Film · 1920–1997

Toshirō Mifune — Age, Birthday & Biography

Born: 1 April 1920 · Died: 24 December 1997 · Age at death: 77

How old was Toshirō Mifune when he died?

Toshirō Mifune died aged 77. He was born on 1 April 1920 and died on 24 December 1997.

Japanese actor of Rashomon, Seven Samurai and Yojimbo, famed for his intense collaborations with Akira Kurosawa

Did you know?Before finding fame on screen, he spent his military service working in an aerial photography unit for the Japanese Imperial Army.

Quick facts

  • Date of birth1 April 1920
  • Date of death24 December 1997
  • Age at death77
  • Cause of deathPancreatic cancer, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome
  • NationalityJapanese
  • BirthplaceQingdao, People's Republic of China
  • Occupationactor, film producer, film actor

Editor's Take:

Toshiro Mifune was the most famous Japanese actor of the 20th century. He served in the army during the war and only became an actor by chance. Director Akira Kurosawa saw his raw, explosive energy and cast him again and again. Together they made 16 films, including Rashomon, Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. Mifune's swaggering samurai inspired western films and later Star Wars. He won the Best Actor award at Venice twice. He also starred in international productions such as the TV series Shōgun.

Key Milestones

  1. 1948: Drunken Angel – Kurosawa
  2. 1950: Rashomon – film
  3. 1954: Seven Samurai – film
  4. 1961: Yojimbo – Venice prize

Toshiro Mifune (三船 敏郎, Mifune Toshirō; 1 April 1920 – 24 December 1997) was a Japanese actor and producer. The recipient of numerous awards and accolades over a lengthy career, he is widely considered one of the greatest actors of all time.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Profile

Toshiro Mifune: Kurosawa's Samurai

Japanese actor, 1920–1997

Toshiro Mifune was born in Qingdao, China, on 1 April 1920.

He served in the Japanese army's aerial photography unit.

He starred in Rashomon (1950).

He played in Seven Samurai (1954) and Yojimbo (1961).

Career highlights

  1. 1948Drunken Angel: Kurosawa
  2. 1950Rashomon: film
  3. 1954Seven Samurai: film
  4. 1961Yojimbo: Venice prize
  5. 1980Shōgun: TV

Did you know?He won the Venice Best Actor award twice, for Yojimbo and Red Beard.

Age at death
77
Would be
106
Years since death
28

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Questions people ask

Frequently asked questions

When is Toshirō Mifune's birthday?
Toshirō Mifune's birthday is April 1. He was born on April 1, 1920 in Qingdao, People's Republic of China.
How old was Toshirō Mifune when he died?
Toshirō Mifune died on December 24, 1997, aged 77.
Who shares a birthday with Toshirō Mifune?
Famous people who share Toshirō Mifune's April 1 birthday include Otto von Bismarck, Wangari Muta Maathai, Milan Kundera, Abraham Maslow and Ferenc Puskás.

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Reviewed by the Who Shares My Birthday editorial team.

Last reviewed: October 2026