Tomoyuki Tanaka

Born: 1910-04-26 in Osaka, Honshu, Japan

Died: 1997-04-02

Known For: Production

Biography

Born in Osaka Prefecture, Tomoyuki Tanaka was head man at Toho Studios and one of its most prolific producers. Throughout his career he would produce the films of notable filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa, Senkichi Taniguchi, Kon Ichikawa, and Mikio Naruse. However, he is probably best remembered as the creator of Godzilla. After graduating from the Economic Department at Kansai University, Tanaka joined Toho in 1940. In 1954 Tanaka would spearhead the original Godzilla film with director Ishiro Honda. After Godzilla's monumental success, Tanaka was instructed to "make another one". Tanaka would produce every Toho monster film up until Godzilla vs Destoroyah. Tanaka was also a heavy supporter of Toshiro Mifune, producing his films with Kurosawa as well as Mifune's own production company and sole directorial effort in Legacy of the 500,000. Tanaka would champion Godzilla's return in 1984 and be heavily involved in the series until his death in 1997. In his near 60 year career Tanaka would go on to produce over 200 films.

Filmography

1998

Godzilla ... (In Memory Of)

1997

Rebirth of Mothra II ... (Producer)

1996

Rebirth of Mothra ... (Original Story)

1995

Godzilla vs. Destoroyah ... (Executive Producer)

1994

Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla ... (Executive Producer)

1993

Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II ... (Executive Producer)

1992

Godzilla vs. Mothra ... (Executive Producer)

1991

Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah ... (Executive Producer)

1989

Godzilla vs. Biollante ... (Executive Producer)
Gunhed ... (Executive Producer)

1987

Princess from the Moon ... (Executive Producer)
Actress ... (Producer)

1986

Toho Unused Special Effects Complete Collection as Self

1985

Godzilla 1985 ... (Story)
Making of The Return of Godzilla ... (Production Supervisor)

1984

The Return of Godzilla ... (Story)
Sayonara Jupiter ... (Executive Producer)
Ohan ... (Executive Producer)
Zero ... (Producer)

1983

The Makioka Sisters ... (Executive Producer)

1982

The Longest Tunnel ... (Producer)

1981

The Imperial Navy ... (Executive Producer)
The Last Days of Planet Earth ... (Executive Producer)

1980

Kagemusha ... (Executive Producer)
Magnitude 7.9 ... (Executive Producer)

1977

House ... (Producer)
Godzilla ... (Producer)
The War in Space ... (Executive Producer)
Mount Hakkoda ... (Producer)
High Seas Hijack ... (Executive Producer)
Bloodthirsty Hawk ... (Executive Producer)
Monsters of the Lost Continent ... (Executive Producer)

1976

Zero Fighter ... (Executive Producer)
Human Revolution II ... (Executive Producer)

1975

Terror of Mechagodzilla ... (Executive Producer)
Conflagration ... (Executive Producer)
Tidal Wave ... (Executive Producer)

1974

Submersion of Japan ... (Producer)
Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla ... (Executive Producer)
Prophecies of Nostradamus ... (Executive Producer)
ESPY ... (Executive Producer)

1973

Zone Fighter ... (Producer)
Godzilla vs. Megalon ... (Producer)
Submersion of Japan as Government official (uncredited)
Horror of the Wolf ... (Executive Producer)
The Human Revolution ... (Producer)
Katango's War ... (Executive Producer)

1972

Godzilla vs. Gigan ... (Producer)
Satan's Creature ... (Executive Producer)

1971

Godzilla vs. Hedorah ... (Executive Producer)

1970

Space Amoeba ... (Executive Producer)
Will to Conquer ... (Producer)
The Vampire Doll ... (Executive Producer)
Terror in the Streets ... (Executive Producer)

1969

All Monsters Attack ... (Executive Producer)
Battle of the Japan Sea ... (Production Director)
Latitude Zero ... (Executive Producer)
Samurai Banners ... (Producer)
Portrait of Hell ... (Producer)
Motta, the Flying Dracula Monster ... (Executive Producer)

1968

Destroy All Monsters ... (Producer)
Admiral Yamamoto ... (Producer)
Kill! ... (Producer)
Judge and Jeopardy ... (Producer)
Golden Eyes ... (Executive Producer)
風来忍法帖　八方破れ ... (Executive Producer)

1967

Samurai Rebellion ... (Producer)
King Kong Escapes ... (Executive Producer)
Son of Godzilla ... (Executive Producer)
Japan's Longest Day ... (Producer)
The Killing Bottle ... (Executive Producer)
The Age of Assassins ... (Executive Producer)

1966

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep ... (Executive Producer)
The War of the Gargantuas ... (Executive Producer)
What's Up, Tiger Lily? ... (Producer)
Adventure in Kigan Castle ... (Executive Producer)
Zero Fighter ... (Producer)
The Mad Atlantic ... (Producer)

1965

Red Beard ... (Producer)
Invasion of Astro-Monster ... (Executive Producer)
Frankenstein Conquers the World ... (Executive Producer)
The Retreat from Kiska ... (Producer)
Fort Graveyard ... (Producer)
Samurai Assassin ... (Producer)
Sanshiro Sugata ... (Producer)
Ironfinger ... (Executive Producer)
風来忍法帖 ... (Executive Producer)
Key of Keys ... (Executive Producer)

1964

Mothra vs. Godzilla ... (Executive Producer)
Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster ... (Executive Producer)
Dogora ... (Executive Producer)
Jakoman and Tetsu ... (Producer)
Whirlwind ... (Producer)
Blood and Diamonds ... (Executive Producer)
Oh, Bomb! ... (Producer)
Tiger Flight ... (Producer)
Trap of Suicide Kilometer ... (Executive Producer)
A Keg of Powder ... (Executive Producer)
Ant Hell War ... (Producer)

1963

High and Low ... (Producer)
King Kong vs. Godzilla ... (Producer)
Atragon ... (Producer)
Matango ... (Executive Producer)
Operation Mad Dog ... (Producer)
Outpost of Hell ... (Producer)
Warring Clans ... (Producer)
Attack Squadron ... (Producer)
Legacy of the 500,000 ... (Producer)
Siege of Fort Bismarck ... (Producer)
Samurai Pirate ... (Executive Producer)
Interpol Code 8 ... (Executive Producer)
Young Swordsman ... (Executive Producer)
A Photo journalist's Story: Risk Your Life for the Moment ... (Producer)
The Sun is Calling You ... (Producer)
Apple Blossom Town ... (Producer)

1962

King Kong vs. Godzilla ... (Producer)
Sanjuro ... (Producer)
Chûshingura ... (Producer)
Gorath ... (Producer)
Varan the Unbelievable ... (Producer)
Operation Sewer Rats ... (Producer)
Operation Enemy Fort ... (Executive Producer)
The Weed of Crime ... (Executive Producer)
Counterstroke ... (Executive Producer)

1961

Yojimbo ... (Executive Producer)
Mothra ... (Producer)
A Man in Red ... (Executive Producer)
Blood on the Sea ... (Executive Producer)
The Merciless Trap ... (Producer)
The Last War ... (Executive Producer)
Big Shots Die at Dawn ... (Executive Producer)
Eternity of Love ... (Producer)
Blueprint of Murder ... (Executive Producer)
The Witness Killed ... (Executive Producer)

1960

The Bad Sleep Well ... (Producer)
The Human Vapor ... (Executive Producer)
The Secret of the Telegian ... (Producer)
The Storm of the Pacific ... (Producer)
Man Against Man ... (Executive Producer)
The Last Gunfight ... (Executive Producer)
Westward Desperado ... (Executive Producer)
Reporters from the Sky ... (Producer)

1959

Battle in Outer Space ... (Producer)
The Three Treasures ... (Producer)
Gigantis, the Fire Monster ... (Producer)
The Big Boss ... (Executive Producer)
Samurai Saga ... (Producer)
The Terrible Game ... (Producer)
A Whistle in My Heart ... (Executive Producer)
Desperado Outpost ... (Executive Producer)
The Adventures of Sun Wu Kung ... (Executive Producer)

1958

The H-Man ... (Producer)
The Rickshaw Man ... (Producer)
Varan ... (Producer)
Little Peach ... (Producer)
The Spell of the Hidden Gold ... (Producer)
Who Is the Informer? ... (Production Director)
Female Detective Story: S.O.S Woman ... (Producer)

1957

The Mysterians ... (Producer)
The Lower Depths ... (Producer)
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman ... (Producer)
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean ... (Producer)
Yagyu Secret Scrolls ... (Producer)
Untamed Woman ... (Producer)
Rodan! The Flying Monster ... (Associate Producer)
The Lonely Swordsman (Part 2) ... (Producer)
A Man in the Storm ... (Producer)
The Last Escape ... (Producer)
Tokyo 1960 ... (Producer)
The Decoy ... (Producer)
Reign of Terror ... (Producer)

1956

Godzilla, King of the Monsters! ... (Story)
Rodan ... (Producer)
Scoundrel ... (Producer)
The Legend of the White Serpent ... (Executive Producer)
The Wicked Boy ... (Producer)
The Lonely Swordsman (Part 1) ... (Producer)
Rainy Night Duel ... (Producer)
Love on Rainbow Island ... (Producer)
The Maiden Courtesan ... (Executive Producer)

1955

Godzilla Raids Again ... (Producer)
Mother and Son ... (Executive Producer)
Beast Man Snow Man ... (Producer)
Love Never Fails ... (Producer)
Ticket to Hell ... (Producer)
Tomorrow I'll Be a Fire-Tree ... (Producer)
Lovetide ... (Executive Producer)
No Response from Car 33 ... (Producer)
To Love and Forgive ... (Producer)

1954

Godzilla ... (Producer)
Farewell Rabaul ... (Producer)
The Surf ... (Producer)
Itsuko to sono haha ... (Producer)
Forever Be Mine ... (Producer)

1953

The Last Embrace ... (Producer)
My Wonderful Yellow Car ... (Producer)
Yasugorō shusse ... (Producer)
Their Father's Wife ... (Producer)
Adolescence Part II ... (Producer)
Brilliant! The First Detective: Zenigata Heiji in His Youth ... (Producer)
The Red Light Military Base ... (Producer)

1952

The Man Who Came to Port ... (Producer)
Foghorn ... (Producer)
Sword for Hire ... (Producer)
Adolescence ... (Producer)
Shanghai Rose ... (Producer)
Swift Current ... (Producer)

1951

Swords and Brocade ... (Producer)
Who Will Judge Me? ... (Producer)
The White Orchid ... (Producer)
Beyond Love and Hate ... (Producer)
Sekidô matsuri ... (Producer)

1950

White Beast ... (Producer)
Devil's Gold ... (Producer)
The Angry Street ... (Executive Producer)
Escape at Dawn ... (Producer)
Heat and Mud ... (Producer)
Tokyo Gate ... (Producer)

1949

Lady From Hell ... (Producer)
Jakoman and Tetsu ... (Producer)
Scarface Senta ... (Producer)

1948

My Love on the Other Side of the Mountain ... (Producer)

1947

Snow Trail ... (Producer)
Chikagai nijuyojikan ... (Producer)
Four Love Stories ... (Producer)

1946

As Long as I Live ... (Producer)
Yoki na onna ... (Producer)
Those Who Make Tomorrow ... (Executive Producer)
Eleven High School Girls ... (Producer)

1945

Three Women of the North ... (Executive Producer)
Duel at Yagyu Valley ... (Producer)