Pat Morita Biography

Fast Facts

• Parents were migrant fruit pickers from Japan
• Developed spinal tuberculosis at age 2 and spent most of the next nine years in hospitals; was reportedly told he would never walk
• After his release from the hospitals and in recovery from his illness, his family was sent to an internment camp in Arizona during World War II
• After the war, family opened a restaurant where he began doing comedy bits for patrons
• While performing stand-up comedy in nightclubs, was discovered by comedian Redd Foxx, which eventually led to several appearances on Sanford and Son as the character Ah Chew
• Feature-film debut was in Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
• Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1995