Toshio Sakata
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October 7, 1941
Toshio Sakata | |
|---|---|
 Shown in 2015. | |
| Born | Jigami Toshio October 7, 1941 |
| Died | December 29, 2023 (aged 82) |
| Citizenship | Japan |
| Occupation | Comedian |
| Years active | 1967 - 2022 |
Toshio Sakata (7 October 1941 – 29 December 2023) was a Japanese comedian, known as part of the Comedy No. 1 duo with Goro Maeda.
Sakata was born in Minato-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture in October 1941. After graduating from Konohana Commercial High School (now Osaka Kaisei Gakuen High School), he worked several jobs before joining the comedy troupe Yoshimoto Shinkigeki in 1961 as a trainee, joining the troupe full-time in 1964. He would then form the Comedy No. 1 manzai duo with Goro Maeda in 1967.[1]
Comedy career
The Comedy No. 1 duo performed mainly at the Namba Kagetsu theater, where the pair's light-hearted banter won them the Newcomer Award at the 5th Kamigata Manzai Grand Prix in 1970. In 1971, the duo won the Outstanding Speech Award at the 1st NHK Kamigata Manzai Contest, also winning the Gold Award at the 1st Kamigata Comedy Grand Prix in 1972.[1]
Sakata would gain popularity "for his idiotic character and gags such as 'Aarigato-saan' and 'A yoitose-no-korase.'" [2]
In 1972, Sakata released the hit record "Aho no Sakata".[1]
Over the years, he was active in a wide range of genres, including stage, television, movies and commercials. He was well known to the public, "a familiar figure to viewers at home".[1]
After his Comedy No. 1 troupe disbanded in 2009, Sakata performed on stage as part of the Toshio Sakata Special Conte, mainly at Namba Grand Kagetsu and Yoshimoto Gion Kagetsu venues.[1]