
Cast
Mako
Acting
Cast
Mako
Known for
Acting
Born
1933-12-10
From
Kobe, Japan
Died
2006-07-21
Also known as Mako Iwamatsu, Mako Wakamatsu, Μάκο Ιβαμάτσου
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.

Pearl Harbor
as Admiral Yamamoto

Conan the Barbarian
as The Wizard / Narrator

TMNT
as Splinter (voice)

Memoirs of a Geisha
as Sakamoto

RoboCop 3
as Kanemitsu

Conan the Destroyer
as Akiro 'The Wizard'

Seven Years in Tibet
as Kungo Tsarong

Bulletproof Monk
as Mr. Kojima

Crying Freeman
as Shudo Shimazaki

Pacific Heights
as Toshio Watanabe

The Perfect Weapon
as Kim

Testament
as Mike

The Hawaiians
as Mun Ki

Rising Sun
as Yoshida-san

The Sand Pebbles
as Po-han

Highlander III: The Sorcerer
as Nakano

Taking Care of Business
as Mr. Sakamoto

A Dangerous Place
as Sensei

Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
as Mr. Yamaguchi (voice)

Rise: Blood Hunter
as Poe

The Big Brawl
as Herbert

Sidekicks
as Mr. Lee

Tucker: The Man and His Dream
as Jimmy

The Bushido Blade
as Enjiro

The Green Hornet
as Low Sing

Never So Few
as Soldier in Hospital

Cruel Game
as Straw Hat

An Eye for an Eye
as James Chan

The Killer Elite
as Yuen Chung

Girls of the White Orchid
as Mori

Red Sun Rising
as Buntoro Iga

P.O.W. The Escape
as Capt. Vinh

The Ugly Dachshund
as Kenji

The Bird People in China
as Shen

Armed Response
as Akira Tanaka

Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes
as Sgt. Moritaki

Alegría
as Old Momo

Under the Rainbow
as Nakomuri

Silence
as Kichijiro

Sworn to Justice
as Mr. Young

The Slanted Screen
as Himself

Kung Fu: The Movie
as The Manchu

Murder in Paradise
as Capt. Kilalo

The Island at the Top of the World
as Oomiak

The Accomplice
as Santos

When Hell Was in Session
as Maj. Bai

Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders
as Tao Gan

Strawberry Road
as Frank Machida

Balance of Power
as Todo Matsumoto

The Great Bank Robbery
as Secret Agent Fong

Riot
as Mr. Lee

The Nightingale
as Gardener / Minister

Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie
as Aku (voice)

If Tomorrow Comes
as Tadashi

Midnight Man
as Buun Som

Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan'
as The Wizard (archive footage)

Fools
as Psychiatrist

Yokahama Mama
as Rooster (voice)

An Unremarkable Life
as Max Chin

Silent Assassins
as Oyama

The Challenge
as Yuro

The Wash
as Nobu Matsumoto

McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force
as Japanese Submarine Captain (uncredited)

Prisoners
as Sgt. Nguyen

Cages
as Tan

The Last Ninja
as Aitaro Sakura

Pacific Overtures
as Reciter/Shogun/Jonathan Goble

Farewell to Manzanar
as Fukimoto

Hito Hata: Raise the Banner
as Oda

The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell
as Calvin Coolidge Ishimura

Fatal Mission
as Trang

My Samurai

Wataridori: Birds of Passage
as Narrator

Hawaiian Heat
as Maj. Taro Oshira

The Sea Wolf

Nightingale
as Narrator (voice)

Anatomy of a Song

Karate Sensei
as Narrator