Bandō Jūtarō I (初代坂東寿太郎) (actor 1769 – 1840)

Alternate names: Ganshi (poetry name - 巌獅)
Kaseki (possibly one of his poetry names)
Tōshi (poetry name - 登子)

Links

Kabuki21
Kabuki theater terms

Biography:

Jutarō's birth father was the sumō wrestler Edozaki Kosaburō. He as adopted by Bandō Iwagorō (1732-95) in the early 1790s.

"Bandō Jutarō I was a talented and popular Ōsaka actor, who achieved fame for himself in Kamigata from the 1820s to the end of the 1830s. He was able to play a wide range of roles, either as a tachiyaku, onnagata or jitsuaku. He also excelled in wagoto. All his features were outstanding: appearance on stage, acting style, articulation, declamation, elocution,..."

This is quoted directly from Kabuki 21.

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This actor held this name from 11/1791 until his death in 1840. The first kanji character was written with 重, which means serious, was replaced with 寿, which means longevity. Both are pronounced jū. He did this in 11/1825.