Morishige, Hisaya

Personal Information

Born in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture on May 4, 1913, Morishige Hisaya was a renowned actor and comedian who passed away on November 10, 2009. His educational background included graduation from Kitano Middle School under the old system, now known as Kitano High School, followed by studies at Waseda University. Morishige launched his career as a stage actor before transitioning to broadcasting as an NHK announcer in Manchuria. He gained widespread recognition through comedy roles in prominent Toho series, including the Company President (Shacho) and Station Front (Ekimae) franchises. Despite his comedic fame, he demonstrated significant versatility across nearly 250 films throughout his life, delivering performances in both contemporary (gendaigeki) and period (jidaigeki) dramas. His stage work also earned acclaim, particularly for his portrayal of Tevye in the Japanese production of Fiddler on the Roof. Beyond film and theater, Morishige appeared in various television series and specials; notably, he served as the inaugural guest on the talk show Tetsuko's Room in 1975, marking the start of its 31-year run as of 2006. He also held the position of long-time head of the Japan Actors Union. Among his many accolades, Morishige was awarded the Order of Culture by the Emperor of Japan in 1991. He died of natural causes at a Tokyo hospital at 8:16 A.M. on November 10, 2009, at the age of 96.

Seiyuu / Dub

Xu, Xian

Panda

Okkoto