Isao Yamagata (1915-2004) was a prolific Japanese actor whose career spanned over five decades, primarily during the golden age of Japanese cinema. He is known to international audiences for his role as the samurai Heihachi Hayashida in Akira Kurosawa's *Seven Samurai* (1954) and for his leading performance as Morito Endo in Teinosuke Kinugasa's *Gate of Hell* (1953), a film that won the Palme d'Or and an Honorary Academy Award. His collaborations with major directors of the time also include a role in Kenji Mizoguchi's *The Crucified Lovers* (1954). In 1958, he received a major personal honor, winning the Blue Ribbon Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances in the films *The Rice People* and *Ankokugai*. Active until the 1990s, his extensive filmography also includes numerous television productions, solidifying his status as a versatile and tireless performer in the Japanese film and television landscape.