Tetsuya Watari
Acting
115 titles
He graduated from Aoyama Gakuin University. Watari belonged to the karate club at university. He made his screen debut in 1964, in Isamu Kosugi's Abare Kishidō, and received one of the Elan d'or Awards. At Nikkatsu, Watari appeared in such films as Tokyo Drifter and the Outlaw series. Watari was mentored at Nikkatsu by Yujiro Ishihara. When Nikkatsu shifted to focusing on Roman Porno films in the early seventies, Watari was one of many actors who left the studio. Watari was due to play the main role in Kinji Fukasaku’s film Battles Without Honor and Humanity, but because of illness he was not able to appear. In 1974, he was forced to step down from the lead role of Katsu Kaishū in the Taiga drama Katsu Kaishū on NHK, again because of illness, after appearing in only nine episodes. In 1976, Watari won best actor of Blue Ribbon Award for his role in Kinji Fukasaku`s film Yakuza Graveyard. In Japan, Watari is probably still best known for his role as Keisuke Daiomon in the detective series "Seibu Keisatsu" on TV Asahi. He also appeared in the popular detective drama "Taiyō ni Hoero!" as a replacement for Yujiro Ishihara in 1986. Watari became the president of Ishihara Promotion after Yujiro's death in 1987 but in 2011 he resigned due to his declining health. On June 10, 2015 he was hospitalised after suffering a heart attack and underwent surgery. Seven days later it was announced that he was in rehabilitation and would be discharged from hospital in about a month. He had a younger brother, Tsunehiko Watase, who was also an actor. As a singer, Watari is known for his hit song "Kuchinashi no Hana" and he appeared in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen in 1974 and 1993. He died of pneumonia on August 10, 2020, at the age of 78.
Filmography
No Dropping Out: Back to School at 35
2013
Villain
2012
Clouds Over the Hill
2009
Flower of Ice
2008
Oishii Gohan: Kamakura Kasugai Rice Shop
2007
Tuna
2007
Family: Absence of the Wife, Existence of the Husband
2006
The Street Lawyers
2006
Yamato
2005
Middle-aged Divorce
2005
Gion Bayashi
2005
Yoshitsune
2005
Lady Joker
2004
弟
2004
Western Police Special
2004
Marusa!!
2003
スクープ
2002
AIBOU: Tokyo Detective Duo
2002
渡哲也サスペンス 絆
2002
Shura Group Part 3
2002
Brother
2000
It Is a Long Walk
2000
Diary of Early Winter Shower
1998
Bloody Journal of the Shinsengumi
1998
Abduction
1997
Night Train to the Stars
1996
SMAP×SMAP
1996
Hideyoshi
1996
Kin chan no Cinema Jack
1993
Sangokushi: The Yangtze Is Burning!
1993
Great Conquest: The Romance of Three Kingdoms
1992
The Unruly Ronin's Journey
1991
Daihyô torishimariyaku deka
1990
Goryokaku
1988
Clockwork- Goodbye Winter
1986
Again
1984
Seibu Keisatsu
1979
Haguregumo
1978
浮浪云
1978
Big City: Days of Struggle
1976
Yakuza Graveyard
1976
Human Revolution II
1976
Conflagration
1975
Graveyard of Honor
1975
Katsu Kaishu
1974
Wild Cop 2
1973
The Blossom and the Sword
1973
Stray Dog
1973
The Human Revolution
1973
Wild Cop
1973
Flower and Dragon
1973
Rebellion Reward
1973
Theater Of Life
1972
Sword and Flower
1972
Chase That Man
1972
Law of the Outlaw
1971
Expelled from the Kanto Mob
1971
Challenge at Dawn
1971
Kanto Kanbu-kai
1971
The Earth is Born Again
1971
Kanto Drifter
1971
Epic Chushingura
1971
Step on the Gas!
1970
Pay Off Your Debt!
1970
Spartan Education
1970
Showdown in Gangland
1970
The Summit of Mt. Fuji
1970
Profile of a Boss' Son
1970
The Cleanup
1969
やくざ番外地 抹殺
1969
Showdown at Nagasaki
1969
The Wild Sea
1969
The Fatal Raid
1969
Ex Convict: Sword Storm
1969
Ruthless Gambler
1969
前科・仮釈放
1969
Yakuza Wanderer: Villainous Livelihood
1969
Outlaw: Kill!
1969
Savage Wolf Pack
1969
Exiled to Hell
1969
Outlaw: Black Dagger
1968
The Blazing Continent
1968
Outlaw: Goro the Assassin
1968
East China Sea
1968
Monument to the Girl's Corps
1968
The Final Winner?
1968
Outlaw: Heartless
1968
Song of my Life
1968
Outlaw: Gangster VIP 2
1968
The Code of Man
1968
Outlaw: Gangster VIP
1968
The Aftermath of War
1967
My Sweetheart
1967
Velvet Hustler
1967
The Hurricane Drummer
1967
Rusty Pendant
1967
The Debt of Blood
1967
Burning Clouds
1967
The Man of Victory
1967
Dreams Come True at Night
1967
The Black Sheep
1967
陽のあたる坂道
1967
Tokyo Drifter 2: The Sea Is Bright Red as the Color of Love
1966
The Swan Elegy
1966
The Stormy Man
1966
The Heart of Hiroshima
1966
Your Life
1966
Love Eternal
1966
Till We Meet Again
1966
Red Glass
1966
Tokyo Drifter
1966
In Tears
1965
The Stars and I Decided...
1965
Shinkuna umi ga yon deru ze
1965
Seishun no Sabaki
1965