Erin Morita is known thanks to her late father, Pat Morita, who was an American comedian and actor. She was born in 1954 to the actor and his first wife, Kathleen Yamauchi. Erin has two siblings, namely Aly Morita and Tia Morita.
Personal Life
Even though Erin Morita is the daughter of one of the best actors in martial films, little is known about her. She has managed to keep most details regarding herself away from the public. It is unclear how many children she has or if she is married or not.
Education and Career
Erin Morita’s father treasured education, and therefore, he must have made sure that his firstborn child had gone to school. However, the details of the institutions Erin Morita attended remain a mystery to most netizens. Besides, whatever course she pursued in college is known to her and her close friends and family.
Erin’s Father
Erin’s father was born to US immigrants who had migrated from Japan. As migrants, it was never easy living in the US, and besides, Pat Morita was sick. He had been diagnosed with Pott disease when he was just two years old. Given his condition, Erin’s father spent most of his childhood in the hospital; he was often admitted to Weimer Institute and Shriners Hospital in San Francisco.
Erin’s father’s doctors had informed him that he might not be able to walk again. However, after a series of spinal surgeries, he learned how to walk, and he started walking slowly with some support. Despite his illness, Pat Morita did not give up on his ambitions as he saw himself completing his high school education. His family ran a restaurant, and he often joked that their restaurant was a Chinese restaurant being run in a black neighborhood, tending to all those who did not fit in.
Erin’s Father in the Professional Space
Before finding his foot in the show business, Erin’s father had tried various jobs; he worked as a data processor in a motor company but later quit his job due to occupational burnout. In the show business, Pat started as a comedian performing in small clubs in San Francisco and Sacramento.
It was not an easy ride for Erin’s father when starting as a comedian; he often struggled, and he was asked by one of his friends to try his luck in Los Angeles, California. In Los Angeles, his comedy career took a U-turn as he got several gigs, sometimes acting and performing opening acts for various singers, including Connie Stevens and Vic Damone.
As an actor, Erin’s father started getting acting roles in the 1960s, but he gained national recognition in the 1980s for his performances in Karate Kid films where he portrayed Mr. Miyagi. On television, Pat appeared in two major television shows that is Ohara and his show Mr. T and Tina.
Death of Erin’s Father
Despite having major health issues when he was young, those health issues did not contribute to his death. In his later years, Erin’s father was diagnosed with a gallbladder and a urinary tract infection. He died a few months later due to kidney failure.