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 ... (Executive Producer)
Making of The Return of Godzilla ... (Production Supervisor)

1984

The Return of Godzilla ... (Story)
Sayonara Jupiter ... (Executive Producer)
Zero ... (Producer)
Ohan ... (Executive 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)
High Seas Hijack ... (Executive Producer)
Monsters of the Lost Continent ... (Executive Producer)
Mount Hakkoda ... (Producer)
Bloodthirsty Hawk ... (Executive Producer)
The Alaska Story ... (Producer)

1976

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

Godzilla vs. Megalon ... (Producer)
Zone Fighter ... (Producer)
Submersion of Japan as Government official (uncredited)
Katango's War ... (Executive Producer)
Horror of the Wolf ... (Executive Producer)
The Human Revolution ... (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)
Samurai Banners ... (Producer)
Motta, the Flying Dracula Monster ... (Executive Producer)
Latitude Zero ... (Executive Producer)
Portrait of Hell ... (Producer)

1968

Destroy All Monsters ... (Producer)
Admiral Yamamoto ... (Producer)
Kill! ... (Producer)
Judge and Jeopardy ... (Producer)
Golden Eyes ... (Executive Producer)
Homeless Ninja Trick Book: Lose in All Directions ... (Executive Producer)

1967

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

1966

Ebirah, Horror of the Deep ... (Executive Producer)
What's Up, Tiger Lily? ... (Producer)
The War of the Gargantuas ... (Executive 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)
Samurai Assassin ... (Producer)
The Retreat from Kiska ... (Producer)
Sanshiro Sugata ... (Producer)
Fort Graveyard ... (Producer)
Key of Keys ... (Executive Producer)
Ironfinger ... (Executive Producer)
Homeless Ninja Trick Book ... (Executive Producer)

1964

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

1963

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

1962

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

1961

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

1960

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

1959

Gigantis, the Fire Monster ... (Producer)
The Three Treasures ... (Producer)
The Doom of Night ... (Producer)
Battle in Outer Space ... (Producer)
Desperado Outpost ... (Executive Producer)
The Big Boss ... (Executive Producer)
A Whistle in My Heart ... (Executive Producer)
Samurai Saga ... (Producer)
The Adventures of Sun Wu Kung ... (Executive Producer)
The Terrible Game ... (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)
Half Human: The Story of the Abominable Snowman ... (Producer)
The Lower Depths ... (Producer)
Godzilla, the Monster of the Pacific Ocean ... (Producer)
Rodan! The Flying Monster ... (Associate Producer)
Faraway Man ... (Producer)
Untamed Woman ... (Producer)
Yagyu Secret Scrolls ... (Producer)
The Last Escape ... (Producer)
A Man in the Storm ... (Producer)
The Lonely Swordsman (Part 2) ... (Producer)
Tokyo 1960 ... (Producer)
The Decoy ... (Producer)
Reign of Terror ... (Producer)

1956

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

1955

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

1954

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

1953

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

1952

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

1951

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

1950

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

1949

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

1948

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

1947

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

1946

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

1945

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