Pat Morita(1932-2005)
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Abundantly busy and much-loved Asian-American actor who became an
on-screen hero to millions of adults and kids alike as the wise and
wonderful Mr. Miyagi in
The Karate Kid (1984), the
sparkling Noriyuki Morita was back again dishing out Eastern philosophy
and martial arts lessons for
The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
and
The Karate Kid Part III (1989),
and even for
The Next Karate Kid (1994).
However, putting all that karate aside, the diminutive Morita actually
first started out as a stand-up comedian known as the Hip Nip in
nightclubs and bars, and made his first on-screen appearance in
Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967).
He quickly adapted to the screen and showed up in small parts in such
comedy films as
The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968),
alongside Don Knotts, and in
Evil Roy Slade (1972)
supporting John Astin. He also appeared in
such popular series as
Sanford and Son (1972) and
M*A*S*H (1972).
Morita got his next break playing the often-perplexed restaurant owner Matsho "Arnold" Takahashi in 26 episodes of the hugely popular sitcom Happy Days (1974) between 1975 and 1976, and again between 1982 and 1983. Morita was quite in demand on the small screen and also scored the lead in his own police drama Ohara (1987), and guest-starred on other high-profile television series including Magnum, P.I. (1980), Murder, She Wrote (1984), Baywatch (1989) and The Hughleys (1998). Although most often used as a minor character actor, he remained consistently busy and occasionally lent his vocal talents to animated features such as Mulan (1998). However, his real strengths lay in portraying slightly oddball or unusual characters in offbeat films. He died at age 73 of natural causes at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 24, 2005.
Morita got his next break playing the often-perplexed restaurant owner Matsho "Arnold" Takahashi in 26 episodes of the hugely popular sitcom Happy Days (1974) between 1975 and 1976, and again between 1982 and 1983. Morita was quite in demand on the small screen and also scored the lead in his own police drama Ohara (1987), and guest-starred on other high-profile television series including Magnum, P.I. (1980), Murder, She Wrote (1984), Baywatch (1989) and The Hughleys (1998). Although most often used as a minor character actor, he remained consistently busy and occasionally lent his vocal talents to animated features such as Mulan (1998). However, his real strengths lay in portraying slightly oddball or unusual characters in offbeat films. He died at age 73 of natural causes at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 24, 2005.
