Makoto Iwamatsu
| Mako Iwamatsu | |
|---|---|
Picture of Mako Iwamatsu
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| Native name | 岩松 マコ |
| Born |
December 10, 1933 Kobe, Hyōgo, Empire of Japan |
| Died | July 21, 2006 (aged 72) Somis, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Esophageal cancer |
| Other names | Mako |
| Alma mater | Pasadena Playhouse |
| Occupation | Actor, voice actor |
| Years active | 1959–2006 |
| Spouse(s) | Shizuko Hoshi |
| Children | 2 |
Mako Iwamatsu (岩松 マコ Iwamatsu Mako?, December 10, 1933 – July 21, 2006) was a Japanese American actor and voice artist who was nominated for numerous awards. Many of his acting roles credited him simply as Mako where he omitted his surname. He is best known for his roles as Po-Han in The Sand Pebbles (for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor), Akiro the Wizard in Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer, and for his voice roles as Aku in Samurai Jack and Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender.
He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7095 Hollywood Blvd.
Mako was born in Kobe, Japan, the son of noted children's book authors and illustrators Atsushi Iwamatsu and Tomoe Sasako. Shortly before the outbreak of World War II, his parents, who were political dissidents, moved to the United States, leaving Mako in the care of his grandmother. After the war, his parents were able to arrange for him to join them, in 1949. He enlisted in the military in the 1950s and 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.
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