Actor Kojiro Hongo, a popular leading man at Daiei Studios in the 1960s, died Feb. 14 of heart failure, one day shy of his 75th birthday.
MSTies will remember Hongo as hero Keisuke Hirata in the movie in episode 304- GAMERA VS. BARUGON and construction foreman Shiro Tsusumi in the movie in episode 308- GAMERA VS. GAOS. The actor most commonly associated with the original Gamera series, he also appeared in “Gamera vs. Viras” and “Gamera, the Guardian of the Universe”.
Making his film debut in 1959 with “Jirocho Fuji”, his other films, many with supernatural or fantasy elements, include “Buddha,” “The Whale God,” “Wrath of Daimajin” and “100 Monsters: Along with Ghosts”.
Thanks to our pal Jay for the heads up.

