Mako
Born Makoto Iwamatsu on
Dec. 10, 1933
in Kobe, Japan
In the early days of Mako's acting career, when most roles offered to Asian American actors were caricatures or stereotypes, he took just such a part and used it to open the doors of Hollywood and Broadway to others. In the 1966 film "The Sand Pebbles," Mako played the Chinese character Po-han, who spoke pidgin English, called the white sailors in the movie "master" and treated them as such. But through the power of his acting, Mako transformed Po-han and compelled the audience to empathize and identify with the engine-room "coolie." In an acting career that spanned more than four decades, Mako was a familiar face in film and television. His TV roles included appearances on "McHale's Navy," "I Spy," "MASH," "Quincy," and "Walker, Texas Ranger." In films, he was a Japanese admiral in "Pearl Harbor" and a Singaporean in "Seven Years in Tibet." He was Akiro the wizard in "Conan the Barbarian" and "Conan the Destroyer" with Arnold Schwarzenegger. But Mako had a larger view of the possibilities for Asian American actors. As artistic director of East West Players, Mako trained generations of actors and playwrights. He staged classics such as Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," Chekhov's "Three Sisters," and lesser-known contemporary works. He devoted the entire 1981 season to works pertaining to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. The series coincided with the opening of a national discussion on internment reparations. It was a risky endeavor, but Mako said it was crucial.
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Points of interest
Academy Awards
| Year | Category | Work | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Best Supporting Actor | The Sand Pebbles | Nomination |
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Two thoughts about Mako
Mako worked with some of the biggest names in films, such as Steve McQueen. He helped found the oldest Asian American theatre company, the East West Players, and was its artistic director for many years. He was nominated for an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony award. He was a fine actor and contributed to many films and tv shows. He should have his star.
I recall seeing Mako in an episode of Quincy, killing himself by jumping out of something like a 10 story building because he couldn't live with what he did to another. He felt he had disgraced himself to the point of no return, by trying to protect who he felt was a 'pure' woman.
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