Actor Kenichi Endo appeared on Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's long-running talk show "Tetsuko's Room" (TV Asahi) on April 16th. He talked about writing scripts for TV dramas and shared memories of Toshiyuki Nishida, who passed away two years ago.
Endo revealed that he spent seven years writing the script for nine episodes of a TV drama series. "I can't go into too much detail, but it's a family drama with a suspense element," he said, adding that for it to air, "the producer has to make it happen. It's progressing little by little." He promoted the script, saying, "It's interesting. There are still a lot of things that need to be fixed, but I think it's really interesting. It'll make your heart flutter."
I co-starred with Mr. Nishida for many years on the drama "Doctor X." At first, I would burst out laughing or get nervous at Mr. Nishida's ad-libs. Gradually, I started to enjoy it, and I remember thinking, "Mr. Nishida really played with and brought out the comedic side of me. It's a shame that I can't see him anymore."
Apparently, Nishida didn't come to the set having memorized his lines. He would memorize them by reading the script during rehearsals, or by searching for anything he was missing or anything he could think of, so when it came to the actual filming, he would come up with completely different lines.
At the memorial service, Nishida's wife told Endo's wife that Nishida had said, "I'm the one who brought out Endo's comedic side." She later said she was happy to hear that. This was because Nishida had taken to heart what Endo had said at the premiere of the theatrical version of "Doctor X," held nine days before Nishida's death: "Nishida is the one who brought out my comedic side." Endo had said before his death, "I'm glad I was able to say that."
