Takamine, Hideko (1924–)

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Takamine, Hideko (1924–)

Japanese actress. Name variations: Takama Yoshio. Pronunciation: Ta-ka-me-nay He-day-koe. Born Takama Yoshio, Mar 27, 1924 in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan; dau. of Hirayama Kinji (restaurant owner); adopted by Hirayama Shige (her paternal aunt) and Ogino Ichiji (both of whom were benshi, aprofessional narrator for silent films before the introduction of sound); m. Matsuyama Zenzo (film director and screenwriter), Mar 1955; no children.

Popular child actress, known as "the Japanese Shirley Temple," who in adulthood worked with Japan's most accomplished film directors, portraying a wide variety of roles; at 5, made film debut in Mother; managing to avoid the pitfalls of a popular child performer trying to sustain a career, became a popular "pin-up girl" as a teenager; following the war, maintained her popularity with appearances in critically acclaimed films, which include Tsuzurikata kyoshitsu (Composition Class, 1938), Nijushi no hitomi (Twenty-four Eyes, 1954), and Na mo naku mazushiku utsukushiku (Nameless, Poor, Beautiful, 1961).

See also autobiography, Watashi no tosei nikki (1976); and Women in World History.