| Pat Noriyuki Morita, the character actor who made | | | | California internment camp which detained thousands |
| famous the character of Mr. Miyagi in the "Karate Kid" | | | | of Japanese Americans during World War II as a |
| movies, has died at his home in Las Vegas at the age | | | | "security measure". In the movie, it is revealed that |
| of 73.With over a hundred film credits and over 60 TV | | | | Miyagi had received the news of their deaths while he |
| credits to his name, Morita appeared in episodes of | | | | was serving with distinction in the U.S. Army in Europe, |
| "M*A*S*H" and "Magnum PI" before capturing the | | | | service for which he had received the Bronze Star. |
| popular imagination as Arnold on the long-running | | | | The scene touches indirectly on Morita's own |
| "Happy Days" series. Morita left the show in 1976 to | | | | experiences; he was nine years old when World War II |
| star in a short-lived series of his own, "Mr. T and Tina." | | | | began, and he and his parents spent much of the war |
| He won the breakout role of the humble, wise, and | | | | in an internment camp in Arizona.Morita co-wrote and |
| kindhearted Miyagi opposite Ralph Macchio as | | | | starred in the 1987 film "Captive Hearts," a little-known |
| teenaged Daniel in the first "Karate Kid" movie in 1984, | | | | film about a Japanese town which first captures and |
| and reprised the role in "The Karate Kid" Parts II and III, | | | | then protects two downed American airmen during the |
| also starring Macchio, in 1986 and 1989. In 1994 he | | | | last days of World War II. The quiet film exhibits a |
| recreated the Miyagi character for "The Next Karate | | | | gentleness which suggests that the equally gentle |
| Kid" opposite an up-and-coming young actress, Hilary | | | | nature of Miyagi was a reflection of Morita himself |
| Swank, as Julie. The 1984 movie earned him an Oscar | | | | rather than a creative choice by the authors or |
| nomination.The immensely popular "Karate Kid" movies | | | | directors of the "Karate Kid" series.Actors and other |
| in some ways were overblown and simplistic; the | | | | celebrities come and go in the attentions of the |
| bullied victims, first Daniel and then Julie, were viciously | | | | American public, and many have a flash of fame and |
| bullied and victimized; the villains were unremittingly evil | | | | then are forgotten. But others remain in our hearts and |
| and violent. But the Miyagi character was pure gold. At | | | | minds, and come to be seen almost as kin. With the |
| once a loving parent figure and strict disciplinarian, he | | | | passing of Pat Morita, it seems as if we've lost a much |
| lived and taught a peaceful wisdom which helped both | | | | beloved member of our American family.Aldene |
| of his young students to a deeper understanding of | | | | Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern |
| themselves and a kind of self-control more important | | | | New Hampshire and frequently contributes to Tips and |
| than any physical self-defense lessons.Most of the | | | | Topics. She has published numerous articles in local |
| humor in the films surrounded the character of Miyagi, | | | | and regional publications on a wide range of topics, |
| who also exhibited the most complexity of any | | | | including business, education, the arts, and local events. |
| character in the series. He was at once wise and | | | | Her feature articles include an interview with |
| flawed; in one scene, he drank himself to sleep in an | | | | independent documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and a |
| attempt to deal with the loss, years earlier, of his wife | | | | feature on prisoners at the New Hampshire State |
| and newborn child. They had died in Manzanar, a | | | | Prison in Concord. |