Japanese Actress. A respected star of the Japanese cinema, she is remembered for a long career during which she transitioned from daughter to mother to grandmother roles. Born Mori Naoko, she initially intended to be a dancer and indeed was teaching dance at the Shochika Oofuna movie studio when she was spotted and given her debut role in 1947’s “The Ball at Anjo House”. Steadily cast in larger parts, she had hits with “The Bells of Nagasaki” (1950) and 1952’s “The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice” prior to her most remembered performance as Shino, the farmer’s daughter of Kurosawa Aikira’s 1954 “Seven Samurai”. Keiko was praised for 1957’s “Twilight Saloon” and worked steadily, over time becoming known for portraying mothers and grandmothers. She was to become a frequent presence on the small screen in both television movies and series, her credits including “Manuke Sensei” (1998), “Kokubetsu” (2001), and and the 2002 series “Sakara”. On the big screen she was seen in “Ashita” (1995) and retired following 2002’s “The Last Snow”. Keiko lived her final years in Tokyo and died of gastric carcinoma. A number of her performances are preserved on DVD. (bio by: Bob Hufford)