Kiyoshi Atsumi; Star of Japanese Film Series

Kiyoshi Atsumi, 68, a beloved Japanese movie actor whose portrayal of a hapless peddler for nearly 30 years earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Atsumi’s “Tora-san” character, a peddler of knickknacks whose big heart won him friends wherever he went, was a beloved cultural icon for millions of Japanese. The “Otoko wa Tsuraiyo” (It’s Hard Being a Man) series that he helped create earned its place in Guinness as the world’s longest-running continuing film series with the same star. The first film appeared in 1969 and the 48th early this year. Atsumi, whose real name was Yasuo Tadoroko, began as a comic star of television, where the film series originated. On Sunday in Tokyo of lung cancer.