Kiyoshi Nishikawa (西川きよし, Nishikawa Kiyoshi, born 2 July 1946) is a Japanese comedian, actor, and former politician.

Kiyoshi Nishikawa
西川きよし
Member of the House of Councillors
In office
8 July 1986 – 25 July 2004
Personal details
Born
西川潔

(1946-07-02) 2 July 1946 (age 78)
Kōchi, Kōchi
Political partyDainiin Club
OccupationComedian, actor
Same year/generation as:
Kinichi Hagimoto
Danshi Tatekawa

Comedy career

edit

Nishikawa trained to be a comedian under Kin Ishii, and became a student at Yoshimoto Shinkigeki (a comedy troupe run by Yoshimoto Kogyo) in 1964.[1] In 1966, he formed a manzai duo with Yasushi Yokoyama, and rose to fame,[1] the pair eventually becoming one of the leaders of the manzai boom of the early 1980s.[2] The pair won the Kamigata Manzai Grand Prize three times in 1970, 1977, and 1980.[3]

Political career

edit

Nishikawa served in Japan's House of Councillors for three terms between 1986 and 2004 as an independent, representing the Osaka district.[1] He came first all three times he stood for office, with more than one million votes.[4] Nishikawa resumed his entertainment career after 2004.

Personal life

edit

Nishikawa's wife is Helen Nishikawa. They married in 1967 when she was a top actress in Yoshimoto Shinkigeki and he still an up-and-coming comedian.[5]

Filmography

edit

Film

edit
  • The 47 Ronin in Debt (2019)

Television

edit

Honours

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Nishikawa Kiyoshi". Kotobank (in Japanese). Asahi Shinbun. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Yokoyama Yasushi". Kotobank (in Japanese). Asahi Shinbun. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  3. ^ "Kamigata Manzai Taishō jushōsha ichiran". Radio Osaka OBC. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  4. ^ "Kinki yūryoku kōhō shinogikezuru". Nikkei Net (in Japanese). Nihon Keizai Shinbun. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  5. ^ "周囲が大反対の「スターと駆け出し芸人の恋」を西川きよし本人が語る". Dot (in Japanese). Asahi Shinbun. Retrieved 24 November 2014.