Veteran Japanese actor Toshiyuki Nishida, who featured in cult series Monkey, has died aged 76.
He was found collapsed at his home in Tokyo on Thursday. Police are investigating details.
Nishida was born in 1947. He joined the theatre company Seinenza in 1970 and went onto become a familiar face on film and television, playing comical kind-hearted roles as well as violent villains.
He won best lead actor in the Japan Academy awards for his performance as a night school teacher in the 1993 film “Gakko” directed by Yamada Yoji.
Film credits include Tsuribaka nisshi, Tsuribaka Nisshi, The Silk Road, Get Up! and for his role in Takeshi Kitano’s internationally popular Outrage series.
Outside of films, Nishida became a household name for being the master of ceremonies for popular variety TV show Knight Scoop between 2001 and 2019.
In 1970s cult series Monkey, played as a dubbed series on ABC from 1981, he played the role of Pigsy before Tonpei Hidari took over the role. From 1996 to 2000 episodes would screen as part of Recovery.
Source: NHK
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