Japanese-American actor Mako dies of cancer at 72

I'll second that. God Speed Mako.

Goodness, it just happened less than a month ago! (Today is 08/12/06.)

IMDB lists the details in the bio's last paragraph.

Died July 21, 2006.
Died of esophageal cancer.
Died in Somis, California (Ventura County, near Camarillo, CA).

Mako contributed a lot to a lot of good movies.

How nice that you shower praise on this consummate actor and wonderfully expressive professional. In a xenophobic America that criticizes non-Americans as second class citizens, I revel in your appreciation of other cultures that appreciate the melting pot nature of our multi-ethnic society. You recognize that very best qualities of our nation are the result of the inclusion of different cultures, races and religions. The Rush Limbaugh cry of America for Americans only is a disease that must be eradicated lest we lose our single most valuable quality that used to be celebrated, only to now to gain acceptance due to the hateful bigotry of the neocon racist views that gave rise to the Vietnam War as well as the disastrous Iraq and Afghanistan wars that have dragged us so far from our precious value system that's lost favor with the public. So many wiser alternatives were ignored in favor of listening to those miserable chauvinists.
But to get back to Mako, his banter with Steve McQueen over the live "STIM" (steam) valves was one of the most amusing sequences we'll ever have the pleasure to enjoy. All in all, to compare this movie with others in order to determine which is the "Better" film is pointless and lacking in criteria with which to make such a meaningless judgement. Is Bach a "Better" composer than Mozart? Is Rembrandt a "Better" painter than Leonardo DaVinci? To those who accept the cliche that beauty is in the "eye of the beholder" I say, Humbug. Vermeer's paintings will always be beautiful nomatter what anybody posits. And my 12 year old's watercolors will never rate as exquisite Fine Art despite how convinced I may be that they're "Better" than those of the Dutch Masters.
Thanks again for sharing your respect and appreciation of lesser praised "artists" such as the wonderful Mako that have added so much beauty to the American cinema. You're a gentleman, unlike the hateful "dissers" that poison the internet and blogs virtually everywhere you turn. Incidentally, did you ever see him in the British t.v. series "Lovejoy" with Ian McShane. He was so good they used him twice, and both times in two part presentations, a distinction unshared by many gifted thespians that were lucky enough to take part in such a delightful European television series.

R.I.P, dear Pohan.

I had the pleasure of seeing Mako perform live, twice, in Stephen SOndheim's PACIFIC OVERTURES, on Broadway in 1976. Even then, Mako, as the Narrator, held up his own in a very dignified way -- and even though he was a Chinese person performing in a Japanese story.