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The story
Comedic actor Shiro Ito (89) announced on October 1st that he will retire from show business upon turning 90 on June 15th next year. Since joining the “Laughing Companions” (Warau Nakama) theater troupe as a trainee in 1958, he has spent roughly 70 years in the industry, rising to fame with the comedy trio Tempuku Trio before building a long career as an actor as well. The stated reason is his declining physical condition. On 5channel threads, posters expressed shock (“He’s already 90?!”), fondly recalled his roles in shows like “Oedo de Gozaru” and “The Ito Family’s Dinner Table,” voiced concern over signs of decline heard on his radio appearances, and speculated about why he chose to announce his retirement at this particular time.
Shiro Ito Announces Retirement After 70 Years in Entertainment — To Step Down on His 90th Birthday, June 15th Next Year
Comedic actor Shiro Ito (89) announced on the 1st that he will withdraw from show business upon his 90th birthday on June 15th next year, citing his declining physical condition. Since becoming a trainee at the “Laughing Companions” theater troupe in 1958, this legend — who made his mark not only in comedy but also as an actor over roughly 70 years — has decided to bring his journey to a close.
Ito first became interested in theater through the influence of his eldest brother, who ran an amateur troupe. After passing through “Laughing Companions” and the Hitoshi Ishii Troupe, he rose to fame as part of the comedy trio Tempuku Trio alongside Shinsuke Minami and Mutsuo Totsuka.
Source: sponichi.co.jp / Original article here
What people said
Kamei's a turtle — turtles live ten thousand years (pun on the longevity proverb 'the crane lives 1,000 years, the turtle 10,000')
Guess we won't get to hear Mayumi Hosaka's voice anymore either
That TV drama's probably to blame for that image.
But even before he stopped appearing on the New Year's 'Konokata, Ikura?' show with Hamada & Matsumoto (Downtown), he'd gone totally silent — just sitting there like a stone statue (jizo). That did seem rough, honestly.
Still, sounds like a good life.
Thanks for everything, take care.
I used to record the early episodes and rewatch them over and over,
but I stopped watching around when Kazuki Enari left the cast, following Ito Shiro's own departure.
I love his role as the pachinko parlor owner in 'A Taxing Woman' (Marusa no Onna)
He was even in the early Akechi Kogoro detective series.
His villain role in 'Panorama Island' was pretty scary.
He already passed away.
Both when he died and even now, it reminds me of that 'I didn't know' line from Tuesday Suspense Theater (Kasasu).
Come to think of it, Shiro Kishibe died too, didn't he?
Like with Re: #36, sometimes you just lose track of who's still alive.
Lately he hadn't even been pushing back against Yoshida and Mizutani —
if anything, he often couldn't follow the conversation
or couldn't manage to read the script anymore.
Guess 'Oyaji Netsuai' (his radio segment, lit. 'Devoted to Pops') might be ending too…
Even Ito-san has seemed a bit shaky the past few years,
showing his age more and more.
It's sad.
Guess lines just stopped sticking in his head eventually.
Then again, Kon Omura is just abnormally spry for his age.
That's because he and his wife are living it up without a worry in a high-end nursing home.
That's quite a ways off.
Will he even make it that long?
Setting a deadline like this always gives me a bad feeling he'll pass before it arrives.
Please stay healthy.
Bring in Makoto Ohtake instead.
Aside from 'Oyaji Netsuai,' there's really no other high-rated show on that station.
At best it's 'Makoto Ohtake's Golden Radio!'
and otherwise just A&G (Bunka Hoso's youth/anime sub-brand) programs.
A true entertainer sees it through till death!
He's in Yutaka Mizutani's period drama, but it's entirely seated scenes now.
If he made it all the way to 90, why not just stay active for life?
If you listen to his radio show, it's clear — his brain's already hit its limit.
Maybe he just wanted to settle his professional affairs while he's still alive.
Maybe it's because if he doesn't declare it outright, job offers would just keep coming forever.
I only know him from 'The Ito Family's Dinner Table,'
but, rest in peace.
So the only survivors from 'The Ito Family's Dinner Table' cast are Hiroshi Fuse, Rikako, and Ken Miyake, huh.
https://images.microcms-assets.io/assets/9c883224793c4361bfa991c4e6710e04/44481baf77c847a685f3477c3ab56acd/023_05.jpg
It went to Kazuya Kamenashi, but since that job was snapped up by a Johnny's (idol agency) talent, I wonder if it'll change hands again.
He dropped out of that ages ago.
And just the other day on 'Konokata, Ikura?', GACKT's winning streak finally ended too.
GACKT's been making odd comments lately — guess that's the aftereffect of his streak ending.
Background and Key Points of This Topic
Since becoming a trainee at the “Laughing Companions” theater troupe in 1958, Shiro Ito has built a roughly 70-year career spanning the comedy trio Tempuku Trio, TV appearances in shows like “Oedo de Gozaru” and “The Ito Family’s Dinner Table,” and memorable villain roles in Juzo Itami’s films. Japanese entertainers often remain “active for life” well into old age, so announcing a retirement tied to a birthday more than nine months away is relatively unusual. In the thread, comments lamenting his age-related decline mixed with questions about why he chose to announce it now. Note that the official announcement cited only “declining physical condition” — speculation in the posts about memory or speech problems came from commenters themselves, not from Ito or his agency. Some posts also appeared to confuse him with other people or other shows, such as questions about the survival status of other “The Ito Family’s Dinner Table” cast members.
*This article is compiled and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou Sokuho+) thread “[Entertainment] Shiro Ito Announces Retirement After 70 Years in Entertainment — On His 90th Birthday, June 15th Next Year“.
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