**Haruo Tanaka (1912-1993)** was a prolific Japanese actor, famous for his character roles. Specializing in supporting roles, he embodied the common man: shopkeepers, workers, minor officials, or members of middle-class families. His stage presence, often good-natured but sometimes gruff, lent authenticity and credibility to everyday characters.

He worked with the masters of the golden age of Japanese cinema, particularly Yasujirō Ozu, for whom he appeared in Late Spring (1949) and, memorably, Tokyo Story (1953) as the owner of a restaurant. He also starred in Akira Kurosawa's I Live in Fear (1955) and Mikio Naruse's films, helping to give depth to the social fabric depicted on screen.