Pat Morita, best known for his role as Mr. Miyagi in the 1984 movie The Karate Kid, was a Japanese-American actor and comedian. He was born Noriyuki Morita in Isleton, California in 1932 and passed away in 2005. His character in The Karate Kid, Mr. Miyagi, was a mentor to the main character, Daniel LaRusso, teaching him karate and life lessons. PAT Morita's performance in the movie earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.