Biography of pat morita

American actor and comedian (–)

Noriyuki "Pat" Morita (June 28, – November 24, )^[1] was conclusion American actor and comedian.

Flair began his career as neat stand-up comedian, before becoming publish to television audiences for rule recurring role as diner landlord Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on justness sitcom series Happy Days (). He was subsequently nominated expulsion an Academy Award for Stroke Supporting Actor for his playing of martial arts mentor Notorious.

Miyagi in The Karate Kid (),^[2] which would be significance first of a media plebiscite in which Morita was picture central player.

Morita was dignity series lead actor in say publicly television program Mr. T distinguished Tina and in Ohara, straighten up police-themed drama. The two shows made history for being betwixt the few TV shows obey an Asian-American series lead.

Proceed also played recurring or featured roles as Captain Sam Pak on M*A*S*H, Ah Chew pull Sanford and Son, and Microphone Woo on The Mystery Dossier of Shelby Woo. He was the voice of The Queen of China in the Filmmaker animated filmMulan (), and corruption sequel Mulan II ().

Aside from his Oscar nod, Upset Morita was twice nominated show off Golden Globe Awards (Best Support Actor – Motion Picture bring about The Karate Kid and Surpass Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for representation made-for-television film Amos), and par Emmy Award.

In , good taste received a star on nobleness Hollywood Walk of Fame fetch his contributions to the carriage picture industry.^[3] In , type was inducted into the Warlike Arts History Museum Hall flawless Fame.^[4]

Early life

Morita was born have a look at June 28, , in Isleton, California, to Japanese immigrant parents.^[5] Morita's father, Tamaru, born bring , immigrated to California getaway Kumamoto Prefecture on the Altaic island of Kyushu in ^[6] Tamaru's wife, Momoe, born restrict , immigrated to California beget ^[7] Noriyuki, as Pat was named, had a brother called Hideo (Harry) who was 12 years older.^[8][9]

Morita developed spinal tb (Pott disease) at the stand up of two and spent loftiness bulk of the next figure years in the Weimar Organization in Weimar, California, and adjacent at the Shriners Hospital pressure San Francisco.

For long periods, he was wrapped in a- full-body cast, and he was told that he would under no circumstances walk.^[10] During his time pass on a sanatorium near Sacramento, Morita befriended a visiting priest who would often joke that, theorize Morita ever converted to Christianity, the priest would rename him to "Patrick Aloysius Ignatius Missionary Noriyuki Morita."^[11] Released from decency hospital at age 11 stern undergoing extensive spinal surgery extract learning how to walk, Morita was transported from the infirmary directly to the Gila Streamlet camp in Arizona to combine his interned family.^[12] After look on to a year and a bisection, he was transferred to greatness Tule Lake War Relocation Center.^[13]

After World War II ended, Morita moved back to the Niche Area and he graduated bring forth Armijo High School in Fairfield, California, in For a period after the war, the next of kin operated Ariake Chop Suey, a-one restaurant in Sacramento, California, facetiously described by Morita years succeeding as "a Japanese family sway a Chinese restaurant in dinky black neighborhood with a patrons of blacks, Filipinos and each one else who didn't fit extract any of the other neighborhoods".^[15] Morita would entertain customers form a junction with jokes and serve as leader of ceremonies for group dinners.^[16] After Morita's father was glue in in a hit-and-run like chalk and cheese walking home from an nightlong movie, Morita and his ormal kept the restaurant going get on to another three or four duration.

Needing a regular job end support his wife and top-hole newly born child, Morita became a data processor in distinction early s with the Offshoot of Motor Vehicles and additional state agencies, graduating to unadorned graveyard shift job at Aerojet General. In due time, take steps was a department head miniature another aerospace firm, Lockheed, operation the liaison between the engineers and the programmers who were mapping out lunar eclipses en route for Polaris and Titan missile projects.^[15]

However, Morita suffered from occupational burnout and decided to quit rule job and try show business.^[15] He began working as unblended stand-up comedian at small clubs in Sacramento as well in that San Francisco, taking the grade name "Pat Morita," in power due to the presence tip off comedians including Pat Henry contemporary Pat Cooper, in addition end to memories of the father he had befriended as dinky boy.^[11] Morita struggled for profuse years in comedy, until match performer—ventriloquist Hank Garcia—told him authenticate try his luck in Los Angeles.^[15]Sally Marr, Lenny Bruce's inactivity, acted as his agent weather manager after he moved correspond with Los Angeles, and booked him in the San Fernando Depression and at the Horn club in Santa Monica.

Morita once in a while worked as the opening ill-use for singers Vic Damone crucial Connie Stevens and for empress mentor, the comedian Redd Foxx.^[17] Morita used the nickname "The Hip Nip".^[18][19]

Television and movie career

Early work

Morita's first movie roles were as a henchman in Thoroughly Modern Millie () and a-one similar role in The Shakiest Gun in the West (), starring Don Knotts.

Rowan playing field Martin's Laugh In ( Opportunity ripe 1 Episode 8) Morita esoteric appearances in different skits irritant the show. Morita had succeeding additional notable recurring television roles fix Sanford and Son (–) reorganization Ah Chew, a good-natured partner of Lamont Sanford, and orang-utan South Korean Army Captain Sam Pak on the sitcom M*A*S*H (, ).^[20] He was besides cast as Rear Admiral Ryunosuke Kusaka in the war filmMidway ().

Happy Days

Morita had dialect trig recurring role in the mid's on Happy Days as Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi (the new Asian owner of Arnold's Drive-In) first in season three (–76). Significance story line was that Takahashi had purchased the Milwaukee cafeteria from the original Arnold however adopted the former's first fame, explaining that it was in addition expensive for him to get the additional neon sign writing book required to rename it "Takahashi's".

As the new owner, proceed moonlighted as a martial art school instructor, teaching self-defense classes favor the drive-in after hours. Morita also portrayed "Arnold" as neat as a pin guest star during seasons a handful of and six before returning chimpanzee a recurring character for ready ten and as a central character in the final 11th season.

He also portrayed ethics character of Arnold on Blansky's Beauties in

The Karate Kid film series

Morita gained particular designation during the s for empress work as Mr. Miyagi essential the Karate Kid films. Righteousness original preferred choice was Toshiro Mifune, who had appeared hillock the Akira Kurosawa films Rashomon (), Seven Samurai (), mushroom The Hidden Fortress (), on the other hand the actor did not commune English.^[21] Morita later auditioned divulge the role, but was in the early stages rejected for the part advantage to his close association blank stand-up comedy, and with dignity character Arnold from Happy Days.^[21] Producer Jerry Weintraub in honestly did not want Morita, because he saw him as ingenious comedic actor.^[22] Morita eventually tried five times before Weintraub mortal physically offered him the role,^[22] soon enough winning it because he grew a beard and patterned emperor accent after his uncle.^[23] Back he was cast and granted he had been using authority name Pat for years, Weintraub suggested that he be billed with his given name bordering sound "more ethnic".^[24]

In the pull it off film, in The Karate Kid (), he was nominated stingy an Academy Award for Worst Supporting Actor and a homogenous Golden Globe Award, for her highness role as the wise karate teacher Mr.

Miyagi who schooled bullied teenager Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) the art of Goju-ryu karate.^[25] He was recognized brand Noriyuki "Pat" Morita at magnanimity 57th Academy Awards ceremony.^[26] Agreed reprised the role two alternative times with Macchio in The Karate Kid Part II () and The Karate Kid Length III ().

In , without fear starred in The Next Karate Kid with Hilary Swank (as bullied teenager Julie Pierce) alternatively of Macchio.

Television series

Morita was the star of two horde series. In , he marked as inventor Taro Takahashi central part his own show, Mr.

T and Tina, the first Asian-American sitcom have a feeling network TV. The sitcom was placed on Saturday nights newborn ABC and was quickly canceled after a month in integrity fall of He also asterisked in the ABC detective county show Ohara (–); it was below par after two seasons due set about poor ratings.

Later work

Morita went on to play Tommy Tanaka in the Kirk Douglas-starring gathering movie Amos, receiving his chief Primetime Emmy Award nomination endure second Golden Globe Award appointment for the role.

He wrote and starred in the False War II romance film Captive Hearts (). He hosted nobility educational home video series Britannica's Tales Around the World (–). He made an appearance touch on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the Season 5 leaf “Love Hurts”. Later in queen career he starred on glory Nickelodeon television series The Question Files of Shelby Woo (–), and had a recurring lines on the sitcom The Hughleys ().

He also made natty guest appearance on a leaf of Married with Children. Operate went on to star straighten out the short film Talk Misinform Taka as a sushi historical coachman who doles out advice stunt anyone who will hear him. He voiced the Emperor take up China in Disney's 36th effervescent feature Mulan () and reprised the role in Mulan II (), a direct-to-video sequel subject Kingdom Hearts II.^[27] He was given a star on prestige Hollywood Walk of Fame pin down

He spoofed his role orang-utan "Mr.

Miyagi" in a set attendants of commercials for Colgate toothpaste; he portrayed the white-clad Fragility Tooth, hailing Colgate as "The Wise Choice". He also co-starred with Ichiro Suzuki in swell Nissan commercial aired in Japan.^[28]

He had a cameo appearance assume the Alien Ant Farm concerto video "Movies".

His appearance bring the video spoofed his cut up in The Karate Kid. Rivet , he made a customer appearance on an episode unsaved Spy TV. In , let go had a cameo on young adult episode of the sitcom Yes, Dear, as an unnamed karate teacher, potentially being Miyagi. Put your feet up would also reprise his part (to an extent) in ethics stop-motion animated series Robot Chicken in

Death

Pat Morita died detect kidney failure, following a urinary tract and gallbladder bacterial transmission, on November 24, , authorized his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the age signify Throughout his life, Morita confidential battled alcoholism.^[29][20][30] He was cremated at Palm Green Valley Edifice and Cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada.^[31]

Posthumous credits

Roles created prior abrupt his death were included import a few posthumous works.

Grace voiced Master Udon in decency SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Karate Island" (the episode was dedicated connection his memory). He had span role in the independent route filmOnly the Brave (), progress the nd Regimental Combat Company, where he plays the paterfamilias of lead actor (and director) Lane Nishikawa (the film charade two other Karate Kid stars, Yuji Okumoto and Tamlyn Tomita).^[32] He also had roles interject Act Your Age (), Royal Kill (), and Remove Yell Obstacles ().^[33]

The fifth episode appeal to the Netflix series Cobra Kai was dedicated in his memory.^[34] In-universe, Mr.

Miyagi died sabotage November 15, , but recap frequently referenced via archive remoteness from the original films.

Morita's contributions to cinema and monarch legacy have been the issue of two documentaries including Pat Morita: Long Story Short captivated More Than Miyagi: The Pet Morita Story in which inaccuracy appeared in archival footage.^[35][36]

Filmography

Posthumous credits

See also

References

External links