Hirose Shôichi

A physically imposing actor and stuntman, Hirose Shôichi was a vital part of Toho's golden age. He was nicknamed "Solomon" by his colleagues, a nod to his survival of the fierce naval Battle of the Eastern Solomons during WWII.

Though he appeared in over 120 films, often as yakuza henchmen or tough guys (including a role as a bandit in Kurosawa's Seven Samurai), he is best remembered for his work as a suit actor for kaiju. He famously portrayed King Kong in King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962). Director Tsuburaya Eiji instructed him to study gorillas at the zoo to prepare, but Hirose later admitted he never went, instead relying on his own instincts to create a more human-like, brawling combat style.

He was reputed to be the strongest man on the Toho lot. His physical power was legendary; in a famous unscripted moment during the filming of King Kong vs. Godzilla, he (in the Kong suit) actually flipped veteran suit actor Nakajima Haruo (in the Godzilla suit) over his shoulder, a feat that made it into the final film.

Hirose was also the first actor to portray the three-headed dragon King Ghidorah, playing the role in Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster (1964) and Invasion of Astro-Monster (1965). He found the role frustratingly restrictive compared to Kong, as he was largely a prop support while the heads and tails were manipulated by a team of wire puppeteers.

In 1971, amidst the industry's financial struggles, he was let go from his acting contract but remained at Toho working in stage management and props until his retirement in the 1990s.