** FILE **Actor Pat Morita is shown in the this undated file photo. Morita died Thursday, Nov. 24, 2005 at his home in Las Vegas of natural causes. He was 73. (AP Photo)
** FILE **Actor Pat Morita is shown in the this undated file photo. Morita died Thursday, Nov. 24, 2005 at his home in Las Vegas of natural causes. He was 73. (AP Photo)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor Pat Morita, best known for helping
teach a boy martial-arts mastery through household chores as the
wise Mr. Miyagi in "The Karate Kid," has died. He was 73.
There were conflicting reports about the cause of death. His
daughter Aly Morita said he died Thursday of heart failure at a Las
Vegas hospital; longtime manager Arnold Soloway said the actor died
of kidney failure at a hospital while awaiting a transplant.
His wife of 12 years, Evelyn, 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."
His role in the 1984 film defined his career. As Kesuke Miyagi,
the mentor to Ralph Macchio's "Daniel-san," he taught karate while
trying to catch flies with chopsticks and offering such advice as
"wax on, wax off" to help Daniel improve his karate hand movements
while doing his chores.
A generation of young fans mimicked Morita's famous "crane kick"
technique from the finale of the movie, which surprised many by
grossing $91 million and establishing a popular franchise.
"It was both my honor and privilege to have worked with him and
create a bit of cinema magic together," Macchio said in a
statement. "My life is all the richer for having known him. I will
miss his genuine friendship."
"Forever my Sensei," Macchio added, referring to Morita's role
in "The Karate Kid."
The role earned Morita an Academy Award nomination for best
supporting actor, but he lost to Haing S. Ngor, who appeared in
"The Killing Fields."
Morita said in a 1986 interview with The Associated Press 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."
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 as well,
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 the hospital
with spinal tuberculosis. He later recovered only to be sent to a
Japanese-American internment camp in Arizona during World War
II.
"One day I was an invalid," he recalled in a 1989 AP interview.
"The next day I was public enemy No. 1 being escorted to an
internment camp by an FBI agent wearing a piece."
After the war, Morita's family tried to repair their finances by
operating a Sacramento restaurant. It was there that Morita first
tried his comedy on patrons.
Because prospects for a Japanese-American standup comic seemed
poor, Morita found steady work in computers at Aerojet General. But
at age 30 he entered show business full time.
"Only in America could you get away with the kind of comedy I
did," he said. "If I tried it in Japan before the war, it would
have been considered blasphemy, and I would have ended in leg
irons."
Morita was to be buried at Palm Green Valley Mortuary and
Cemetery.
He is survived by his wife and three daughters from a previous
marriage.
