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Richard Chamberlain, the spirited actor known for his handle of larger-than-life characters on both stage and screen, passed away peacefully on March 29, 2025, at the age of 90, two days shy of his 91st birthday. As per Variety, the actor died in Waimanalo, Hawai’i due to complications following a stroke.

Throughout his remarkable career, Chamberlain captivated audiences with his easy-on-the-eyes visage, commanding presence, and zest for life and all of its adventures. Between his star-making turn on the original medical procedural “Dr. Kildare” and his treasured performance in the original mini-series adaptation of James Clavell’s “Shōgun,” Chamberlain has undoubtedly left a lasting impact on arts and entertainment.

Born on March 31, 1934, in Beverly Hills, California, Chamberlain served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during the Korean War before beginning his journey as an actor in the 1960s. Returning to Los Angeles after his service, Chamberlain co-founded the theater group Company of Angels,...

The recent first season of the FX series Shogun has continued its awards success into 2025, with the acclaimed show prevailing at Saturday’s WGA Awards and as one of the big winners at last month’s Golden Globes. But a key figure on a previous adaptation of the book does not quite understand the appeal of the recent version.

Jerry London, who directed the nine-hour Shogun that aired on NBC in September 1980, remembers his project as challenging, and says that producers initially pushed for a director of Japanese descent. “I had to convince them that I knew what I was doing,” London tells The Hollywood Reporter. “So after about a month or so, they accepted me and everything went well. But it was a very difficult show to do, and it turned out great.”

The director emphasizes that the new version felt much different from what he tried to accomplish with his miniseries,...

Anna Sawai took home the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama series for her role in Shogun on Sunday night.

Colman Domingo and Salma Hayek Pinault presented the award to the actress, who kept her acceptance speech short.

“I have so many people to thank, but I’m going to keep it short,” Sawai said after taking to the stage. “Thank you to the voters for voting for me, even though I would vote for Kathy Bates any day.”

She continues, “Thank you to our incredible writers. Without a good script, it’s impossible to give a performance to our fullest full potential. Thank you, everyone else. I’m going to thank you later.”

Sawai took home the award for her performance as Toda Mariko in the Shogun, which is adapted from James Clavell’s 1975 best-selling historical novel of the same name. Her win also comes more than...

First-time Emmy winner Anna Sawai is now also a first-time Golden Globe winner for her tole as Toda Mariko in the FX series Shōgun. She joined fellow Japanese actress Yôko Shimada who won the Golden Globe in the same category in 1981 for playing the same role in NBC’s miniseries adaptation of James Clavell’s novel. Overall, Sawai is the third actress of Asian decent to take home the Lead Actress in a Drama Series Golden Globe, alongside Shimada and Sandra Oh, a 2019 winner for Killing Eve.

Admitting she has “so much people to thank,” Sawai kept her speech short.

“Thank you to the voters for voting for me, even though I would vote for Kathy Bates any day,” she said, referencing fellow nominee in her category Bates, recognized for her starring role on CBS’ Matlock. (Bates had been seen ripping up her acceptance speech after Sawai’s name was announced.

Break out the brooms because Shōgun swept the Golden Globes on Sunday, converting all four of its nominations — Best Drama Series, Best TV Drama Actor for Hiroyuki Sanada, Best TV Drama Actress for Anna Sawai, and Best TV Supporting Actor for Tadanobu Asano — into wins. The FX epic’s victories in the drama categories replicated the same haul the original 1980 series nabbed.

At the 38th Golden Globes in 1981, NBC’s adaptation of James Clavell‘s novel also pulled off a clean sweep but in just those three categories: drama series, actor for Richard Chamberlain, and actress for Yoko Shimada. Chamberlain played John Blackthorne, who was portrayed by Cosmo Jarvis in the FX version. Shimada played Sawai’s role, Toda Mariko.

The Og Shōgun was the first show in Golden Globes history to win all three drama categories. Other shows that have since achieved this are The X-Files in 1997, The Sopranos...

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Shogun set a record at last night’s Emmys, racking up major awards in acting and picking up the Outstanding Drama Series Award. The FX series, streaming on Hulu, is a work of historical fiction centered on a political struggle for power in 1600s Japan. Shogun also broke ground as the first show with mostly non-English dialogue to win the Best Drama award. Originally slated to be a miniseries,...

First-time Emmy nominee Anna Sawai has become the first actress of Asian descent to win in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category at the Emmys. As Toda Mariko in the FX series Shōgun, Sawai, who is of Japanese descent, has made history.

An emotional Sawai said in her speech, “Thank you to John Landgraf and the whole FX team for believing in our story. Thank you to [co-creators] Justin [Marks] and Rachel [Kondo] for believing in me and giving me this role of a lifetime. Thank you to every one of the crew and cast, led by Hiro (Hiroyuki Sanada). He really has opened doors and continues to open doors for people like me.”

She also thanked co-star Cosmo Jarvis for being “the most truthful non-bs actor I’ve ever met”, and her mom for showing her stoicism: “And that’s how I was able to portray Mariko. This is...

For five consecutive nights in September 1980, NBC’s Shōgun captivated audiences, drawing between 23M-29M viewers each night. The miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain, Toshiro Mifune and Yoko Shimada, was also a critical success, earning 14 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series.

Taking on a TV classic is always risky but FX’s adaptation of James Clavell’s novel delivered, becoming FX’s most-watched show ever based on global hours streamed. And this morning, it topped its predecessor with 25 Emmy nominations — the most of any program this year — including Outstanding Drama Series.

The remake, whose haul helped FX net a record 93 Emmy nominations and Disney an all-time high 183 noms, accomplished that in a very competitive field of dozens of linear networks and streamers producing hundreds of original series a year. In 1980, there were three networks, ABC, CBS and NBC.

Related: Emmy Nominations Analysis: Fresh Blood Livens Up The Race For TV Gold...

In a major shockeroo announcement, Gold Derby can reveal that FX is shifting the popular “Shōgun” away from the limited series races for the 2024 Emmys and will compete in all the drama categories instead. That rumor has been circulating throughout Hollywood for almost two weeks, but it is now official according to FX. How will this affect the dramatic races for series, acting, directing, writing and crafts?

Since debuting in February, the FX program has been enjoying critical raves and impressive ratings. It’s an adaptation of James Clavell‘s 1975 historical novel, following an English sailor (Cosmo Jarvis) who ends up shipwrecked in Japan. Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) uncovers secrets that could benefit him in the political wars to come as he tries to rule one of the five Regents in Japan. It features awe-inspiring production values and notable performances from Anna Sawai, Moeka Hoshi, Fumi Nikaido, Tadanobu Asano,...

Welcome to Emmy Experts Typing, a weekly column in which Gold Derby editors and Experts Joyce Eng and Christopher Rosen discuss the Emmy race — via Slack, of course. This week, we revisit the packed limited series race, which has seen three new contenders premiere in the last three weeks.

Christopher Rosen: Hello, Joyce! We’ve circled back to what is arguably the most competitive Emmys category this year: limited series. It feels like as good a time as any to return to my favorite race – particularly with “Shōgun” and Anna Sawai dominating the discourse, as well as the premiere of our dark horse favorite “Under the Bridge.” We talked about both shows this week with our voices, and I must say, it feels heartening — dare I type, Siri pay “Vindicated” – to have been so right about “Shōgun.” We both loved that show way back in February and the response has been off the charts.

Since its premiere on February 27, FX on Hulu’s “Shōgun” has become one of the most popular limited series of this Emmy cycle. Based on James Clavell’s 1975 titular novel, the historical series created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks revolves around an English sailor (Cosmo Jarvis) shipwrecked in Japan at the start of the 17th century in the midst of political upheaval surrounding a powerful daimyō (Hiroyuki Sanada) and a samurai (Anna Sawai) torn between her loyalty and faith. With the series already midway through its run and receiving critical acclaim and awards attention, let’s re-examine NBC’s original 1980 miniseries — which garnered 14 Emmy nominations and three wins –- to determine potential categories for the current program.

Here are the 1981 Emmy nominations and wins for the first “Shōgun” television adaptation:

Best Limited Series (Won)

James Clavell, Executive Producer

Eric Bercovici, Producer

Best Movie/Limited Actor

Richard Chamberlain as John...

The team behind Shgun acknowledges the potential for season 2, but challenges with mounting the show remain a hurdle for now. Calls for a new season are met with cautious optimism due to the complexities faced in bringing season 1 to life. With the possibility of an anthology series, future seasons of Shgun could explore different historical tales beyond Clavell's original book.

The team behind FX’s critically acclaimed Shōgun remake has spoken about the difficulties of having the show return for another season. Based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell, the story was previously adapted as a 1980 miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain, Toshiro Mifune, and Yoko Shimada. Plans for the latest adaptation were first announced in 2018, but the production faced significant delays and many rewrites until filming eventually resumed in 2021. Following its streaming release in late February, the show’s first few episodes have attracted rave reviews and comparisons to HBO’s Game of Thrones.

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Shōgun episode 3.

"Black ship" can refer to Portugal's large commercial ships used to conduct trade in Japan in the 16th century. Portugal's black ships were vital for trade during the Sengoku period, connecting Japan to the West and China. During the Tokugawa shogunate, all Jesuits and Portuguese merchants were expelled, ending the Portugal-Japan relations that had begun in 1543.

Shōgun’s Black Ship has been referenced a few times in the show, which covers a crucial moment in the history of Portugal-Japan relations just before the beginning of the Edo period. Most of the characters and events of James Clavell’s Shōgun novel are based on real historical people, which is why most of FX’s Shōgun cast has a real-life counterpart. For example, Lord Yoshii Toranaga is based on Tokugawa Ieyasu, who established the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo in 1603. The Shōgun series takes place...

This article contains details from history that could spoil upcoming episodes of Shogun.

FX’s extravagant miniseries Shōgun brings a very old story to modern audiences.

Starring Hiroyuki Sanada (who also serves as one of the producers), Cosmo Jarvis, and Anna Sawai, this 10-part limited series is based on the 1975 James Clavell novel, Shōgun, which follows John Blackthorne. A 17th century English pilot-major, Blackthorne becomes stranded off the coast of Japan, ends up captured by samurai, is forced to assimilate into Japanese life, and is thrust into the center of a political battle between those vying to claim the coveted position of military ruler, or shogun, including Lord Yoshii Toranaga.

Among the executive producers are Justin Marks and Rachel Kondo (who together wrote the first two episodes), as well as Clavell’s daughter Michaela. Before you gear up for this tale of sailors, warriors, and a lust for power, let...

Shgun's outstanding cast, led by Cosmo Jarvis and Hiroyuki Sanada, promises a captivating story of Blackthorne and Toranaga's unlikely alliance. The series, based on William Adams' real-life story, earned stellar reviews and perfect Rotten Tomatoes score, making it a must-watch limited series. William Adams, the first Englishman to reach Japan, became a Western samurai and played a crucial role in Japan's trading industry until his death.

The new FX historical epic series Shōgun follows the story of John Blackthorne, based on the real-life English navigator William Adams. The outstanding cast of Shōgun is led by Cosmo Jarvis as John Blackthorne and acclaimed Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada as the feudal Lord Yoshii Toranaga. After Blackthorne washes up on Japanese shores and is taken prisoner, Blackthorne and Toranaga develop an unlikely alliance when they realize they have a common enemy. The highly anticipated Game of Thrones caliber series premieres on February 27 on Hulu and Disney+,...

FX's Shgun has earned a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The show is based on the James Clavell novel of the same name and follows political upheaval in 17th-century Japan. The prestige drama is receiving Game of Thrones-level hype.

Shōgun has accomplished a rare Rotten Tomatoes achievement. The upcoming FX historical drama is based on the 1975 James Clavell novel of the same name and follows political upheaval in 17th-century Japan after the English sailor John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) is shipwrecked on the nation's shores and becomes entangled in the lives of daimyo Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada​​​​​​​) and samurai Toda Mariko​​​​​​​ (Anna Sawai). This new version of the iconic story was co-created by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks.

Rotten Tomatoes has calculated an official critic score for the new Shōgun show. Now that 17 different critics have weighed in, the title has earned a perfect 100% score. While its score...

When James Clavell’s historical fiction novel Shōgun was first adapted into a television miniseries in 1980, the Emmy-winning series was considered ahead of its time, especially when it came to cultural sensitivity. It was the first American show to be completely filmed in Japan with the Japanese characters being portrayed by Japanese actors — a far cry from the yellowface treatment in The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu and Flash Gordon, both released the same year.

Set in feudal Japan in the 1600s, Shōgun was told through the eyes of English navigator John Blackthorne (Richard Chamberlain) and his interactions with Lord Toranaga (the legendary Toshiro Mifune) before the Battle of Sekigahara. The series was predominantly in Japanese with no English subtitles, depending on Blackthorne’s interpreter Mariko (Yoko Shimada) to provide viewers an insight into this world.

The 75th Emmy Awards were filled with plenty of memorable moments, from historic wins to emotional tributes and a long, sultry onstage kiss. Some of them included Ali Wong and Quinta Brunson wins’ serving as Emmy milestones, Elton John joining the very elusive Egot club, and Matty Matheson getting a kiss on the mouth from The Bear co-star Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Below, The Hollywood Reporter highlights some of the night’s unforgettable moments.

Elton John Joins Egot Club

Elton John is the latest member of the Egot club, scoring his first Emmy for best variety special (live). The 2023 Emmy Awards win for the musician’s Farewell From Dodger Stadium special, which he secured during Monday night’s telecast, joins his Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. The Disney+ special chronicles the musician’s final North American show as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour. The tour began in 2018 and was...

Ali Wong has made history.

The comedian continued Beef’s awards sweep with television’s highest honor, winning the Emmy for best actress in a limited series.

The win makes Wong the first woman of Asian descent ever to win an Emmy for a lead role. Sandra Oh has been nominated three times in the drama series category, and the haul of nominations for 1981’s Japan-set limited series Shōgun included one for leading lady Yôko Shimada.

In addition to her Beef collaborators and team, Wong also thanked her family in her acceptance speech. “I wouldn’t be standing here without my parents, my amazing parents, my father who I so wish was alive to share this moment with me, my hilarious father who loved me unconditionally and taught me the value of failure,” she said onstage. “To my beautiful daughters: you are my everything. Thank you for inspiring me, and this is for you.

Ali Wong has struck gold in her first outing as a dramatic lead.

The top stand-up comedian has won the 2024 Golden Globe for best actress in a limited series for her performance in Netflix’s Beef. Although Wong previously starred in the rom-com Always Be My Maybe and has a string of voice credits in animated comedies, Beef, with its darkly comic turns and existential meditations, was her first foray into substantive dramatic fare. As Amy Lau, a tightly-wound entrepreneur, wife and mother whose simmering self-loathing leads to an escalating battle of mutually assured destruction opposite Steven Yeun’s scammy contractor Danny (who also won a Golden Globe tonight), Wong, who executive produced the series, won widespread critical praise and is an Emmy nominee for the role.

Upon the announcement of her name, Wong kissed Bill Hader, whom she is currently dating, then took the stage and thanked her ex-husband,...

It was all the way back in 2018 when FX first announced that they would be adapting "Shōgun," the smash-hit novel from James Clavell that was previously adapted into a 1980 television miniseries. To put it into perspective how long the production has been, the miniseries was announced at the same time as the series adaptation of "What We Do in the Shadows," which is now in its fifth season. Described by the network as "an epic saga of war, passion, and power set in Feudal Japan," it seems wise to start prepping for "Shōgun" to be one of the first big hits of next year. "It's really told from multiple points of view, not just the singularly Western white male point of view," FX CEO John Landgraf said during the announcement. "I agree if you exoticize or fetishize Japanese culture from the Western and male gaze it would not fly. I...

FX’s long-gestating Shogun series is now targeting a February 2024 premiere on Hulu and FX. The date announcement was accompanied by the first teaser trailer for the 10-episode limited series based on James Clavell’s bestselling novel.

Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks created the series and executive produce, with Marks also guiding the series as showrunner. Additional executive producers include Michaela Clavell, Edward L. McDonnell, and Michael De Luca.

Poster for FX’s Shogun

FX offered this detailed description of the plot, cast, and characters:

Shogun is set in Japan in the year 1600, at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Producer Hiroyuki Sanada stars as Lord Yoshii Toranaga, who is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him. When a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village, its English pilot, John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis), comes bearing secrets that...

The Primetime Emmys are not necessarily known for honoring projects featuring casts that are primarily minority/people of color. The TV academy has never, for instance, given the Best Drama Series trophy to such a show. The statuette for Best Comedy Series has been won by a series featuring a largely minority cast precisely once: “The Cosby Show” in 1985. But the category of top limited/anthology/miniseries has paid golden tribute to programs with mostly minority casts a handful of times before, helping give Netflix’s “Beef” with its predominantly Asian American lineup a genuine shot to take home the biggest prize.

“Beef” tied with “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” for the most nominations among all non-regular series programs with 13. It’s presently in the lead among Gold Derby voters in the limited series race with 16/5 combined odds. Its star Ali Wong is also in first place among limited lead actresses,...

John Legend took the stage at the Emmy Awards on Monday to honor the stars who left us during the past year. The “In Memoriam” segment was one of the highlights of the night, with the Egot winner performing his new song “Pieces.”

Hollywood & Media Deaths 2022: A Photo Gallery

Anthony Anderson presented Legend and the segment, saying, “It never feels like the right time to say goodbye to a loved one, a friend or a cherished icon.”

He added. “To quote Shakespeare, ‘All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players, they have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts.’ As we acknowledge the legends within our industry will pass on, we celebrate all that they created and shared with the world. May they rest in peace and power.”

Emmy Red Carpet Photos: Best Looks Of 2022

During Legend’s performance,...

Japanese actress Yoko Shimada, known for her portrayal of Mariko in the 1980 miniseries Shōgun, a role which earned her a Golden Globe award and an Emmy nomination, has died. According to Japanese media, Shimada died Monday, July 25 from complications of colorectal cancer at a Tokyo hospital. She was 69.

Born in the city of Kumamoto on the Japanese island of Kyushu, Shimada’s first TV role was in the 1970 drama Osanazuma. She went on to appear in several TV productions including Kamen Rider, Karei-naru Ichizoku and Shiroi Kyoto. But it was her role as Mariko in the 1980 TV miniseries Shōgun, based on James Clavelle’s novel, that she is best remembered. Mariko represented the real-life person Hosokawa Gracia, a member of the aristocratic Akechi family. She was one of a small number of Japanese actors in the cast who had English-speaking roles, despite not being fluent in the language. Her performance...

Joseph Baxter Jan 23, 2020

Shogun, the novel by James Clavell adapted by the classic TV miniseries, is getting a new TV adaptation, bound for FX.

Shogun is bringing its historical English-Japanese culture clash back to television on FX.

Back in August 2018, FX initially announced that it was rebooting Shogun as a new 10-episode limited series. The classic property first arrived in the form of James Clavell’s 1975 novel, Shogun, which was subsequently adapted by NBC as an ambitiously epic 5-episode television miniseries, starring Richard Chamberlain, which aired through the week of September 15, 1980. The miniseries was the first major U.S. production to be shot entirely on location in Japan. Likewise, the new series is eyeing a shoot in Japan and the U.K.

While FX’s touted Shogun "re-adaptation" got put on hold in 2019, it appears that it will be back on track in 2020 with the network's appointment of a new writer in Justin Marks,...

I remember it vividly – the searing flesh of a man lowered in a pot of boiling…something. The screams and the expression of his mate’s face as he watches the crewman suffer immense pain. Yes, I had seen Shogun before, even if I didn’t know. This scene appears about 30 minutes into this mammoth 9-hour miniseries, a robust historical drama shot entirely on location in Japan. Shogun is a must-see judging by scale alone, with seemingly no expense spared in bringing early 17th century Japan to vista-encompassing life. When you factor in Jerry London’s capable direction and the above-average work by a game cast of native Japanese and international actors, the miniseries is simply not to be missed.

Based on James Clavell’s equally ambitious novel, Shogun the miniseries makes a deliberate and intelligent choice to focus entirely on the experiences of one key character: Englishman John Blackthorne...