Krankor role considered for Japanese academy awards
Its true. The Dojo's, the Japanese version of the Academy awards were first given out in 1958 and the actor that played Krankor here, Ushio Skashi was a finalist for being chosen to receive the Best Actor award. The award instead went to Ryo Ikebe who's masterful preformance in Inferno nella stratosfera (Battle in Outer Space), won him international acclaim.
Unfortunately after the filming was completed for POS, Ushio was seriously maimed when he fell into a chemical pulverizer at a factory that he had gone to that day to help cut the ribbon on the opening ceremonies there.
Ushio became a recluse and wondered around his hometown of Kyoto on a sliding board with wheels underneath. He would go gliding down the street, bumping into people and muttering Kyi Munta! (Ya scum!).
Ushio's married life suffered as much as his film career and reached a tipping point when his wife of 23 years committed ritual suicide (Hari-Kari) in their chicken coop behind their home.
Ushio lived on until the ripe old age of 96 and died of natural causes in 2014.