Goodbye to Pat Morita, Best Supporting Asian

The New York Times ^ | November 29, 2005 | LAWRENCE DOWNES

[dfwgator]

Heaven forbid that an Asian actor, only gets * gasp * roles playing Asians.

[BenLurkin]

Is that the real headline?

[MEGoody]

I liked Morita as an actor, but his politics stunk.

[IGOTMINE]

Yep.

[Lx]

Wash on, wash off...

Rest in Piece Mr. Miagi, you made me laugh.

[Red Badger]

But it's distressing to think that the life's work of one of the best-known, hardest-working Asian-American actors is mostly a loose collection of servile supporting roles.

I bet it wasn't to him. Keep your face in front of the camera and money flowing into your bank account is not distressing. Good to pay rent and eat own food...............

[kajingawd]

loved him on Happy days...mad me laugh

[avg_freeper]

"But it's distressing to think that the life's work of one of the best-known, hardest-working Asian-American actors is mostly a loose collection of servile supporting roles."

Perhaps someone could offer to hold Pat's lifeless body while the author kicks it a few times for good measure.

Pat Morita was a good actor and many people enjoyed his work. Much less could be said of the employees of the NYTs.

[Red Badger]

I'm of Asian ascent and I have a very hard time getting roles playing black women............

[jw777]

Danielsan. Show me, take the dirt nap!

[Cyclopean Squid]

This article waxes on, waxes off eloquent on Mr. Miagi. He was definately the best around. Nothing could ever keep him down.

[atomicpossum]

And where are the great Eskimo parts nowadays, anyway?

[Xenalyte]

The funniest thing about Pat Morita was that if you ever heard him do an interview, there was NO ONE more Californian. He sounded like a surfer dude.

I read somewhere that Noriyuki is his father's name, and he started calling himself Noriyuki "Pat" Morita to sound more ethnic to casting agents . . . but his given name is indeed Pat. (Or Patrick - stories differ.)

[Gay State Conservative]

He appeared in at least a couple of episodes of MASH.He was great in those appearances.

[jocon307]

"Is that the real headline?"

Pretty insulting, I'd say. I remember my mother having an absolute tantrum when Richard Burton died, the Times had it on the front page (below the fold) with the headline: Richard Burton, rakish actor, dies.

Maybe my mom was a bigger Burton fan than I had ever known, but she felt they were really putting him down, and that he deserved far better than that. Ohmigosh she was steamed.

[Clemenza]

Second Best Supporting Asian:

"What's Happening Hot Stuff!"

[Gay State Conservative]

I'm of Asian ascent and I have a very hard time getting roles playing black women...

That's because you didn't attend Julliard ;-)

[IGOTMINE]

Imagine! An Asian getting a role playing a Japanese admiral in the movie, "Midaway". How belittling!

[kerryusama04]

We sure lost a class act here.