R.I.P, Mr. Miyagi

"Karate Kid" star Pat Morita has died at 73. The "Karate Kid" sequels are increasing levels of crap (admitting that I haven't seen the last one), but there are reasons why the first one is so well-remembered, and Pat Morita is among the largest of these.

I remember his performance as being really quite touching in places, aided by a better script than the sequels received (though all were written by the same man).

I'm thinking of the scene where Mr. Miyagi gets drunk and we learn about his experiences in the war. A little thing, perhaps, but it added depth. And it got Morita the first acting Oscar nomination ever given to an Asian-American.

I was too young to remember him as Arnold on "Happy Days"--by the time I started watching the show it was Al's place. But a story I saw in the newspaper, I think around the time "Karate Kid" first came out, has always stayed with me.

Early in his career Morita was a stand-up comedian, and one night, through your standard hilarious mix-up, he was booked to entertain at reunion of veterans of World War Two.

Picture the scene. Japanese comedian onstage. Audience of WWII veterans. You can feel the tension in the air. Morita begins: "First of all, sorry about what we did to your harbor..."

And he had them. The rest of the night they were his. Or so the story goes.

And you thought Mr. Miyagi had balls...