Hitoshi Ueki

植木等　/　うえきひとし

Postwar Japan's beloved comic entertainer and Crazy Cats star

December 25, 1926 – March 27, 2007　・　Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan

From Aichi Prefecture
Singer
Actor
Jazz Musician

My Take

I'll be honest, Hitoshi Ueki is one of those guys I find oddly comforting. He's the "Sudara Bushi" man, the grinning face of postwar Japan's irresponsible-salaryman comedy, and that "I know I should quit but I just can't" hook still makes me smile decades later. As part of Crazy Cats he could sing, swing through jazz, act, and clown all at once, which is a frankly absurd amount of talent in one Nagoya-born guy. What gets me, though, is the contrast: by all accounts he was actually a quiet, earnest, dutiful man offstage, and the whole carefree charmer thing was pure craft. That tension is what makes him land for me. He aged into a wonderfully understated character actor too, and that 1993 honor felt well earned. A genuine original.

Overview

Hitoshi Ueki (December 25, 1926 – March 27, 2007) was a Japanese entertainer born in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, who built a career spanning singing, acting, jazz performance, composition, and comedy. He is best known for his signature comedic persona and his appearances in the Crazy Cats film series, as well as television dramas including The Hangman and Nagoya Yomeiri Monogatari. He attended Toyo University, and in 1993 was awarded the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon (Shiju-hosho) in recognition of his contributions to the arts.

1. Profile

Name (English): Hitoshi Ueki
Name (Japanese): 植木等
Reading: うえきひとし
Born: December 25, 1926 – March 27, 2007
Zodiac / Chinese zodiac: Capricorn / Tiger (Tora)
Origin: Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Blood type: Private
Height: 165 cm
Agency: Private
Active years: Unknown
Occupation: Singer / Actor / Jazz Musician / Composer / Comedian

2. Background

Elementary school: Private
Junior high: Private
High school: Private
University: Toyo University
Debut: Unknown

Awards & achievements

1993 — Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon (Shiju-hosho)

3. Relationships

Spouse: Private
Children: Private
Parents: Private
Siblings: Private

4. Personality

Motto

Private

5. Works & records

Category	Title	Role	Year
Notable Work	Ueki Hitoshi no Sore Yuke Don Don	—	Unknown
Notable Work	The Hangman (Za Hangman)	—	Unknown
Notable Work	Nagoya Yomeiri Monogatari	—	Unknown
Notable Work	Crazy Cats Films (Kuriji Eiga)	—	Unknown
Notable Work	Gyakufunsha Kazoku	—	Unknown

6. Links

Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%A4%8D%E6%9C%A8%E7%AD%89