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 / Ah-Choo (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
- Red Sun Rising as Buntoro Iga
- A Dangerous Place as Sensei
1993
- Frasier as Sam Tanaka
- Diagnosis: Murder as Lee Moy
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues as Li Sung
- Walker, Texas Ranger as Dr. Henry Lee
- RoboCop 3 as Kanemitsu
- Rising Sun as Yoshida-san
1992
- Sidekicks as Mr. Lee
- Nightingale as Narrator (voice)
- My Samurai
1991
- The Perfect Weapon as Kim
- Strawberry Road as Frank Machida
1990
- Pacific Heights as Toshio Watanabe
- Taking Care of Business as Mr. Sakamoto
- Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes as Sgt. Moritaki
- Murder in Paradise as Capt. Kilalo
- Fatal Mission as Trang
1989
- The Paradise Club as Mr. Yamamoto
- An Unremarkable Life as Max Chin
1988
- Tucker: The Man and His Dream as Jimmy
- Supercarrier
- Paradise as Kao
- 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
- Kung Fu: The Movie as The Manchu
- Armed Response as Akira Tanaka
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 Last Ninja as Aitaro Sakura
- Girls of the White Orchid as Mori
- The Nightingale as Gardener / Minister
1982
- American Playhouse as Mike
- Faerie Tale Theatre as Gardener / Minister
- Conan the Barbarian as The Wizard / Narrator
- Voyagers!
- Bring 'Em Back Alive
1981
- The Greatest American Hero as Master of Flowers
- Flamingo Road
- 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 Mr. Yamaguchi
- Visions
- Mr. T and Tina
- Pacific Overtures as Reciter/Shogun/Jonathan Goble
- Farewell to Manzanar as Fukimoto
- Anatomy of a Song
- Wataridori: Birds of Passage as Narrator
1975
- Wonder Woman as Mr. Brown
- The Killer Elite as Yuen Chung
- Khan!
- Prisoners as Sgt. Nguyen
- Karate Sensei as Narrator
1974
- The Island at the Top of the World as Oomiak
- The Green Hornet as Low Sing
- Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders as Tao Gan
1972
- M*A*S*H as Major Choi
- Anna and the King as Sanum
- Yokahama Mama as Rooster (voice)
- Kung Fu as Wong Ti Lu
- The Streets of San Francisco as Kenji
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)
1963
- Burke's Law as Happy Tuava
- Arrest and Trial as Kyoto
1962
- McHale's Navy
- The Lloyd Bridges Show as Akai Takahashi
- Ensign O'Toole as Yamada, Jr.
- The Gallant Men
1959
- Never So Few as Soldier in Hospital
1958
- 77 Sunset Strip as Ito Nakayama
1956
- Tony Awards as Self - Nominee / Performer