Funeral held for actor Chosuke Ikariya

Funeral held for actor Chosuke Ikariya

TOKTO, Japan - A funeral for Chosuke Ikariya , an actor and leader of the comedy group Drifters who died on March 20, is held in Tokyo on March 23, attended by some 3,500 fans and friends.

Actor Chosuke Ikariya of comedy group Drifters dies at 72

Actor Chosuke Ikariya of comedy group Drifters dies at 72

TOKYO, Japan - Chosuke Ikariya (file photo), an actor and leader of the Drifters, one of Japan's best known slapstick comedy groups, died on March 20 at a Tokyo hospital after battling lymph node cancer for nearly a year. He was 72. Ikariya, whose real given name was Choichi, and four other men formed the Drifters 40 years ago in 1964 and it became one of the biggest successes in Japanese comedy. In 1966, the group acted as a curtain-raiser for The Beatles' concert when the British band visited Japan.

Funeral held for actor Chosuke Ikariya

Funeral held for actor Chosuke Ikariya

TOKTO, Japan - A funeral for Chosuke Ikariya , an actor and leader of the comedy group Drifters who died on March 20, is held in Tokyo on March 23, attended by some 3,500 fans and friends. (Kyodo)

Actor Chosuke Ikariya of comedy group Drifters dies at 72

Actor Chosuke Ikariya of comedy group Drifters dies at 72

TOKYO, Japan - Chosuke Ikariya (file photo), an actor and leader of the Drifters, one of Japan's best known slapstick comedy groups, died on March 20 at a Tokyo hospital after battling lymph node cancer for nearly a year. He was 72. Ikariya, whose real given name was Choichi, and four other men formed the Drifters 40 years ago in 1964 and it became one of the biggest successes in Japanese comedy. In 1966, the group acted as a curtain-raiser for The Beatles' concert when the British band visited Japan. (Kyodo)