Takei Ryuzo Productions (武井龍三プロダクション)
Takei Ryuzo Productions (established and dissolved in February 1929) was a film company located in Kyoto. It was established in 1929 by Ryuzo TAKEI, who had left Makino Productions with Chiezo KATAOKA and Kanjuro ARASHI in April 1928, and produced three silent films in the rentable Narabigaoka Studio. It was commonly referred to as "Takei Pro."
Prior to Establishment
Ryuzo TAKEI, having joined Makino Eiga Seisaku-jo Tojiin Studio in 1924 before the merger with Toa Kinema and moving to Makino Productions' Omuro Movie Studio, which was newly established after the merger in July 1924 and Shozo MAKINO's separation from the merged company in June 1925, made his debut in September that year when he was selected as the leading character in all three episodes of "Kiketsu Onikage"(Great Onikage) directed by Bansho KANAMORI and based on the original screenplay written by Rokuhei SUSUKITA. However, when star actors including Chiezo KATAOKA, Kanjuro ARASHI, Toshio YAMAGUCHI (an actor belonging to Shinpa-Geki), Ryutaro NAKANE, Kobunji ICHIKAWA and Reizaburo YAMAMOTO left the company in a group in April of 1928, TAKEI resigned as well.
TAKEI's decision to resign was partly motivated by the formation of "Nihon Katsudo Josetsukan Kanshu Renmei Eiga Haikyu Honsha" (Distribution Company Headquarters for Movie Theater Owners in Japan) (also known as "Kanshu Renmei" [the Theater Owner's Association]) by Tokujiro YAMAZAKI, as well as by the establishment of former Makino members Hiroshi KAWAI and Juzu TANAKA's studio-for-rent "Japan Kinema Studio" (Narabigaoka Studio) in Narabigaoka, Kyoto. TAKEI joined 'Kataoka Chiezo Productions' (Chie Pro) established in May of 1928. Along with Kobunji ICHIKAWA and a number of other actors, TAKEI acted in the film titled "Tenka Taiheiki" (Peace on Earth) produced by Chie Pro, the first film to be shot in Narabigaoka Studio (filming started on May 16, 1928), and the movie was distributed and released by 'Kanshu Renmei' on June 15, 1928.
Kanshu Renmei' fell apart at the end of July, resulting in the complete closure of Arashi Kanjuro Productions (the first period of Kan Pro) and all of the actors and directors went different ways, joining various major studios (other than Makino) and live theaters. Chie Pro, however, continued on to shoot six films in 1928 and built an additional studio in Sagano in 1929. After acting in nine movies in total produced by Chie Pro, TAKEI left the production in February of 1929 and established 'Takei Ryuzo Production' (Takei Pro).
Establishment and demise
Takei Pro' was established in 1929 in the Narabigaoka Studio, operated by KAWAI and TANAKA, and produced the three silent films "Adauchi Futari Roku" (literally, "two persons' record of vengeance"), "Kongo Jumon" and a sequel, all of which became failures. There is no detailed record of these films. With the demise of 'Takei Pro,' Narabigaoka Studio was also closed down for an undefined period. After a number of regional tours, TAKEI joined Ichikawa Utaemon Productions in June of 1930.