Star of original Godzilla movie Akira Takarada dies aged 87, agent confirms

dailystar.co.uk:

Japanese actor Akira Takarada - best known for his role in the original Godzilla movie - has dies at the age of 87, Toho Studios has confirmed.The established actor went on to star in an impressive slew of movies throughout his career before he explored the world of voiceover acting.Currently, no cause of death has been announced.

Toho Studios released a statement on Twitter confirming the tragic news with their loyal legion of fans online. They wrote: "We are saddened to hear of the passing of Akira Takarada.

May his memory continue to inspire the lives of many Godzilla fans."He played the role of a sailor called Hideto Ogata in the company's 1954 production of the first Godzilla film.His character was the liaison with the Japanese Coast Guard in the iconic movie as the first ship sank by the monster as he sent out an SOS call.The star was also there at the film's end to watch the beast die at the hands of the Oxygen Destroyer.Akira also appeared in the 1956 American version of the blockbuster movie titled Godzilla, King of the Monsters, which starred Raymond Burr.

The actor was a regular part of many other editions of the epic movie franchise, including 1964's Mother vs Godzilla. He went on to return for the updated version of the film in 1992 and went on to make his final appearance in the series in 2004 when he featured in Godzilla: Final Wars.