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ken-shimura-death-coronavirus-comedian-slapstick-tv-japan-age-cause-a9464126.html | access-date=May 23, 2022}}</ref>
===Post-Daijoubuda=== Following up his previous big hits, Shimura led several shows, mostly on the Fuji TV network. From 1996, he began working with newbie Yuuka. Shimura's participation in the career of humorists (such as Katsuhiro Higo and Ryuuhei Ueshima, and Haruna Kondou and Haruka Minowa) and other celebrities is notorious.
*1993–1995: ''Shimura Ken wa Ikagadeshou'' ("How about a Ken Shimura") – with Masashi Tashiro, Yoko Ishino, Nobuyoshi Kuwano, Minayo Watanabe, etc. *1995–1996: ''Shimura Ken no Ore ga Nani Shitano yo'' ("Ken Shimura's What the Hell Did I do?") – with Masashi Tashiro, Nobuyoshi Kuwano, Minayo Watanabe, etc. *1996–1997: ''Shimura X'' – with Maiko Kawakami, Yukiko Someya, Kazumi Murata, Yuuka, Housei Yamasaki and Ryuuhei Ueshima. *1997–1998: ''Shimura XYZ'' – with Maiko Kawakami, Yukiko Someya, Kazumi Murata, Yuuka, Housei Yamasaki and Ryuuhei Ueshima. *1998–2000: ''Shimura X-Tengoku'' ("Shimura Paradise X") – with Maiko Kawakami, Yukiko Someya, Kazumi Murata, Yuuka, Housei Yamasaki and Ryuuhei Ueshima. *2000–2002: ''Henna Ojisan TV'' ("Strange Uncle's TV") – with Yuuka, Katsuhiro Higo, Ryuuhei Ueshima, Masanori Ishii and Yoshiyuki Ishizuka. *2002–2004: ''Shimura Ryuu'' ("Shimura's Style") – with Yuuka, Katsuhiro Higo, Ryuuhei Ueshima, Masanori Ishii, Yoshiyuki Ishizuka, Chizuru Yamada and Ayumi Kato. *2004: ''Shimura Juku'' ("Shimura's Class") – with Yuuka, Katsuhiro Higo, Ryuuhei Ueshima, Masanori Ishii, Yoshiyuki Ishizuka, Chizuru Yamada, Ayumi Kato, etc. *2004–2005: ''Shimura Tsuu'' ("Shimura, a tasteful person") – with Yuuka, Katsuhiro Higo, Ryuuhei Ueshima, Jun Natsukawa, Chizuru Yamada, etc. *2005–2008: ''Shimura Ken no Daijoubuda II'' ("Ken Shimura's I'm All Right II") – with Yuuka, Katsuhiro Higo, Ryuuhei Ueshima, Wakako Shimazaki, Jun Natsukawa and Chen Qu. *2004–2020: ''Tensai! Shimura Dōbutsuen'' ("Genius! Shimura Zoo") – with chimpanzee Pankun and his son. *2008–2020: ''Shimura Ya Desu'' ("It's Shimura's Store") – with Yuuka, Katsuhiro Higo, Ryuuhei Ueshima, Haruna Kondou, Haruka Minowa, Emi Kobayashi and Erika Yazawa.
In 2001, Shimura formed a duet with Naoko Ken as "Ken♀♂Ken" in {{nihongo|"Ginza atari de Gin Gin Gin"|銀座あたりでギンギンギン}}.
In 2006, he formed and led his own comedy theater, Shimurakon (Shimura Spirit).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/30/entertainment/ken-shimura-coronavirus-scli-intl/index.html|title=Ken Shimura, famed Japanese comedian, dead at 70 after contracting coronavirus|author1=Will Ripley |author2=Yoko Wakatsuki|website=CNN|date=30 March 2020 |access-date=30 March 2020}}</ref>
''Tensai! Shimura Dōbutsuen'' continued airing after Shimura's death, with on air remembrances of his time with the animals. On July 4, 2020, it was reported that Nippon TV had decided to end the broadcast, citing that it would be painfully difficult and heartbreaking to continue filming in a set filled with memories, that was destined for Shimura's advice. The last broadcast was set for September.<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 4, 2020|title="相葉どうぶつ園"が１０月開園 日テレ系「天才！志村どうぶつ園」は９月終了|url=https://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/20200704/joh20070404000002-n1.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703235453/https://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/20200704/joh20070404000002-n1.html|archive-date=July 3, 2020|access-date=July 3, 2020|website=sanspo.com|language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=July 4, 2020|title=『天才!志村どうぶつ園』16年の歴史に幕 10月から相葉雅紀MCの新番組|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2166142/full/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200703235502/https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2166142/full/|archive-date=July 3, 2020|access-date=July 3, 2020|website=oricon.co.jp|language=ja}}</ref>
== Illness and death == Shimura was hospitalized for severe pneumonia on March 20th 2020; he lost consciousness after being anesthetized and hooked up to a ventilator on the following day. Then, on March 23rd it was confirmed that he had COVID-19.<ref name="oricon200325">{{Cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2158267/full/|title=志村けん、新型コロナ陽性で入院中と発表「回復に全力で努めております」 感染経路は不明|date=25 March 2020|newspaper=オリコンニュース|access-date=25 March 2020}}</ref><ref name="sponichi200326">{{Cite news|url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2020/03/26/kiji/20200325s00041000526000c.html|title=重症化…志村けん 人工心肺装着 新型コロナ感染公表 芸能界に"濃厚接触者"がいる懸念|date=26 March 2020|newspaper=Sponichi Annex|access-date=26 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fnn.jp/posts/00434479CX/202003250634_CX_CX|title=志村けんさん 新型コロナ 肺炎の症状…現在も入院中|date=25 March 2020|access-date=25 March 2020|agency=FNN|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324233339/https://www.fnn.jp/posts/00434479CX/202003250634_CX_CX|archive-date=24 March 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> He was the first Japanese tarento to have his COVID-19 diagnosis made public during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.<ref name="sponichi200326" />
On March 24th, Shimura was transferred to a hospital where ECMO was available.<ref name="sponichi200326" /> He had been scheduled to star in the film {{Interlanguage link|Kinema no kamisama|lt=''It's a Flickering Life''|ja|キネマの神様|WD=}}, but his participation was cancelled on March 26th.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2020/03/26/kiji/20200326s00041000328000c.html|title=志村けん、初主演映画「キネマの神様」出演を辞退 コロナ感染で事務所「申し訳なく思っております」|website=www.sponichi.co.jp|access-date=26 March 2020}}</ref> He was also slated to carry the Olympic torch through part of Tokyo prior to the 2020 Tokyo games.<ref name=":1" />
Shimura died on March 29th 2020 at the {{ill|National Center for Global Health and Medicine|ja|国立国際医療研究センター}} in Shinjuku, Tokyo.<ref>{{cite news|title=Japanese comedian Ken Shimura dies from coronavirus: NHK|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-ChineseVirus-japan-comedian/japanese-comedian-ken-shimura-dies-from-coronavirus-nhk-idUSKBN21H020|publisher=Reuters|date=29 March 2020}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO57387450Q0A330C2CC0000/ 志村けんさん死去 新型コロナ感染で肺炎]. The Nikkei. 30 March 2020</ref><ref>[https://friday.kodansha.co.jp/article/104836 コロナ感染で予断を許さない志村けんの病状と「ナゾの感染ルート」]. Friday Digital. 29 March 2020</ref> He was 70 years old.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rich |first1=Motoko |title=Ken Shimura, Comedian Whose Sketches Delighted Japan, Dies at 70 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/obituaries/ken-shimura-dead-coronavirus.html |access-date=30 April 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=2 April 2020}}</ref>
== Filmography == *''Poppoya'' (1999), Hajime Yoshioka *''The Lorax'' (2012), The Lorax (Japanese dub voice)<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.thecinema.jp/vod/loraxojisan-movie/|title= ロラックスおじさんの秘密の種|access-date= January 30, 2023|work= The Cinema|archive-date= 31 January 2023|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230131001610/https://www.thecinema.jp/vod/loraxojisan-movie/|url-status= dead}}</ref> *''Yo-kai Watch: The Movie'' (2014), Master Nyada (voice) *''Yell'' (2020, TV series), Kōzō Oyamada
==Discography==
===As featured artist=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- !rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Title !rowspan="2"| Year !colspan="1"| Peak chart positions !rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Sales !rowspan="2"| Album !scope="col" rowspan="2" | Certifications |- !width="30"|JPN |- ! scope="row"| {{nihongo|"Aīn Taisō"|アイ〜ン体操}} / {{nihongo|"Aīn! Dance no Uta"|アイ〜ン!ダンスの唄}}<br>{{small|(as Bakatono-sama with Mini-Moni Hime)}} | 2002 | 3 | * JPN: 200,000+ | ''Mini-Moni Song Daihyakka Ikkan'' | * RIAJ: Gold<ref name="riaj">{{cite web | url=https://www.riaj.or.jp/f/data/cert/gd_search.html | title=一般社団法人 日本レコード協会 | format=Enter "ミニモニ。" in the アーティスト parameter and then click 検索 | language=ja | work=Recording Industry Association of Japan | access-date=16 February 2020}}</ref> |- | colspan="6" style="font-size:90%;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region. |- |}
==See also== * Statue of Ken Shimura
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://ameblo.jp/shimura--ken/ Ken Shimura's Official Blog] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200331042409/https://ameblo.jp/shimura--ken/ |date=31 March 2020 }} * [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0793762/ Ken Shimura]. IMDb
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Shimura, Ken}} Category:1950 births Category:2020 deaths Category:20th-century Japanese comedians Category:21st-century Japanese comedians Category:Japanese male comedians Category:Comedians from Tokyo Category:People from Higashimurayama, Tokyo Category:Japanese racehorse owners and breeders Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan