"Beat" Takeshi Kitano

• dropped out of college at 19
• became a Manzai comic (The Two Beats)

• First acting job was Nagisa Oshima's Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
• Took over for Kinji Fukuzaku and directed/starred in Violent Cop
• Had a serious motor scooter accident in 1994
• Is best known within Japan for his wacky television shows (which are in constant rotation)

Takeshi Kitano Stealing, Crashing and Painting another comedian's car

Documentary

Outside links:

Interview with Midnight Eye

Takeshi Kitano Biography