Beat Takeshi

After Beat Takeshi left Meiji University in the middle of a term, he worked as a taxi driver and an elevator boy, and then he debuted with Beat Kiyoshi as a comedian named "Syoukakuyanirou Jirou" in 1974. But they had little work so they quit. Then Takeshi made another combination and they went around the country. From this time on, he used language that is impossible to broadcast, taboo words.

After that, he debuted with Beat Kiyoshi again as "Two Beat". He then married in 1978.

At this time, a comic dialogue boom occurred. They were given bad reputation but at the same time, their popularity rose suddenly. Their famous gags at this time were "At a red signal, if we all walk together, there is no fear", "When there is an earthquake, let's set fire and tie grandmother's neck and run away".

In 1981, the TV program "Oretachihyoukinnzoku" started and he played "Takechanman" . It was very popular. He made "Takeshi Army corps" in 1983. It was a group of performers. They attacked the editor of Friday, photographic weekly magazine, in 1986. Because his lover problems appeared in an article. Then he was arrested, but he came back and he made his own office "Office Kitano" in 1987. His popularity didn't become weak.

In 1989, he debuted as a movie director at "Sono Otoko Kyoubounituki". In 1994, he had a traffic accident and he came back in 1995.

In 1997, his movie "Hanabi" received the Grand Prix at the Venice International Film Festival. He worked as a director, producer, starring actor and more.

I think he has strong luck and great talent.

See another report for Beat Takeshi here.

This article compliments of Michael Shawback's Internet class at Ryukoku University, Kyoto

Reported by: Akira Tago
Data verified by: Minamiura
Date of Report: October 1998

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