Akira Terao

Career

Singing career

In 1966, he debuted as a bassist of a group sounds band called The Savage (ザ・サベージ). His solo debut album came out in 1970.

As a singer, Terao is known mostly for the 1981 hit song Ruby no Yubiwa (ルビーの指環) and the album it was part of named Reflections (リフレクションズ), which sold 1.6 million copies in Japan.

Acting career

As an actor, he debuted in The Sands of Kurobe, a film directed by Kei Kumai in 1968. In 1985, Terao worked under director Akira Kurosawa in Ran. Five years later he appeared as "I" in Kurosawa's Dreams. He has worked with director Takashi Koizumi in After the Rain and The Professor's Beloved Equation. As for dramas, Terao has acted with Kazunari Ninomiya in Yasashii Jikan as well as in the latest Takuya Kimura-helmed drama, Change (spring 2008). He won the award for best actor at the 47th Blue Ribbon Awards for Half a Confession. The promotional agencies to which he has belonged are Horipro, Ishihara International Productions, Inc. and his current personal agency Terao Music Offices (寺尾音楽事務所).

Personal life

He was married to Bunjaku Han from 1973 to 1974 (ending in divorce). His current wife is Mayumi Hoshino. Terao is known for wearing sunglasses and for his expressions of nihilism. Because he has two moles on one cheek, he has the nickname of "hoppe" (ボッペ), meaning "cheek".

Filmography

Films

The Sands of Kurobe (1968)

Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset (1976)

Ran (1985), Ichimonji Taro Takatora

Rock yo shizukani nagareyo (1988)

Dreams (1990), "I"

Madadayo (1993) - Sawamura

After the Rain (1999), Ihei Misawa

Darkness in the Light (2001)

Letters from the Mountains (2002) - Takao Ueda

Casshern (2004), Professor Kotaro Azuma

Half a Confession (2004), Soichiro Kaji

Into the Sun (2005), Matsuda

The Professor's Beloved Equation (2006) - the professor

The Hovering Blade (2009), Shigeki Nagamine

Fragments of the Last Will (2022), old Ken'ichi Yamamoto

Mom, Is That You?! (2023)

The Imaginary (2023), old dog (voice)

Kaneko's Commissary (2025), Hoshida

Unforgettable (2025), Tetta Mamiya

Let's Meet at Angie's Bar (2025), Kumasaka

Television

Kunitori Monogatari (1973), Tokugawa Ieyasu

Daitokai Series (1976–1979), He was in only the 1st and 3rd seasons of the show.

Seibu Keisatsu (1979), Takeshi Matsuda, but prefers to be called 'Rikki' by his colleagues. His character is killed in the line of duty in the 123rd episode of Part I of the show.

Taiyō ni Hoero! Part2 (1986)

Gunshi Kanbei (2014), Tokugawa Ieyasu

Nobunaga Moyu (2016), Konoe Sakihisa

Kohaku (2017), Toshio Arai

Rikuoh (2017), Haruyuki Iiyama

Shiroi Kyotō (2019), Professor Azuma

Our Hakone Ekiden (2026), Hisashige Moroya

Discography

Ring of Ruby (1981)

Reflections (1981)

Atmosphere (1983)

Standard (1987)

Honours

Medal with Purple Ribbon (2008)

Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette (2018)