Famous People in Japan



Shimura Ken

Date of Birth 20 February 1950
Place of Birth Tokyo

Ken Shimura is one of the most famous comedians in Japan. He originally belonged to the entertainment group "The Drifters."

After he graduated from Kurume High School, he became the manager of The Drifters against his fathers's wishes. Then he was promoted to a regular member of the group, in place of Chu Arai. The Drifters is formed of five comedians, but originally it was a rock band. When The Beatles came to Japan, they played an opening performance for it.

In the nineteen-seventies they appeared on their own program "8 o'clock! Come on everybody!" The program gained the children's popularity, however, it roused the antipathy of the P.T.A., because they regarded it as too vulgar.

After the program was canceled in 1985, The Drifters broke up. Then he started his own program "Ken and Cha's highly spirits"in cooperation with Cha Kato who belonged to The Drifters, too. But it has also gone off the air and now he currently doesn't have any programs.

Now he performs other programs as a guest. Sometimes, he disguises himself the various clothes andamkeup. Not only his character but also his appearance is funny.

References: Gendai Nihonjinmeiroku, 1994

Reported by: Yoshihiro Sugiyama
Data verified by: Motonari Izawa
Date of Report: November 1995
Updated by: Asako Itsumi, May 1998

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