Tatsuo Saito and Ozu - also Tomio Aoki (Tokkan Kozo) and Ozu

[Leo Wong]

Tatsuo Saito played prominent roles in many Ozu silents and much less frequently later. His last Ozu film was in The Munekata Sisters (1950). Saito's career lasted until 1965. Does anyone know why this magnificent actor appeared less frequently and then not at all in Ozu films?

A similar question might be asked about Tomio Aoki (Tokkan Kozo). Any light on why Ozu stopped using Aoki after 1937?

[manicsounds]

I think this should be in the Ozu thread and not in a separate BFI thread.... but

With Tokkan Kozo, he quit acting, enlisted in the military and fought at Peleliu during WWII, so he wasn't actively acting through those years. Plus when he returned to the studio system, he joined Nikkatsu, while Ozu was in Shochiku working.

With Saito, he went on to direct and star in pictures of his own, so he was leading his own life. He was in a few other Ozu films later on too, so there wasn't any bad blood, it seems.

[Leo Wong]

Sorry - new to these forums. Thanks for the information about Saito and Aoki.