You see him every time you scroll through Netflix or catch a Cobra Kai flashback. That gentle nod. The "wax on, wax off" hand motion. Pat Morita feels so permanent in our pop culture DNA that it’s almost weird to think of him in the past tense.
Is Pat Morita still alive?
Honestly, no. He isn't. Pat Morita passed away over two decades ago. It's a bit of a gut punch for fans who grew up watching him mentor Daniel LaRusso or run Arnold’s on Happy Days.
He died on November 24, 2005. He was 73 years old.
While the world mostly remembers the peace he radiated on screen, the actual story of his life—and his death—was a lot more complicated than the Zen master persona he perfected. He lived through things that would have broken most people long before they ever reached Hollywood.
What Really Happened to Pat Morita?
When the news broke in late 2005, there was some initial confusion about what exactly happened. You might see different reports if you dig through old archives. His daughter, Aly, mentioned heart failure at the time. His longtime manager, Arnold Soloway, pointed toward kidney failure while he was waiting for a transplant.
The truth is basically a mix of both, complicated by a lifelong struggle that many fans never saw coming.
Morita died at his home in Las Vegas. His wife, Evelyn Guerrero, later opened up about the fact that Pat struggled deeply with chronic alcoholism. It’s a tragic irony. The man who played the most disciplined teacher in movie history fought a very private, very difficult battle with addiction that eventually caught up with his health.
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Kidney failure was the final blow. But it was the result of years of strain on his body.
A childhood spent in a body cast
Most people don't realize Pat Morita spent a huge chunk of his childhood unable to walk. He was born Noriyuki Morita in 1932, and by age two, he contracted spinal tuberculosis.
Think about that for a second.
He spent nearly nine years in hospitals and sanitariums. For a long time, he was wrapped in a full-body cast. Doctors told him he’d never walk. He was just a kid, entertaining nurses with sock puppets because he couldn't move his legs.
Then, right when he finally learned to walk at age 11—after a major spinal fusion surgery—he was "discharged" straight into an internment camp. Because it was World War II, the U.S. government sent his family to the Gila River camp in Arizona. He went from a hospital bed to a fenced-in camp.
It's heavy stuff. It's probably where that deep, soulful reservoir of emotion he brought to Mr. Miyagi came from. He knew what it felt like to be an outsider.
The Role That Almost Never Happened
It is wild to think about, but the producers of The Karate Kid actually didn't want him.
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Jerry Weintraub, the legendary producer, reportedly flat-out refused to even audition Morita at first. Why? Because Pat was "Arnold." He was a comedian. He was the guy from Happy Days and Sanford and Son. They wanted a "serious" actor, someone like Toshiro Mifune.
But Morita was persistent.
He grew out the beard. He worked on the accent (which, by the way, was totally fake—Pat grew up in California and spoke with a standard American accent). When he finally got the read, he made Weintraub cry.
He didn't just play a martial arts teacher. He created a father figure for a whole generation of kids. He became the first Asian-American to ever be nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. That’s a massive legacy.
More than just a Sensei
While Miyagi is the peak, Pat’s career was incredibly dense.
- The Voice of the Emperor: If you grew up in the 90s, you heard his voice in Disney’s Mulan. He played the Emperor of China with that same gravitas.
- Happy Days: He was the original owner of the diner. "Arnold" was a staple of 70s TV.
- Sanford and Son: He played Ah Chew, the recurring friend of Lamont.
- MAS*H: He had a great turn as Captain Sam Pak.
He was a pioneer. He was the first Asian-American to headline his own TV series (Mr. T and Tina), even if it didn't last long. He kept working right up until the end, often doing independent films or guest spots that kept him on our screens.
Why the "Is He Alive" Question Keeps Popping Up
The reason people keep searching for this is simple: Cobra Kai.
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The show is a massive hit, and it treats Mr. Miyagi like a deity. Even though Pat has been gone since 2005, his presence is in every episode. They use old footage, they visit his grave in the show, and Ralph Macchio speaks about him with such genuine love that it feels like he’s just in the other room.
There's also the 2021 documentary, More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story. It’s a raw look at his life. It doesn't shy away from his drinking or his internal demons. If you want to understand the man behind the bonsai trees, you’ve got to watch it. It’s heartbreaking but beautiful.
Pat Morita’s Final Resting Place
If you’re ever in Las Vegas and want to pay your respects, Pat Morita was cremated at Palm Green Valley Mortuary and Cemetery. His legacy, however, is much more alive than a headstone.
He proved that you could be small and powerful. He proved that "wax on, wax off" wasn't just about chores—it was about muscle memory and life discipline.
What you can do next:
If you're feeling nostalgic, go back and watch the original 1984 The Karate Kid. Pay attention to the scene where Miyagi gets drunk and mourns his wife who died in the internment camp. Knowing Pat’s real-life history with internment and his personal struggles with alcohol makes that scene one of the most haunting and "real" performances in cinema history. It wasn't just acting; it was him.