Renzaburô Shibata(1917-1978)
- Writer
- Actor
Graduated in Literature for the Keio University. Debuted as a writer in
1938 with "Elegy", but the II World War cut his career until 1949, when
he resumed his activity. In 1951 he was finalist in the Akutagawa Prize
(which he won next year) for his novel "Death Mask". From 1956 his
novels were made into movies, the first of them being "8th Cell". That
same year his most popular character, Kyoshiro Nemuri (also known as
"Sleepy Eyes of Death"), is converted in a three-part film series
ending in 1958, starring Koji Tsuruta as Nemuri. The character returned
in his most famous reincarnation, Raizo Ichikawa, who played it in a
film series from 1963 up to his death in 1969, being replaced by Hiroki
Matsukata. From the 70s many of Shibata's novels have been converted
into TV series.
