All My Heroes are Going to Ground...

Noriyuki "Pat" Morita
        1932 - 2005

Most noted for his role as Mr. Miyagi in the spate of Katate Kid films, and Arnold from Happy Days, how many remember him in Midway? or that old Don Knotts film The Shakiest Gun in the West?

What I remember most of Mr. Morita is, of course, his Karate Kid role; for his pithy wisdom, "wax on.... wax off." Looking back on that first film I can't help but get the image of a "Japanese Yoda" out of my head: wise, patient, enigmatic... but not green. It wouldn't surprise me if that was the writer's intent all along in writing Mr. Miyagi's dialog.

Years ago, when I was studying karate myself, Mr. Morita was a guest of our dojo (sadly, before my time), as he was a friend of Grand Master Shoshin Nagamine, our dojo's patron/benefactor. I'm not at all sure how much Karate Mr. Morita actually knew, but to my understanding, you would never know how much a real Karate-man knows anyway, as he views his craft more as a lifestyle than a source of bragging rights. As the axiom goes; The Novice finds it necessary to brag of his prowess, the Master does not.

God Bless you, and may you rest in Peace, Noriyuki Morita.