This article in yesterday’s paper caught my attention (link is to the Miami Herald because the stupid Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the article behind a registration page).  It’s definitely a highly-specialized occupation:

Seizo Fukumoto has died 20,000 agonizing deaths. He’s been gored by samurai and gunned down by gangsters. His bloodied body has slammed into trees, tumbled down stairs and crashed through sliding paper-and-wood doors.

As Japan’s top “kirareyaku,” which translates into “sliced-up actor,” Fukumoto dies for a living. When Japanese directors need somebody to kill, he’s the man they call.

While he’s been in so many films over the years, he isn’t known for it since often his name doesn’t even make the credits.  However, he did finally get some recognition in The Last Samauri as the “Silent Samauri” who died to protect Tom Cruise’s character.