Echigo Ken

Name: Echigo Ken
Native name: 越後憲
Also Known as: えちごけん, 越後憲三, えちごけんぞう, Echigo Kenzou
Nationality: Japanese
Gender: Male
Born: December 2, 1929
Age: 96

Echigo joined Toho as a student in the second “New Face” class of actors in 1947 (incidentally, he was in the same class with actress Shiozawa Toki. He did not garner any lead roles, but he appeared frequently in bit parts throughout the 50s and 60s, including numerous science fiction films. He was the sailor playing the harmonica on the doomed fishing vessel in the opening moments of the original Godzilla movie. His most prominent supporting role was as a co-pilot aboard the SY-3 rocket ship in Destroy All Monsters (1968).

He retired in 1971. He enjoyed clay pigeon shooting and coffee dates with fellow supporting actor Iwamoto Hiroshi. His widow, actress Terasawa Hiroko, confirmed Echigo’s death in a 2014 interview, although specific details of his death (such as the date) are not publicly known.

(Source: Godzilla Cineaste) Edit Biography

Year	Title	#	Role	Rating
1967	Ultraseven Japanese Drama, 1967, 49 eps Hunter Konno (Ep. 7) (Guest Role)	49	Hunter Konno (Ep. 7) Guest Role	7.5

Year	Title	Role	Rating
1971	Godzilla vs. Hedorah Japanese Movie, 1971, [Talking Head] (Support Role)	[Talking Head] Support Role	7.0
1970	Space Amoeba Japanese Movie, 1970, [Journalist] (Guest Role)	[Journalist] Guest Role	6.6
1969	All Monsters Attack Japanese Movie, 1969, [Policeman] (Guest Role)	[Policeman] Guest Role	5.7
1969	Mito Komon Manyuki Japanese Movie, 1969, (Unknown)	Unknown	0.0
1969	Latitude Zero Japanese Movie, 1969, [Observer] (Guest Role)	[Observer] Guest Role	6.8
1969	Too Young to Die Japanese Movie, 1969, [Newspaper Reporter] (Bit part)	[Newspaper Reporter] Bit part	8.0
1968	Destroy All Monsters Japanese Movie, 1968, [SY-3 pilot] (Support Role)	[SY-3 pilot] Support Role	6.8
1966	Ebirah, Horror of the Deep Japanese Movie, 1966, [Red Bamboo Soldier] (Guest Role)	[Red Bamboo Soldier] Guest Role	6.7
1965	Frankenstein Conquers the World Japanese Movie, 1965, [Man Fleeing Resort] (Guest Role)	[Man Fleeing Resort] Guest Role	6.6
1964	Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster Japanese Movie, 1964, [Bystander, Cafe Patron] (Guest Role)	[Bystander, Cafe Patron] Guest Role	7.1
1964	Dogora Japanese Movie, 1964, [Soldier] (Guest Role)	[Soldier] Guest Role	6.4
1964	Mothra vs. Godzilla Japanese Movie, 1964, [Reporter] (Guest Role)	[Reporter] Guest Role	7.1
1963	High and Low Japanese Movie, 1963, [Train Crew] (Bit part)	[Train Crew] Bit part	8.1
1962	Nippon Musekinin Yaro Japanese Movie, 1962, [Taxi driver] (Bit part)	[Taxi driver] Bit part	2.0
1962	Gorath Japanese Movie, 1962, [Satellite Crew] (Guest Role)	[Satellite Crew] Guest Role	6.4
1962	Sanjuro Japanese Movie, 1962, Kikui Samurai (Support Role)	Kikui Samurai Support Role	7.9
1961	The Last War Japanese Movie, 1961, [TV Singer] (Guest Role)	[TV Singer] Guest Role	6.3
1961	Daredevil in the Castle Japanese Movie, 1961, [Warrior priest] (Bit part)	[Warrior priest] Bit part	7.2
1960	The Human Vapor Japanese Movie, 1960, [Scientist] (Guest Role)	[Scientist] Guest Role	6.8
1960	The Secret of the Telegian Japanese Movie, 1960, [Policeman] (Guest Role)	[Policeman] Guest Role	6.1
1960	Bananas Japanese Movie, 1960, Hamasaki (Support Role)	Hamasaki Support Role	0.0
1959	Battle in Outer Space Japanese Movie, 1959, [Soldier] (Guest Role)	[Soldier] Guest Role	6.1
1959	The Three Treasures Japanese Movie, 1959, [Yamato soldier 2] (Bit part)	[Yamato soldier 2] Bit part	6.0
1958	H-Man Japanese Movie, 1958, [Nightclub Patron] (Guest Role)	[Nightclub Patron] Guest Role	6.8
1957	The Mysterians Japanese Movie, 1957, [Pilot] (Guest Role)	[Pilot] Guest Role	6.8
1956	Rodan Japanese Movie, 1956, [Police officer] (Guest Role)	[Police officer] Guest Role	6.9
1954	Invisible Man Japanese Movie, 1954, [Waiter] (Guest Role)	[Waiter] Guest Role	6.2
1954	Godzilla Japanese Movie, 1954, [Sailor] (Guest Role)	[Sailor] Guest Role	7.8
1954	Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto Japanese Movie, 1954, [Villager] (Bit part)	[Villager] Bit part	7.6
1953	Eagle of the Pacific Japanese Movie, 1953, [Task force signals and communications staff] (Bit part)	[Task force signals and communications staff] Bit part	6.9