Pat Morita left a big impression on an R-J reader who recalled Morita's sadness over the 1991 death of comic Redd Foxx, below.
This is the Pat Morita that so many knew and loved: "It was February 2000 and my father and I were sitting in the lounge at the Brown Derby (in the MGM Grand) listening to (Frank) Sinatra stylist Bobby Barrett," R-J online reader Steve Snider of Sumner, Wash., said in an e-mail on Thursday, the day Morita, 73, died.
Morita, who was celebrating his wife's birthday, borrowed the microphone from Barrett and sang an impromptu version of "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."
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Snider and his father had extra chairs at their table and invited the Moritas and a mother-in-law to join them.
Morita shared many stories over the next couple hours, Snider said.
"But what I recall most about our conversation was his relationship with Redd Foxx. He teared up several times when speaking about Mr. Foxx and the day he had died. Pat told me that he was the first to receive the call about Mr. Foxx's passing."
When fans approached the table with photo requests, Morita "would refer to me as his grandson," wrote Snider, adding that he is blond with blue eyes.
At the end of the night, when the server came to clean off the party's table, Snider said Morita "stopped the server, kind of pushed her back, then he stood up and slapped his arms down on the table, famously pronouncing, "Wax on, wax off."
The line became a catchphrase after Morita played Mr. Miyagi in "The Karate Kid." In the role, which earned him an Oscar nomination, Morita's Miyagi was a wise and nonviolent instructor who taught Ralph Macchio's character karate hand movements by waxing a car.
LEO THE LION THE MGM GRAND LION MYSTERY MAY BE SOLVED.
Earlier in the week, I mentioned seeing a male lion staring out of a station wagon near the MGM Grand the day after the fire on Nov. 21, 1980. Numerous readers called or e-mailed to say it most likely was Leo the Lion, part of Ed Allen's MGM Grand concession store. It wouldn't have been one of Siegfried & Roy's cats, because they had left the MGM and moved to the Stardust's Lido de Paris show in 1977, said manager Bernie Yuman.
Allen owned Allen Photo on Industrial Road and the Southern Nevada News Bureau, along with a few wedding chapels.
The lion was retired to a wild animal sanctuary.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Be careful out there folks. Longtime Las Vegas publicist Wayne Bernath is recovering from a violent mugging while leaving Ellis Island with his wife, Peggy. He was knocked cold and required four stitches over his left eye. They were leaving the main entrance on their way to the parking lot, when Bernath was jumped. Earlier this year, two dancers in Harrah's "Skintight" revue had to fight for their lives during a pistol-whipping in Harrah's parking lot.
SIGHTINGS
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, celebrating his second American League Most Valuable Player Award with pals at Fix (Bellagio) on Friday. ... Stand-up comic Wayne Brady, getting his speed fix Friday at Fast Lap Indoor Kart Racing before his show at The Mirage. ... Xzibit, the artist-actor from the reality show "Pimp My Ride," at the Palms' ghostbar. ... At Pure (Caesars): Denver Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith and oil heir Brandon Davis, with Palms owner George Maloof. ... Keyshawn Johnson of the Dallas Cowboys and rapper NAS, in the VIP section of Tao (The Venetian) Friday.
THE PUNCH LINE
"A funny thing happened at our Thanksgiving. Mom lost her cell phone and then later while at dinner the turkey started to vibrate." -- David Letterman
