Mizutani Yutaka (1952)

Other Name: 水谷豊 みずたに ゆたか 미즈타니 유타카 水谷豐 水谷丰 Yutaka Mizutani Мидзутани, Ютака

Born: July, 14, 1952

Nationality: Ashibetsu, Hokkaido, Japan

Height: 175 CM

Age: 72

Zodiac sign: Capricorn

Mizutani Yutaka, born in Ashibetsu City, Hokkaido, is a Japanese actor and singer.

Mizutani was raised from the age of 8 in Tokyo, Japan. He started acting at the age of 12 when a neighbor introduced him to a children's acting school in the area. When he discovered that going to an acting school wasn't the same as meeting the people he admired on TV, he wanted to quit, but by that time he had been selected to play a small role in 'Vampire', a television movie being filmed by Fuji Television. This role launched his reluctant career, and though he purposely took several years off work to try studying, his failure to get into university urged him to continue in the acting business.

It was after the age of 20 when his career as an actor finally took off. His first major drama was in 1974, called Kizu Darake no Tenshi (Battered Angel).

At the moment Mizutani stars in a regular TV Asahi detective drama called Aibou (??) with actors Terawaki Yasufumi and Oikawa Mitsuhiro.

In addition to acting, his agency also encouraged him to put out music albums starting from 1977, all of which sold very well. His last album was released in 2009 (Time Traveler).

Mizutani was once married to an American actress by the name of Miki MacKenzie. They divorced soon afterward. He is now married to ex-pop-idol Ran Ito from the 1970s singing group Candies. He has one daughter.

(Source: Wikipedia)