Mako dead at 72

[Gordon Nore]

Just spotted this. I hope this is the appropriate forum...

News story: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14010555/

IMDB link:http://imdb.com/name/nm0538683/

[Bill Haynes]

I remember first seeing Makoto Iwamatsu in "Conan the Barbarian" way back in the day. What a loss this is, he was such a talented actor and ran the gamut from cheeseball American flicks to hardcore Yakuza movies. He will be sorely missed.

[william northcote]

He had a long history within the film industry. Even doing the voice of Aku in Samurai Jack among other things. A very versitile person.

[MarkF]

I remember first seeing Makoto Iwamatsu in "Conan the Barbarian" way back in the day. What a loss this is, he was such a talented actor and ran the gamut from cheeseball American flicks to hardcore Yakuza movies. He will be sorely missed.

If you ever have the chance, see him in "The Sand Pebbles." In one of the most disturbing scenes ever shot, he is skinned alive before he is put out of his misery with a shot to his head. That one scene ranks up there with the most disturbing scenes ever filmed. The only movie that has made me more uncomfortable is "The Devils." It isn't because any particular scene stands out in that film, but because they all do.

That film, however, stands by itself over anything of the kind, but Mako's performance in The Sand Pebbles gets an A+. Nominated? He won the award for his performace even if he didn't take home "cheap plastic trophy."


Mark

[Blackwood]

He will be missed! I enjoyed his wizard portrayal in Conan. Other shows I recall included MASH, Jackie Chan's The Big Brawl, and Martial Law. I recall an episode of Ohara where both he and Pat Morita discussed Japanese culture.

[Mitch Saret]

He ran the gamut in films and television. His samurai in an episode of Magnum, P.I. is also classic.

And "The Sand Pebbles" is also an all time classic, with a young Candace Bergen as well. That scene with Mako is indeed, very disturbing. His fight scene with the "big, bad sailor" however, is quite humorous!