Kei Tani (谷啓,Tani Kei) (born Yasuo Watanabe (渡部 泰雄, Watanabe Yasuo); 22 February 1932 – 11 September 2010) was a Japanese comedian, actor and musician. Born in Tokyo, he learned to play thetrombone and, while a student atChuo University, began playing injazz bands performing for American soldiers during theOccupation of Japan.^[1] He quit university and joined the City Slickers withFrankie Sakai in 1953.^[2] In 1956, he joined the comic-jazz bandThe Crazy Cats withHajime Hana andHitoshi Ueki.^[2][3] He came to fame when the Crazy Cats started appearing on television, especially through their variety show "Shabondama Holiday," and in movies, through comedy series such as the "Irresponsible" (Musekinin) series atToho.^[1] Some of his nonsense one-word gags, such as "gachon" became buzzwords imitated throughout the nation.^[2][3] He also appeared alone in dramatic roles on film and television, was a regular in the "Tsuribaka Nisshi" film series, and continued to be a popular figure on variety TV.

Kei Tani
Born	Yasuo Watanabe February 22, 1932
Died	September 11, 2010(2010-09-11) (aged 78)

His real name was Yasuo Watanabe,^[3] but his stage name, especially with the Japanese name order "Tani Kei," was based on a pun on the nameDanny Kaye.

He died of abrain contusion on 11 September 2010 after falling down the stairs in hisMitaka home.^[3]

• Nippon musekinin jidai (ニッポン無責任時代) (1962)
• Young Season (若い季節)　(1962)
• Zūzūshii yatsu (図々しい奴) (1965)
• Fancy Paradise (1968)
• Kofuku (1981)
• Tokyo Heaven (1990)^[4]
• Samurai Fiction (1998)
• After Life (1998)
• Waterboys (2001)
• Swing Girls (2004)
• Blooming Again (2004)
• Chameleon (2008)

• Monkey (1979) asDaode Tianzun
• Dokuganryū Masamune (1987) asImai Sōkun

• Kei Tani atIMDb
• Tani Kei at theJapanese Movie Database(in Japanese)
• Kei Tani discography atDiscogs