Japanese born actor Mako died on Friday from throat cancer at the age of 72.  However, his family requested that notification of this wait until today.

Mako is one of the greatest character actors in American cinema.  He is one of those distinct actors where almost everybody knows who he is, even if they do not know his name.  He was born in Japan as Makoto Iwamatsu, and immigrated to the United States in the late 1940's.

Long a staple on Television, he broke into major films in the 1966 movie The Sand Pebbles, where he recieved an Oscar nomination.  For most of his career, he often played either military roles, or mentors.  Many will probably remember him best as the Wizard from the Conan movies.  But he was also a co-star in An Eye For An Eye, Behind Enemy Lines, Pacific Heights, SIdekicks, Robocop 3, Seven Years in Tibet, and as Admiral Yamamoto in the movie Pearl Harbor.

Mako was slated to be the voice of Splinter in the remake of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  It has not been disclosed how much of the voice acting (if any) had been completed at the time of his death.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/07/24/state/n234030D78.DTL

Just read about him on IMDb. He had an impressive career.

RIP.

Just read about him on IMDb. He had an impressive career.


Yes he did.  He has long been one of my favorite actors.  He could play everything from wizened odd-ball characters to dramatic icons.  And he had an accent that was wonderful to listen to.  While he never lost his thick Japanese accent, he was still clear and easy to understand.

Mostly he is probably remembered for his militart characters.  He was frequently called upon to play the "Asian Military Officer", which he did very well.  Mako had a very commanding presence, and was very dignified.  Often his characters almost overpowered the "leading man" of the movie (Conan, An Eye For An Eye).  And he was often on shows like Walker, Texas Ranger and M*A*S*H.

I always liked Mako.  Just watched "Taking Care of Business" like a week ago

I liked him in just about everything I saw him in

R.I.P. Mako

He was a great actor (watched him many, many times on M*A*S*H). He will be missed.



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Cat

  I had to google him, but now I remember Mako...

  He was the all-purpose "Asian Guy" in TV and cinema and pulled it off in fine style...

  Another entertainment staple who will be missed... :\'(

 

Man, this guy was in episodes of every cool TV show that ever played.  everything from Kung Fu, to Hawaii Five-O, Mannix, Facts of Life, you name it.

Mako-san you rocked big time.  Sayonara.  :)

I remember him best as the wizard in Conan, The Barbarian.

He will be sadly missed...  :\'(