‘More than Miyagi’ Offers An Inside Look at Pat Morita, the Man
What you might not know about the man behind Mr. Miyagi, is that there were many facets to Noriyuki "Pat" Morita. He was more than a sensei that broke boards on the big screen, he broke stereotypes and racial barriers with his comedy and acting, and in darker times in his life, with a drink in his hand, he broke himself sometimes too.
An icon to kids who grew up in the 1980s especially, Pat Morita's most famous role came in 1984 with the release of The Karate Kid. His role as Mr. Miyagi is still considered one of the most beloved father figures in film to this day.
Scheduled for release this month, 'More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story', directed by Kevin Derek, offers an inside look at Pat Morita, the gem, the man.
Did you know Pat was born in California? English was his first language and he didn't speak much Japanese. When he was a child he spent much of his time in casts and was told he might not walk. Pat didn't know karate either. His broken English was simply part of an act.
And act he did, with over 43 movies and show appearances to his credit.
"Director Kevin Derek rounds up family, friends, filmmakers, and co-stars to give insight to the complicated comedian and actor. Ralph Macchio, William Zabka and Martin Kove -- who appeared in "The Karate Kid" and now carry on Morita's memory in the spinoff Netflix series "Cobra Kai" -- provide some transcendent perspective on Morita's personal side," KRISTV reveals.
More than Miyagi is scheduled to be released on demand on February 5th.
Here is a portion of one of the most endearing interviews with Pat Morita about him changing his name from Noriyuki to Pat during an interview with Fountain Interviews.
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