(72) Masuda's Later Years / Akireta Boys Activity Record
(Summary up to the previous installment) The Akireta Boys disbanded around 1953, and each member went on to pursue individual activities. Then, Haruhisa Kawada passed away in 1957, and Kyu Sazanka passed away in 1971.
For basic information on the Akireta Boys, see (1)!
※ For basic information on the Akireta Boys, see (1)!
【Kazuo Kikuta and Toho Musicals】
In 1957 (Showa 32), Masuda joined the Toho Theater Department.
Kazuo Kikuta, whom he met during the Roppa Troupe performance in 1939, was active at the time as an executive in the theater department, handling scripts and directing. Among his many works, he became a pioneer of Japanese musicals by producing numerous full-scale productions, starting with Japan's first Broadway musical, "
My Fair Lady". Masuda appeared in almost all of the stage productions handled by Kazuo Kikuta. Having long dreamed of an "operetta era," Masuda ended up supporting the prosperity of the full-scale musical era that had finally arrived. In the 1963 (Showa 38) premiere of "My Fair Lady," he played Colonel Pickering, a role for which he was highly acclaimed, receiving the Mainichi Art Award for Acting. He also played Colonel Pickering again in 1970 (Showa 45) during the revival, seven years later. His singing voice from this revival performance is included on the LP record "All About Keaton Masuda." Since then, it has been re-staged many times, and Masuda continued to appear in it.
The Akireta Boys team also disbanded. Each of us appeared in movies and on stage. I signed a contract with the Toho Theater Department and started appearing at the Takarazuka Theater. By that time, theater had advanced rapidly, and we had moved past the pre-war revue era and into the musical era. ... And then, for two months in July and August 1970, it was decided to revive the show at the Imperial Theatre for the first time in seven years, starring Akira Takarada and Daichi. I was cast in the supporting role of Colonel Pickering, which I had played before. It drew quite a crowd, just like it did before. The seats were filled. Now, the opening day of that My Fair Lady is about to end.
Also, in 1967 (Showa 42), he played the role of the Rabbi in "Fiddler on the Roof". Along with the lead actor Hisaya Morishige, he performed in a staggering 907 shows without ever being replaced.
【Permanent Return Home】
In 1990 (Heisei 2), "My Fair Lady" was revived once again at the Imperial Theatre. With the final performance at the end of April, Masuda's total number of performances as Colonel Pickering reached 477.
I performed this time thinking that, age-wise, this was my limit, so I engraved a special happiness in my heart for this final performance. Even after the final curtain fell, I was able to lead the toast for everyone and shout "Congratulations!" with all my might.
Masuda decided to leave Asakusa, where he had lived for many years, and make a "permanent return home" to his hometown of Hakodate. He was not retiring as an actor, but he decided to put down roots in his hometown of Hakodate from then on. Disliking flashy parties, he felt a farewell party was out of the question, so after simply saying goodbye to his neighbors, he quietly "vanished" to Hakodate on a flight on May 12.
One hour and ten minutes later, I arrived quietly at Hakodate Airport. As I walked down to the lobby whistling with a light heart, I found that the people from the outdoor theater I had provided voice work for in the first year of Heisei were there to welcome me with placards—I don't know how they found out.
In Hakodate, Masuda spent time relaxing with his wife, daughter, and grandchildren, while continuing to be active on stage and television. Then, on December 1, 1993 (Heisei 5), he closed the curtain on his 84-year life in Hakodate.
Boya contributed memories to a magazine that only he, having stood on stage with him in the Akireta Boys, could share.
“Keaton-san was very passionate about his craft. He would arrive at the dressing room a full thirty minutes before we did, finish his makeup, and practice his instrument. He never slacked off. He was someone to look up to. Since he was Keaton, he never laughed on stage, but when we said something funny, he would be dying to laugh, so he would turn his back to suppress it before facing the audience again. I remember those heartwarming moments.”
When I visited Hakodate in 2023 (Reiwa 5), I went looking for Masuda's bust, which I heard was at the Art Hall. The bust was nowhere to be found, and when I asked the hall guard, they told me it had recently been moved to the Civic Center. Then, they guided me to a small streetlamp standing between the Art Hall and the adjacent Hakodate Museum of Art, saying, "There is a Keaton-san streetlamp." It was something Masuda had donated when the Hakodate Museum of Art opened. The slender, modestly standing, stylish white streetlamp blended into the museum's scenery, as if it perfectly reflected Masuda's personality.
In Hakodate, the "Keaton Masuda Award" is presented every year for outstanding performances in the local performing arts field. The fact that he is still affectionately known as "Keaton-san" by the locals feels like a reflection of his love for his hometown.
[References]
"Keaton's Life Backstage Stories" Kitton Masuda / Hokkaido Shimbun Press / 1990
"This Path" Kitton Masuda / Tokyo Shimbun, serialized from May 21, 1990 / Tokyo Shimbun
"Epitaph" Saburo Bouya / "Weekly Shincho" December 16, 1993 issue / Shinchosha
"Everything About Comedy King Kitton Masuda" Kitton Masuda / Nihon Windsor / 1968
*Transcribed by the author from an LP
Final Episode (6/23) Saburo Bouya's Aftermath