Mako
Born: 1933-12-10 in Kobe, Japan
Died: 2006-07-21
Known For: Acting
Biography
Mako was born in Kobe, Japan, the son of noted children's book author and illustrator Taro Yashima. His parents moved to the United States when he was a small child. He joined them there after World War II, in 1949, joining the military in the 1950s. He became a naturalized American citizen in 1956. When Mako first joined his parents in the USA, he studied architecture. During his military service, he discovered his theatrical talent, and trained at the Pasadena Community Playhouse. Mako was married to actress Shizuko Hoshi with whom he had two daughters (both are actresses) and three grandchildren.
Filmography
2017
- Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie as Aku (voice)
2007
- TMNT as Splinter (voice)
- Rise: Blood Hunter as Poe
- Cages as Tan
2006
- The Slanted Screen as Himself
2005
- Avatar: The Last Airbender as Iroh (voice)
- Memoirs of a Geisha as Sakamoto
- Maid in Akihabara
2003
- Duck Dodgers as Happy Cat (voice)
- Bulletproof Monk as Mr. Kojima
- Black Sash as Master Li
- Lost at Home
2002
- Monk as Master Zi
- What's New, Scooby-Doo? as The Ancient One (voice)
- Cruel Game as Straw Hat
2001
- Samurai Jack as Aku (voice)
- Pearl Harbor as Admiral Yamamoto
2000
- Rugrats in Paris: The Movie as Mr. Yamaguchi (voice)
- The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne
- Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' as The Wizard (archive footage)
1999
- The West Wing as Dr. Yosh Takahashi
- Alegría as Old Momo
- The Accomplice as Santos
1998
- Martial Law as Master Reng
- The Bird People in China as Shen
1997
- Seven Years in Tibet as Kungo Tsarong
- Riot as Mr. Lee
- The Sea Wolf
1996
- 7th Heaven as Henry Muranaka
- Sworn to Justice as Mr. Young
- Balance of Power as Todo Matsumoto
1995
- JAG as Ichiro Higashimori
- Crying Freeman as Shudo Shimazaki
- Platypus Man as Mr. Loo
- Midnight Man as Buun Som
1994
- Highlander III: The Sorcerer as Nakano
- A Dangerous Place as Sensei
- Red Sun Rising as Buntoro Iga
1993
- Frasier as Sam Tanaka
- Diagnosis: Murder as Lee Moy
- Walker, Texas Ranger as Dr. Henry Lee
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues as Li Sung
- RoboCop 3 as Kanemitsu
- Rising Sun as Yoshida-san
1992
- Sidekicks as Mr. Lee
- My Samurai
- Nightingale as Narrator (voice)
1991
- The Perfect Weapon as Kim
- Strawberry Road as Frank Machida
1990
- Pacific Heights as Toshio Watanabe
- Taking Care of Business as Mr. Sakamoto
- Fatal Mission as Trang
- Murder in Paradise as Capt. Kilalo
- Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes as Sgt. Moritaki
1989
- The Paradise Club as Mr. Yamamoto
- An Unremarkable Life as Max Chin
1988
- Paradise as Kao
- Supercarrier
- Tucker: The Man and His Dream as Jimmy
- Silent Assassins as Oyama
- The Wash as Nobu Matsumoto
1987
- Tour of Duty as Tran
1986
- Lovejoy as Toshiro Tanaka
- P.O.W. The Escape as Capt. Vinh
- Armed Response as Akira Tanaka
- Kung Fu: The Movie as The Manchu
1985
- The Equalizer as Jimmy Thanarat
- Spenser: For Hire
1984
- Conan the Destroyer as Akiro 'The Wizard'
- Hawaiian Heat as Maj. Taro Oshira
- Hawaiian Heat as Maj. Taro Oshira
1983
- The A-Team as Pastry Chef
- Testament as Mike
- The Nightingale as Gardener / Minister
- The Last Ninja as Aitaro Sakura
- Girls of the White Orchid as Mori
1982
- Faerie Tale Theatre as Gardener / Minister
- Voyagers!
- Conan the Barbarian as The Wizard / Narrator
- Bring 'Em Back Alive
1981
- Flamingo Road
- The Greatest American Hero as Master of Flowers
- An Eye for an Eye as James Chan
- The Bushido Blade as Enjiro
- Under the Rainbow as Nakomuri
1980
- Magnum, P.I. as Tozan
- The Big Brawl as Herbert
- Hito Hata: Raise the Banner as Oda
1979
- The Facts of Life as Mr. Wakamatsu
- Supertrain as Kirby Yamashida
- A Man Called Sloane as Tanaka
- When Hell Was in Session as Maj. Bai
1977
- The Incredible Hulk as Li Sung
1976
- Quincy, M.E. as John Moroshima
- Visions
- Pacific Overtures as Reciter/Shogun/Jonathan Goble
- Mr. T and Tina
- Anatomy of a Song
- Farewell to Manzanar as Fukimoto
- Wataridori: Birds of Passage as Narrator
1975
- Wonder Woman as Mr. Brown
- The Killer Elite as Yuen Chung
- Khan!
- Karate Sensei as Narrator
- Prisoners as Sgt. Nguyen
1974
- The Green Hornet as Low Sing
- The Island at the Top of the World as Oomiak
- Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders as Tao Gan
1972
- M*A*S*H as Major Choi
- Anna and the King as Sanum
- Kung Fu as Wong Ti Lu
- Yokahama Mama as Rooster (voice)
1971
- Columbo as Kanji Ousu
- Silence as Kichijiro
- If Tomorrow Comes as Tadashi
1970
- The Hawaiians as Mun Ki
- The Challenge as Yuro
- Fools as Psychiatrist
1969
- Love, American Style as Jack
- Room 222
- The Great Bank Robbery as Secret Agent Fong
1968
- Hawaii Five-O as Kazuo Tahashi
- The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell as Calvin Coolidge Ishimura
1966
- The Time Tunnel as Lt. Nakamura
- The Green Hornet as Low Sing
- The Sand Pebbles as Po-han
- The Ugly Dachshund as Kenji
1965
- I Dream of Jeannie as Kato
- The Big Valley as Wong Lo
- The F.B.I. as Yoshimura
- F Troop as Samurai Warrior
- Gidget
- McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force as Japanese Submarine Captain (uncredited)
1964
- Broadside as Captain Osato
1963
- Burke's Law as Happy Tuava
- Arrest and Trial as Kyoto
1962
- McHale's Navy
- The Lloyd Bridges Show as Akai Takahashi
- The Gallant Men
- Ensign O'Toole as Yamada, Jr.
1959
- Never So Few as Soldier in Hospital
1958
- 77 Sunset Strip as Ito Nakayama
1956
- Tony Awards as Self - Nominee / Performer