Haruo Nakajima, the Original Godzilla Actor, Has Passed Away

For decades, he brought life to perhaps the most iconic creature in cinema, so it is with great sadness that we share the news of Haruo Nakajima's passing at the age of 88.

Haruo Nakajima's daughter Sonoe Nakajima told the Associated Press that her father passed away of pneumonia on Monday, August 7th.

An actor and stuntman, Nakajima first donned the rubber reptile suit in 1954's Godzilla, the first film in what would become an enduring franchise that is still going strong today. His movements in the suit helped humanize the monster on screen, even as he rampaged through the streets of Tokyo, toppling skyscrapers and taking on other creatures who threatened Earth. The monster the human characters at first feared eventually became their savior, and Nakajima played a huge part in building that empathy.

Nakajima last played Godzilla in 1972's Godzilla vs. Gigan, his twelfth film as the titular creature. In recent years he continued to be celebrated for his immeasurable creative contributions to the Godzilla franchise at conventions and festivals.

Nakajima's performances live on through the cherished memories of generations who have discovered the Godzilla movies on the big screen or on the TV at home during endless monster movie marathons. Our thoughts are with Nakajima's family and friends during this difficult time.

*Above photo courtesy of Great Big Story.