In Remembrance: Jerry Ito

     Jerry Ito, the Japanese-American actor who appeared as the human villain in Toho Studio’s 1961 monster classic Mothra, has passed away on July 7, 2007 in California. He was 79.

     Born Gerald Tamekichi Itô on July 12, 1927 in New York, NY, Ito appeared in numerous Japanese films over his 21 year film career starting with 1957’s Umi No Yarodomo. His career was most prominent during the early 1960s when he appeared in such films as The Manster (1962), Walleyed Nippon, Interpol Code 8 (both 1963) and You Can Succeed, Too (1964).

     Ito’s final film appearance was in 1978’s Message From Space.