Personal Info
Known For:
Acting
Birthday:
December 10, 1933
Place of Birth:
Kobe, Japan
Social Media
Mako
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.
Known For
Filmography
| Year | Movie | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Samurai Jack: The Premiere Movie | Aku |
| 2007 | TMNT | Splinter (voice) |
| 2007 | Rise: Blood Hunter | Poe |
| 2006 | The Slanted Screen | Himself |
| 2005 | Cages | Tan |
| 2005 | Memoirs of a Geisha | Sakamoto |
| 2003 | Bulletproof Monk | Mr. Kojima |
| 2002 | Cruel Game | Straw Hat |
| 2001 | Pearl Harbor | Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto |
| 2000 | Rugrats in Paris: The Movie | Mr. Yamaguchi (voice) |
| 2000 | Conan Unchained: The Making of 'Conan' | The Wizard (archive footage) |
| 1999 | The Accomplice | |
| 1999 | AlegrÃa: An Enchanting Fable | Old Momo |
| 1998 | The Bird People in China | Shen |
| 1997 | Seven Years in Tibet | Kungo Tsarong |
| 1997 | The Sea Wolf | |
| 1997 | Riot | Mr. Lee |
| 1996 | Sworn to Justice | Mr. Young |
| 1996 | Balance of Power | Todo Matsumoto |
| 1995 | Midnight Man | Buun Som |
| 1995 | Crying Freeman | Shudo Shimazaki |
| 1994 | Highlander III: The Sorcerer | Nakano |
| 1994 | Red Sun Rising | Buntoro Iga |
| 1994 | A Dangerous Place | Sensei |
| 1993 | RoboCop 3 | Kanemitsu |
| 1993 | Rising Sun | Yoshida-san |
| 1992 | Sidekicks | Mr. Lee |
| 1992 | Nightingale | Narrator (voice) |
| 1992 | My Samurai | |
| 1991 | The Perfect Weapon | Kim |
| 1991 | Strawberry Road | Frank Machida |
| 1990 | Pacific Heights | Toshio Watanabe |
| 1990 | Fatal Mission | Trang |
| 1990 | Taking Care of Business | Mr. Sakamoto |
| 1990 | Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes | Sgt. Moritaki |
| 1990 | Murder in Paradise | Capt. Kilalo |
| 1989 | An Unremarkable Life | Max Chin |
| 1988 | Tucker: The Man and His Dream | Jimmy |
| 1988 | Silent Assassins | Oyama |
| 1988 | The Wash | Nobu Matsumoto |
| 1986 | Kung Fu: The Movie | The Manchu |
| 1986 | Armed Response | Akira Tanaka |
| 1986 | P.O.W. The Escape | Capt. Vinh |
| 1984 | Conan the Destroyer | Akiro 'The Wizard' |
| 1984 | Hawaiian Heat | Maj. Taro Oshira |
| 1983 | The Last Ninja | Aitaro Sakura |
| 1983 | Girls of the White Orchid | Mori |
| 1983 | Testament | Mike |
| 1983 | The Nightingale | Gardener / Minister |
| 1982 | Conan the Barbarian | The Wizard / Narrator |
| 1981 | An Eye for an Eye | James Chan |
| 1981 | Under the Rainbow | Nakomuri |
| 1981 | The Bushido Blade | Enjiro |
| 1980 | Hito Hata: Raise the Banner | Oda |
| 1980 | The Big Brawl | Herbert |
| 1979 | When Hell Was in Session | Maj. Bai |
| 1976 | Farewell to Manzanar | Fukimoto |
| 1976 | Wataridori: Birds of Passage | narrator |
| 1976 | Pacific Overtures | Reciter/Shogun/Jonathan Goble |
| 1975 | The Killer Elite | Yuen Chung |
| 1975 | Prisoners | Sgt. Nguyen |
| 1974 | The Island at the Top of the World | Oomiak |
| 1974 | Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders | Tao Gan |
| 1974 | The Green Hornet | Low Sing |
| 1972 | Yokahama Mama | Rooster (voice) |
| 1971 | Silence | Kichijiro |
| 1971 | If Tomorrow Comes | Tadashi |
| 1970 | The Challenge | Yuro |
| 1970 | The Hawaiians | Mun Ki |
| 1970 | Fools | Psychiatrist |
| 1969 | The Great Bank Robbery | Secret Agent Fong |
| 1968 | The Private Navy of Sgt. O'Farrell | Calvin Coolidge Ishimura |
| 1966 | The Sand Pebbles | Po-han |
| 1966 | The Ugly Dachshund | Kenji |
| 1965 | McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force | Japanese Submarine Captain (uncredited) |
| 1959 | Never So Few | Soldier in Hospital |
| Year | TV Show | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Avatar: The Last Airbender | Iroh (voice) |
| 2005 | Maid in Akihabara | |
| 2004 | Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go! | |
| 2003 | Black Sash | |
| 2003 | Lost at Home | |
| 2003 | Duck Dodgers | Happy Cat (voice) |
| 2003 | Duck Dodgers | Happy Cat / Ah-Choo (voice) |
| 2002 | Monk | Master Zi |
| 2002 | What's New, Scooby-Doo? | The Ancient One (voice) |
| 2001 | Samurai Jack | Aku (voice) |
| 2000 | The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne | |
| 1999 | The West Wing | Dr. Yosh Takahashi |
| 1998 | Martial Law | |
| 1996 | 7th Heaven | Henry Muranaka |
| 1995 | Platypus Man | Mr. Loo |
| 1995 | JAG | Ichiro Higashimori |
| 1993 | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues | Li Sung |
| 1993 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Dr. Henry Lee |
| 1993 | Frasier | Sam Tanaka |
| 1993 | Diagnosis: Murder | Lee Moy |
| 1993 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Edward Song |
| 1989 | The Paradise Club | Mr. Yamamoto |
| 1988 | Paradise | Kao |
| 1988 | Supercarrier | |
| 1987 | Tour of Duty | Tran |
| 1986 | Lovejoy | Toshiro Tanaka |
| 1985 | Spenser: For Hire | |
| 1985 | The Equalizer | Jimmy Thanarat |
| 1984 | Hawaiian Heat | Maj. Taro Oshira |
| 1983 | The A-Team | Pastry Chef |
| 1982 | Voyagers! | |
| 1982 | Bring 'Em Back Alive | |
| 1982 | Faerie Tale Theatre | Gardener / Minister |
| 1981 | The Greatest American Hero | Master of Flowers |
| 1981 | Flamingo Road | |
| 1980 | Magnum, P.I. | Tozan |
| 1979 | Supertrain | |
| 1979 | The Facts of Life | |
| 1979 | A Man Called Sloane | Tanaka |
| 1977 | The Incredible Hulk | Li Sung |
| 1976 | Mr. T and Tina | |
| 1976 | Visions | |
| 1976 | Quincy, M.E. | John Moroshima |
| 1976 | Quincy, M.E. | Mr. Yamaguchi |
| 1975 | Wonder Woman | Mr. Brown |
| 1975 | Khan! | |
| 1972 | M*A*S*H | Major Choi |
| 1972 | Kung Fu | Wong Ti Lu |
| 1972 | Anna and the King | |
| 1971 | Columbo | Kanji Ousu |
| 1969 | Love, American Style | Jack |
| 1969 | Room 222 | |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O | Kazuo Tahashi |
| 1967 | Mannix | Tami Okada |
| 1967 | Ironside | Phil Tsang |
| 1966 | The Time Tunnel | Lt. Nakamura |
| 1966 | The Green Hornet | Low Sing |
| 1965 | F Troop | Samurai Warrior |
| 1965 | Gidget | |
| 1965 | The F.B.I. | Yoshimura |
| 1965 | I Dream of Jeannie | Kato |
| 1965 | The Big Valley | Wong Lo |
| 1965 | The F.B.I. | Angry Youth (uncredited) |
| 1964 | Broadside | Captain Osato |
| 1964 | Broadside | The Japanese Commander |
| 1963 | Burke's Law | Happy Tuava |
| 1963 | Burke's Law | Pete |
| 1963 | Arrest and Trial | Kyoto |
| 1962 | The Gallant Men | |
| 1962 | McHale's Navy | |
| 1962 | The Lloyd Bridges Show | Akai Takahashi |
| 1962 | Ensign O'Toole | Yamada, Jr. |
| 1962 | McHale's Navy | Lt. Sakawa |
| 1958 | 77 Sunset Strip | Ito Nakayama |
| 1956 | Tony Awards | Self - Nominee/Performer |