Yuzo Kayama, the son of Ken Uehara, a renowned Japanese male star of the 1930s, rose to fame in the 1960s, mirroring his father's embodiment of a modern Japanese wartime hero. Kayama became synonymous with postwar Japanese affluence and confidence, particularly through his starring role in the 17 original "Young Guy" films for his father's home studio, Toho.
As a talented singer and actor, Kayama specialized in romantic comedies, often breaking into song spontaneously, as showcased in movies like "Come Marry Me" (1966). While he also appeared in war films, crime thrillers, and action movies, such as his debut "Man Against Man" (1960),he largely avoided serious dramas until Akira Kurosawa cast him alongside Toshiro Mifune in "Red Beard" (1965).
The two-year shoot of "Red Beard" proved to be the most challenging experience of Kayama's life, but it also yielded the work of which he is proudest. After a single return to the Young Guy character in "Kaettekita wakadaishô" (1981),ten years after leaving the series, Kayama transitioned to playing kindly authority figures, while maintaining his romantic appeal to nostalgic audiences through musical appearances on stage and television.
