Pat Morita

Noriyuki "Pat" Morita (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005)[1] was an American film and television actor who played Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days(1975–1983), Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid film series and The Toymaster in Babes in Toyland. Morita was nominated for the 1985 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid.[2] Morita also voiced the Emperor of China in the Disney animated film Mulan (1998) and portrayed Ah Chew in Sanford and Son (1974–1976).
Morita was the series lead actor in the television program Mr. T and Tina (1976) and in Ohara (1987–1988), a police-themed drama. The two shows made history for being among the few TV shows with an Asian American series lead.
== Early life ==
Morita was born in Isleton, California.[3] Morita's father Tamaru, born in 1897, had immigrated to California from Kumamoto Prefecture on the Japanese island of Kyushu in 1915.[4] Tamaru's wife Momoe, born in 1903, had emigrated to California in 1913.[5] Noriyuki, as Pat was named, had a brother named Hideo (Harry) who was twelve years older.[6][7]
Morita developed spinal tuberculosis (Pott disease) at the age of two and spent the bulk of the next nine years in the Weimar Institute in Weimar, California, and later at the Shriners Hospital in San Francisco. For long periods he was wrapped in a full-body cast and was told that he would never walk.[8] It was during his time at a sanatorium near Sacramento that he was given his stage name, "Pat." Released from the hospital at age 11 after undergoing extensive spinal surgery and learning how to walk, Morita was transported from the hospital directly to the Gila River camp in Arizona to join his interned family.[9] After about a year and a half, he was transferred to the Tule Lake War Relocation Center.[10]
For a time after the war, the family operated Ariake Chop Suey, a restaurant in Sacramento, California.[11] Morita would entertain customers with jokes and serve as master of ceremonies for group dinners.[12]
He struggled for many years as a stand-up comic. Sally Marr, Lenny Bruce's mother, acted as his agent and manager in his early days. Morita sometimes worked as the opening act for singers Vic Damone and Connie Stevens and comedian Redd Foxx. Foxx later gave him a role on his sitcom Sanford and Sonin the early 1970s.
== Television and movie career ==
=== Early work ===
Morita's first movie roles were as a stereotypical henchman in Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) and another similarly-stereotypical role in The Shakiest Gun In The West (1968), starring Don Knotts. Later, a recurring role as South Korean Army Captain Sam Pak on the sitcom M*A*S*H (1973, 1974) helped advance the comedian's acting career.[13] He also was cast as Rear Admiral Ryunosuke Kusaka in the war film Midway (1976).
He had a recurring role on the show Happy Days as Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi, owner of the diner Arnold's for the show's third season (1975–1976) and made guest appearances in 1977 and 1979. After the season's end, he left the show to star as inventor Taro Takahashi in his own show Mr. T and Tina, the first Asian-American sitcom on network TV. The sitcom was placed on Saturday nights by ABC and was quickly canceled after a month in the fall of 1976. Morita revived the character of Arnold on Blansky's Beauties in 1977 and eventually returned to Happy Days for the 1982–1983 season. Morita had another notable recurring television role on Sanford and Son (1974–1976) as Ah Chew, a good-natured friend of Lamont Sanford.
=== The Karate Kid ===
Morita gained particular fame playing wise karate teacher Mr. Miyagi, who taught young "Daniel-san" (Ralph Macchio) the art of karate in The Karate Kid.[14]He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and a corresponding Golden Globe Award, reprising his role in three sequels: The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1989) and The Next Karate Kid(1994), the last of which starred Hilary Swank instead of Macchio. Though he was never a student of karate, he learned all that was required for the films. Although he had been using the name Pat for years, producer Jerry Weintraubsuggested that he be billed with his given name to sound "more ethnic."[15]Morita put this advice into practice and was recognized as Noriyuki "Pat" Morita at the 57th Academy Awards ceremony.[16] Weintraub did not want to cast Morita for the part of Mr. Miyagi, wanting a dramatic actor for the part and labeling Morita a comedic actor. Morita eventually tested five times before Weintraub himself offered him the role.[17]
=== Post-Karate Kid ===
Morita went on to play Tommy Tanaka in the Kirk Douglas-starring television movie Amos, receiving his first Primetime Emmy Award nomination and second Golden Globe Award nomination for the role. He then starred in the ABC detective show Ohara (1987–1988); it was cancelled after one season due to poor ratings. He then wrote and starred in the World War II romance film Captive Hearts (1987). Morita hosted the educational home video series Britannica's Tales Around the World (1990–1991). Later in his career Morita starred on the Nickelodeon television series The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo (1996–1998), and had a recurring role on the sitcom The Hughleys (2000). He also made a guest appearance on a 1996 episode of Married... with Children. He went on to star in the short film Talk To Taka as a sushi chef who doles out advice to anyone who will hear him. Morita voiced the Emperor of China in Disney's 36th animated feature Mulan (1998) and reprised the role in Kingdom Hearts II and Mulan II(2004), a direct-to-video sequel.[18]
Morita had a cameo appearance in the 2001 Alien Ant Farm music video "Movies". Morita's appearance in the video spoofed his role in The Karate Kid. In 2002, he made a guest appearance on an episode of Spy TV. He would also reprise his role (to an extent) in the stop-motion animated series Robot Chickenin 2005.
One of Morita's last television roles was as Master Udon on the 2006 SpongeBob SquarePants episode, "Karate Island". The episode was dedicated to him, airing about 6 months after his death. One of his last film roles was in the independent feature film Only the Brave (2006), about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, where he plays the father of lead actor (and director) Lane Nishikawa. About this time he also starred in a Michael Sajbel movie called Remove All Obstacles (2010) as a cold storage guru. This was a 9-minute industrial short advertising doors used for cold storage warehouses.[19] Pat also took a small role in the independent film Act Your Age, filmed in central Illinois and released in April 2011. His last movie was Royal Kill (2009), starring Eric Roberts, Gail Kim, and Lalaine, directed by Babar Ahmed.
== Death ==
Morita died of kidney failure on November 24, 2005, at his home in Las Vegas at the age of 73.[20] He was survived by his wife of 11 years, Evelyn and his three daughters from a previous marriage.[13][20]
He was cremated at Palm Green Valley Mortuary and Cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada.[21]
== Dedicated TV episodes ==
* The SpongeBob SquarePants episode "Karate Island" (original air date May 12, 2006), for which he voiced Udon, was dedicated in his memory.
* The fifth episode of the series, Cobra Kai was also dedicated in his memory.[22]
== Filmography ==
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
1964 	Jidôsha dorobô 	 	
1967 	Thoroughly Modern Millie 	Oriental #2 	
1968 	The Shakiest Gun in the West 	Wong 	
1972 	Evil Roy Slade 	Turhan 	
1972 	Columbo 	Houseboy 	Episode: "Etude in Black"
1972 	Every Little Crook and Nanny 	Nonaka 	
1972 	Where Does It Hurt? 	Nishimoto 	
1972 	Cancel My Reservation 	Yamamoto 	
1972 	The Odd Couple 	Mr. Wing 	Episode: "Partner's Investment"
1973–1974	M*A*S*H 	Captain Sam Pak 	
1974 	Punch and Jody 	Takahasi 	
1974–1976	Sanford and Son 	Ah Chew 	
1975 	I Wonder Who's Killing Her Now? 	Heshy Yamamoto 	
1975–1983	Happy Days 	Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi 	
1976 	Welcome Back, Kotter 	Mr. Takahashi 	
1976 	Farewell to Manzanar 	Zenahiro 	
1976 	Midway 	Rear Admiral Ryūnosuke Kusaka 	
1980 	Hito Hata: Raise the Banner 	Yamada 	
1980 	When Time Ran Out 	Sam 	
1981 	Full Moon High 	The Silversmith 	
1982 	Savannah Smiles 	Father OHara 	
1982 	Jimmy the Kid 	Maurice 	
1982 	Slapstick of Another Kind 	Ah Fong, the Chinese Ambassador	
1984 	The Karate Kid 	Mr. Miyagi 	
1984 	Night Patrol 	Rape Victim 	
1985 	Alice in Wonderland 	The Horse 	
1986 	The Karate Kid Part II 	Mr. Miyagi 	
1986 	Babes In Toyland 	The Toymaster 	
1987 	Captive Hearts 	Fukushima 	
1989 	The Karate Kid Part III 	Mr. Miyagi 	
1989 	Collision Course 	Investigator Fujitsuka Natsuo 	
1990 	Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes 	Yoodo Toda 	
1991 	Strawberry Road 	Old Man's brother 	
1991 	Harry and the Hendersons 	Kenji Sahuara 	1 episode
1991 	Do or Die 	Masakana 'Kane' Kaneshiro 	
1991 	Lena's Holiday 	Fred 	
1991 	Goodbye Paradise 	Ben 	
1992 	Honeymoon in Vegas 	Mahi Mahi 	
1992 	Miracle Beach 	Gus 	
1992 	Auntie Lee's Meat Pies 	Chief Koal 	
1992 	Great Conquest: The Romance of 3 Kingdoms	Narrator 	English version
1992 	Genghis Khan 	Emperor Wang 	
1993 	American Ninja V 	Master Tetsu 	
1993 	Even Cowgirls Get the Blues 	The Chink 	
1993 	Living and Working in Space 	Cap 	
1993 	Space Rangers 	Nazzer 	
1994 	The Next Karate Kid 	Mr. Miyagi 	
1994 	The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air 	Mr. Yoshi 	Episode: "Love Hurts"
1995 	Timemaster 	Isaiah 	
1995 	The Misery Brothers 	Judge 	
1996 	Murder She Wrote 	Akira Hitaki 	Episode: "Kendo Killing"
1996 	Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite 	David Leung 	
1996 	Boy Meets World 	Wise Man 	Episode: "I Was a Teenage Spy"
1996 	Spy Hard 	Brian, Waiter in Restaurant 	
1996 	Reggie's Prayer 	Principal 	
1996 	Bloodsport III 	David Leung 	
1996 	Earth Minus Zero 	Dr. Mobius Jefferson 	
1996–1998	The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo 	Mike 'Grandpa' Woo 	
1997 	Captured Alive 	Sam Kashawahara 	
1997 	Beyond Barbed Wire 	Narrator 	Documentary
1998 	Family Matters 	Mr. Tanaka 	Episode: "Grill of My Dreams"
1998 	The Outer Limits 	Dr. Michael Chen 	Episode: "In the Zone"
1996 	Married... with Children 	Bank Owner 	Episode: "Turning Japanese"
1998 	Mulan 	The Emperor of China 	Voice
1998–1999	Kanga Roddy 	 	Recurring Character
1999 	King Cobra 	Nick Hashimoto 	
1999 	Inferno 	Jubal Early 	
1999 	Los Gringos 	The Samurai 	Short film
2000 	Brother 	Guy at the poker table 	Uncredited
2000 	Talk to Taka 	Taka 	Short film
2000 	I'll Remember April 	Abe Tanaka 	
2000 	Hammerlock 	Un Huong Lo 	
2000 	Diamonds in the Rough: 
The Legacy of Japanese American Baseball''	Narrator 	NBRPDocumentary
2001 	House of Luk 	Kwang Luk 	
2001 	The Boys of Sunset Ridge 	Charlie Watanabe 	
2001 	The Center of the World 	Taxi Driver 	
2001 	Shadow Fury 	Dr. Oh 	
2001 	Hwasango 	Vice Principal Jang Hak-Sa 	Dubbed version
2002 	The Stone man 	Prof. Stevens 	
2002 	The Biggest Fan 	Richard Limp 	
2003 	High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story 	Mr. Leo 	
2004 	Miss Cast Away 	 	
2004 	Elvis Has Left the Building 	Man in Turban 	
2004 	Mulan II 	The Emperor of China 	Voice
2004 	The Karate Dog 	Chin Li 	
2005 	Robot Chicken 	 	
2005 	Down and Derby 	Ono Yakimoto 	
2005 	American Fusion 	Lao Dong 	
=== Posthumous credits ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
2006	Spymate 	Kiro 	
2006	The Number One Girl 	Mr. Sakata 	
2006	Only the Brave 	Seigo Takata 	
2006	18 Fingers of Death! 	Freeman Lee 	
2006	SpongeBob SquarePants 	Master Udon 	Voice;
Episode: "Karate Island"
2007	Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix	The Emperor of China	Voice
2009	Royal Kill 	Exhibition Manager 	Last acting role
2010	Remove All Obstacles 	The Guru 	Short film
2010	Interviews of Ninja's Creed	Interviewee 	Documentary
2011	Act Your Age 	Tom 	
2013	Blunt Movie 	Mr. Miyami 	
2013	Mulan: 15th Anniversary 	Interviewee 	Documentary 
("Voices of Mulan" Segment)
2014	Rice Girl 	Peter Ong 	(final film role)
2015	The Real Miyagi 	Interviewee 	Documentary
2018	Cobra Kai 	Mr. Miyagi 	Archival footage