Mako, Pioneering AA Actor, Dies

Melissa Hung
July 24, 2006

Mako, a pioneer for Asian American actors in Hollywood has died at the age of 72 from esophageal cancer.

In 1965 co-founded East West Players, the nation's first Asian American theater company. He was also nominated in 1966 for an Academy Award for his compelling turn as the Chinese character Po-han in the film, The Sand Pebbles.

"What many people say is, 'If it wasn't for Mako there wouldn't have been Asian-American theater,'" artistic director of East West Players, Tim Dang, told the LA Times. "He is revered as sort of the godfather of Asian American theater."

Contributor: 

Melissa Hung

Founding Editor

Melissa Hung is the founding editor of Hyphen. She was the editor in chief for the magazine's first five years and went on to serve in many other leadership roles on the staff and board for more than a decade. She is a writer and freelance journalist. Her essays and reported stories have appeared in NPR, Vogue, Pacific Standard, Longreads, and Catapult, among others. She grew up in Texas, the eldest child of immigrants. Find her on Twitter and Instagram.

Comments

Comments

Eric Shockey wrote on Fri, 10/20/2006 - 8:13pm
He was a truly great actor and I will miss him very much. He had a style all his own
Kendra wrote on Tue, 01/09/2007 - 11:14pm
I only recently discovered Mako had passed. He was always a welcome presence on the screen. He's featured in the majority of my movie collection. He will not be forgotten, yet he will be missed.