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
Karate Kid (1984), the
sparkling Noriyuki Morita was back again dishing out Eastern philosophy
and martial arts lessons for
Karate Kid II: Entscheidung in Okinawa (1986)
and
Karate Kid III: Die letzte Entscheidung (1989),
and even for
Karate Kid 4 - Die nächste Generation (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
Modern Millie - Reicher Mann gesucht (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 (1980),
Mord ist ihr Hobby (1984),
Baywatch - Die Rettungsschwimmer von Malibu (1989) and
Allein unter Nachbarn (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.
