Morita Mort

A slightly belated tribute to Noriyuki "Pat" Morita, a funny guy and fine actor.

Pat Morita worked in TV and movies regularly from the mid-60s to his death a few weeks ago on November 25. He started as a stand-up comedian, aka the Hip Nip. Soon, whenever a TV show needed an Asian, they called Pat. He made memorable appearances in shows such as Green Acres, M*A*S*H and The Odd Couple before landing the role that made him famous, Arnold in Happy Days.

Arnold was the owner and proprietor of--what else--Arnold's, a hamburger joint. The food was only so-so, but the often befuddled Arnold put up with the crazy schemes of Richie, Potsy, Ralph and Fonzie, which is maybe why they made the place their hangout. Morita's original stint was only for a year (he left to star in the ill-fated Mr. T And Tina), but I think it was the best year the show had.

Morita went on to greater fame in 1984, when he landed the role of Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid. The film was a surprise hit, and it's mostly because of Morita's character. The part allowed him to not only be funny, but also to show a depth never seen before. He received a well-deserved Oscar nomination.

The Karate Kid unveils Morita's character slowly. At first he's a quiet, somewhat forbidding handyman at a cheap apartment building. Eventually he's revealed as a karate master with an odd technique for teaching martial arts, and a sad history of his own. While Ralph Macchio plays the lead, I don't think it's too much to say Pat Morita makes the film.

The sequel, The Karate Kid II, where the duo go the Japan, was a weaker film, but an even bigger hit. The Karate Kid III was worse yet, and did not perform well. An attempt to revive the series, with a female "kid" played by future double Oscar-winner Hilary Swank, put a stake through the franchise. Nevertheless, thoughout the series, Morita was always good--often the only watchable thing onscreen.

It is interesting to see the inflation of Miyagi's prowess as the films progress. In the original, he's just an excellent fighter--a black belt from the original school. By the second film, he could beat a room full of Bruce Lee's. By the third, he'd give Superman a run for his money.

The last time I saw Pat Morita was earlier this year when he showed up at the end of a Happy Days TV reunion. In a way, it's fitting, since that's how I'll best remember him.