Mickey Curtis

For other people named Michael Curtis, see Michael Curtis (disambiguation).
Mickey Curtis
ミッキー・カーチス
Born
Michael Brian Curtis

(1938-07-23) 23 July 1938 (age 86)
Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Other namesIgarashi Shinjirô[1]
Mikkī Kāchisu
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active1958–present
SpouseMari Yoshimura (1962–1964)
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
LabelsVictor, Philips, Black

Mickey Curtis (ミッキー・カーチス, Mikkī Kāchisu, born Michael Brian Curtis (マイケル・ブライアン・カーティス, Maikeru Buraian Kātisu), 23 July 1938) is a Japanese actor, singer and Media Personality. He was born to English-Japanese parents.[2]

A pivotal figure in Japanese popular music, Mickey is considered one of the three big Japanese names in rock music, helping to popularize the genre in the 1950s where he began as a rockabilly singer.[3][4] In 1967, he became internationally known for his avant-garde rock band "Mickey Curtis & The Samurai". After five years Mickey disbanded the group and returned to Japan in 1972, where he began producing other musicians.

As an actor his first role was as a rock singer in the 1958 film All About Marriage by Kihachi Okamoto and he has since gone on to star in more than 70 feature films. Apart from his entertainment career he has also been a race car driver and owns a motorcycle shop in Meguro, Tokyo.[citation needed] He speaks Japanese, English, French, German, Italian and Thai.[2]

  1. ^ "矢口史靖監督最新作「ロボジー」主演は73歳・五十嵐信次郎 : 映画ニュース".
  2. ^ a b "ミッキー・カーチス｜ワタナベエンターテインメント".
  3. ^ 昭和浪漫ロカビリー―聞き書き:ジャズ喫茶からウエスタン・カーニバルへ. Heibonsha Publishing. 2001. ISBN 4-19-861365-6.
  4. ^ The Japanese rock stars interviews 集~時代を築いた20人の言葉. T.O Entertainment. 2010. ISBN 978-4-904376-18-8.