Mako (actor) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mako
岩松 信
Mako in 1986
Born	Makoto Iwamatsu (1933-12-10)December 10, 1933 Mikage, Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan
Died	July 21, 2006(2006-07-21) (aged 72) Somis, California, U.S.
Other names	Mako Iwamatsu
Alma mater	Pasadena Playhouse
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1959–2006
Spouse(s)	Shizuko Hoshi
Children	2

Makoto Iwamatsu (岩松 信, Iwamatsu Makoto, December 10, 1933 – July 21, 2006) was a Japanese-American actor. He was known by his single name, Mako, in almost all his acting jobs.

Mako was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Po-Han in the movie The Sand Pebbles (1966). He also played Oomiak in The Island at the Top of the World (1974) and Akiro the Wizard in Conan the Barbarian (1982). He was also Kungo Tsarong in Seven Years in Tibet (1997).

Mako was part of the first cast of the Broadway musical Pacific Overtures in 1976. This role earned him a Tony Award nomination. He also helped start the East West Players theater group.

Later in his career, Mako became famous for his voice acting. He voiced Aku in the first four seasons of Samurai Jack (2001–2004). He also voiced Iroh in the first two seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2006). Mako passed away on July 21, 2006, at age 72.

Early Life and Acting Start

Mako, whose full name was Makoto Iwamatsu, was born in Kobe, Japan, in 1933. His parents, Tomoe Sasako and Atsushi Iwamatsu, were children's authors and illustrators. They were also political activists.

In 1939, Mako's parents moved to the United States. They left Mako in Japan with his grandmother. His parents worked for the U.S. government during World War II. In 1949, Mako joined them in the United States.

Mako joined the United States Army in 1953. He served until 1955. During his time in the military, he performed in plays for other soldiers. This is when he found his love for acting. After leaving the army, he became a U.S. citizen in 1956. He then studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Mako's Acting Career

Mako had a long and successful career in movies, TV, and theater.

Movie Roles

Mako's first movie role was in Never So Few (1959). He earned an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role in The Sand Pebbles (1966). In this film, he played Po-Han, an engine-room worker.

He also played Oomiak, an Inuit guide, in Disney's The Island at the Top of the World (1974). Mako was the wizard Akiro alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer. He played Jackie Chan's uncle in The Big Brawl (1980).

Later, he appeared in RoboCop 3 (1993) as Kanemitsu. He was also Kungo Tsarong in Seven Years in Tibet (1997). Mako played Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto in the movie Pearl Harbor (2001). His last main role was in the film Cages (2005).

Theater Work

In 1965, Mako and six other actors started the East West Players theater company. They wanted to create more roles for Asian-American actors. Mako was the artistic director of this company until 1989.

Mako was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role in Pacific Overtures (1976). He played several characters in this Stephen Sondheim musical. He later directed and acted in the same musical with the East West Players.

Television Appearances

Mako appeared in many popular TV shows. He played different roles in McHale's Navy and M*A*S*H. He was also in an episode of Kung Fu in 1973.

He played the blind philosopher Li Sung in two episodes of The Incredible Hulk. He also appeared in Magnum, P.I. and Frasier.

Mako became very well-known for his voice acting on TV. He was the voice of Aku, the main bad guy in Samurai Jack (2001–2004). He also voiced the beloved character Iroh in the first two seasons of Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005–2006).

Video Game Voices

Mako also lent his voice to several video games. In 2003, he voiced characters in Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader and True Crime: Streets of LA. He also voiced Aku in the game Samurai Jack: The Shadow of Aku in 2004.

Personal Life

Mako was married to actress Shizuko Hoshi. They had two daughters, who also became actresses. He also had three grandchildren.

Death and Legacy

Mako passed away in Somis, California, on July 21, 2006. He was 72 years old. He died from esophageal cancer.

Just before he died, Mako had finished recording his voice for Master Splinter in the movie TMNT. The movie was dedicated to him.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender episode "The Tales of Ba Sing Se" included a special part called "The Tale of Iroh." This part was made "in honor of Mako," who voiced Iroh. In the sequel series The Legend of Korra, a main character named Mako was named after him.

After Mako's death, another voice actor, Greg Baldwin, took over some of his famous roles, like Aku and Uncle Iroh.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games

See also

In Spanish: Mako Iwamatsu para niños