Burbank, California: This coming spring, the man who played the original Godzilla — all the way from Japan — Haruo Nakajima will stomp into Burbank for the third annual Monsterpalooza horror film gathering, taking place April 8, 9, & 10, 2011 at the Marriott Convention Center.
Taking up extra work at Toho Studios in the late 1940s, Mr. Nakajima appeared in numerous productions, including one of the bandits in Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954). After volunteering for the first Japanese fire stunt in the WW2 epic Eagle of the Pacific (1953), the team prepping Godzilla (1954) knew that he was the man for the job. From 1954 through 1972, Mr. Nakajima donned the heavy costumes to portray Godzilla, and a horde of other beasts, for film and television.
After 11 years, Mr. Nakajima will return to California to meet with his fans and sign autographs during the three-day Monsterpalooza event. He will also be speaking about his experiences in bringing these characters to life — including the various accidents and injuries he sustained while taking on the roles of Rodan, Varan, Baragon, Green Gargantua, and many other titanic terrors, as — arguably — the world’s foremost monster suit actor.
“Mr. Nakajima starred anonymously in one of the greatest movie franchises in history — from the somber allegories of the 1950s to the colorful monster mashes of the 1960s. For many westerners, these films stimulated an interest in Japan, with Godzilla serving as a surrogate cultural ambassador — largely thanks to Mr. Nakajima’s performances. He’s a living legend, and bringing him to Monsterpalooza is an honor, and he’s looking forward to meeting his American fans,â€
