Artist: 勝 新太郎 (Shintaro Katsu)

勝 新太郎 / Shintaro Katsu (Nov 29, 1931 – June 21, 1997. nicknamed Katsu-shin)Japanese Yakuza actor, singer, producer, and director.Actor 若山富三郎 (Tomisaburo Wakayama) is his older brother.His best known role was as blind Yakuza anma (masseur) Zatoichi in the series of films by the same name, which were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Katsu played Zatoichi in 25 moviesbetween 1962 and 1973. Cuban Former Chairperson Castro isknown as an earnest fan of the Zatoichi series.In 1990, Prince (US Musician) offered him "I want you to appear in my PV with a figure of Zatoichi" but it was not realized by many circumstances.The friendship of American actor Dennis Hopper and him wasfamous and Hopper attend it by Japanese movie feast day, and Hopper had a sense of closeness as an actor of the same style.Shintaro Katsu is also known for his troubled personal life.A heavy drinker, Katsu had several skirmishes with the law regardingdrug use as well, including marijuana, opium, and cocainewith arrests in 1978, 1990, and 1992.These incidents resulted in his being removed from considerationfor several parts both in Japan and abroad, amongst theman ad campaign for Kirin Beer in Japan (the campaign was pulled as it had already been in progress) and the lead role in Ridley Scott's 1989 film Black Rain (he was replaced by Ken Takakura). He had also developed a reputation for being something of a troublemaker on set. When director Akira Kurosawa cast himfor the lead role in Kagemusha (1980), Katsu left before the first day of shooting was over.Katsu had a "blood brother" in Australia, Queensland entrepreneurBrian King. King teamed up with Katsu in 1979/1980 in Japan and Australia. King and Katsu collaborated in an effort to produce a movie based on a Japanese POW break-out in the small Australian town of Cowra on 5 August 1944. Over 1100 Japanese POWs took part; 231 of them died, many taking their own lives. Plans were for Katsu to both star in and direct the film.