Kei Tani ( 谷啓 Tani Kei) was a Japanese comedian, actor and musician died he was , 78. Born in Tokyo, he learned to play the trombone and, while a student at Chuo University, began playing in jazz bands performing for American soldiers during theOccupation of Japan.[1] He quit university and joined the City Slickers with Frankie Sakai in 1953.[2] In 1956, he joined the comic-jazz band The Crazy Cats with Hajime Hana and Hitoshi Ueki.[2][3] He came to fame when the Crazy Cats started appearing on television, especially through their variety show "Shabondama Holiday," and in movies, through comedy series such as the "Irresponsible" (Musekinin) series at Toho.[1] Some of his nonsense one-word gags such as "gachon" became buzzwords imitated throughout the nation.[2][3] He also appeared alone in dramatic roles on film and television, was a regular in the "Tsuribaka Nisshi" film series, and continued to be a popular figure on variety TV.
His real name was Yasuo Watanabe,[3] but his stage name was based on a pun on the name Danny Kaye.He died of a brain contusion on 11 September 2010 after falling down the stairs in his Mitaka home.[3]
(22 February 1932 – 11 September 2010)
Selected filmography
- Nippon musekinin jidai (ニッポン無責任時代) (1962)
- Zūzūshii yatsu (図々しい奴) (1965)
- Fancy Paradise (空想天国 Kūsō tengoku) (1968)
- Samurai Fiction (SF サムライ・フィクション, Esu Efu Samurai Fikushon) (1998)
- After Life (ワンダフルライフ, Wandafuru Raifu) (1998)
- Waterboys (ウォーターボーイズ, Wōtā Bōizu) (2001)
- Swing Girls (スウィングガールズ, Suwingu Gāruzu) (2004)
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