Mr Miagi Dies at 73
Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 12:23 pm
Karate Kid actor Morita dies at 73
'Actor Pat Morita, whose portrayal of the wise and dry-witted Mr Miyagi in The Karate Kid earned him an Oscar nomination, has died. He was 73.
Morita died at his home in Las Vegas of natural causes, said his wife of 12 years, Evelyn. She said in a statement that her husband, who first rose to fame with a role on Happy Days, had "dedicated his entire life to acting and comedy".
In 1984, he appeared in the role that would define his career and spawn countless affectionate imitations. As Kesuke Miyagi, the mentor to Daniel-san, played by Ralph Macchio, he taught karate while trying to catch flies with chopsticks and offering such advice as "wax on, wax off" to guide Daniel through chores to improve his skills.
Morita said in a 1986 interview he was billed as Noriyuki "Pat" Morita in the film because producer Jerry Weintraub wanted him to sound more ethnic. He said he used the billing because it was "the only name my parents gave me".
He lost the 1984 best supporting actor award to Haing S. Ngor, who appeared in The Killing Fields.
For years, Morita played small and sometimes demeaning roles in such films as Thoroughly Modern Millie and TV series such as The Odd Couple and Green Acres. His first breakthrough came with Happy Days, and he followed with his own brief series, Mr T and Tina.
The Karate Kid, led to three sequels, the last of which, 1994's The Next Karate Kid, paired him with a young Hilary Swank.
Morita was prolific outside of the Karate Kid series, appearing in Honeymoon in Vegas, Spy Hard, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and The Center of the World. He also provided the voice for a character in the Disney movie Mulan in 1998.
Born in northern California on June 28, 1932, the son of migrant fruit pickers, Morita spent most of his early years in hospital with spinal tuberculosis. He later recovered only to be sent to a Japanese-American internment camp in Arizona during World War II.
Morita is survived by his wife and three daughters from a previous marriage.'
Taken from MSN.com
'Actor Pat Morita, whose portrayal of the wise and dry-witted Mr Miyagi in The Karate Kid earned him an Oscar nomination, has died. He was 73.
Morita died at his home in Las Vegas of natural causes, said his wife of 12 years, Evelyn. She said in a statement that her husband, who first rose to fame with a role on Happy Days, had "dedicated his entire life to acting and comedy".
In 1984, he appeared in the role that would define his career and spawn countless affectionate imitations. As Kesuke Miyagi, the mentor to Daniel-san, played by Ralph Macchio, he taught karate while trying to catch flies with chopsticks and offering such advice as "wax on, wax off" to guide Daniel through chores to improve his skills.
Morita said in a 1986 interview he was billed as Noriyuki "Pat" Morita in the film because producer Jerry Weintraub wanted him to sound more ethnic. He said he used the billing because it was "the only name my parents gave me".
He lost the 1984 best supporting actor award to Haing S. Ngor, who appeared in The Killing Fields.
For years, Morita played small and sometimes demeaning roles in such films as Thoroughly Modern Millie and TV series such as The Odd Couple and Green Acres. His first breakthrough came with Happy Days, and he followed with his own brief series, Mr T and Tina.
The Karate Kid, led to three sequels, the last of which, 1994's The Next Karate Kid, paired him with a young Hilary Swank.
Morita was prolific outside of the Karate Kid series, appearing in Honeymoon in Vegas, Spy Hard, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and The Center of the World. He also provided the voice for a character in the Disney movie Mulan in 1998.
Born in northern California on June 28, 1932, the son of migrant fruit pickers, Morita spent most of his early years in hospital with spinal tuberculosis. He later recovered only to be sent to a Japanese-American internment camp in Arizona during World War II.
Morita is survived by his wife and three daughters from a previous marriage.'
Taken from MSN.com
:(:(:(