In series TV, Morita was a regular on "Sanford and Son" (NBC, 1974-75) playing Lamont's buddy Ah Chew but he gained enormous popularity when he landed the role of Arnold in the second season of Happy Days" (ABC, 1975-76), as owner of the malt shop where Fonzie and the gang hang out. Morita left the show to star in his own short-lived series "Mr. T and Tina" (ABC, 1976), becoming the first Japanese-American to star in series TV.

He made his feature acting debut in "Thoroughly Modern Millie" (1967) and was regularly cast in supporting roles in comedies throughout the 1970s and early 80s, but it was the casting of Morita as Mr. Miyagi, the wise and peaceful martial arts master in "The Karate Kid" (1984), that marked a turning point in his career. His carefully calibrated performance was critically acclaimed and the film's wide audience appeal translated into three sequels and a new status for the actor. He went on to receive star billing in features like the buddy movie "Collision Course" (1990) where he teamed up with comic Jay Leno, and several other features that quickly disappeared. Director Gus Van Sant cast him as a medicine man in the ill-fated "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" (1993). In "The Next Karate Kid" (1994), a teenage girl (Hilary Swank) replaced an aging Ralph Macchio, while Morita's Mr. Miyagi, now a pop-culture icon, remained constant.

Morita followed with more roles in martial arts fare, including "American Ninja IV" and two of the "Bloodsport" sequels, but the admirably diverse performer did not limit himself to one genre in the scores of projects he subsequently appeared in: in family fare he played the grandfather of the titular teen detective in Nickeodeon's popular series "The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo" (1995-2000) and voiced the Emperor of China in Disney's animated "Mulan" (1998) as well as various spin-off projects; he sent up the action genre in the parody "Spy Hard" (1996); had a recurring role as Mr. Park in the 2000 season of the sitcom "The Hughleys"; guest-starred on several popular comedy, drama and adventure series, including "Murder She Wrote," "Dave's World," "Caroline and the City," "Baywatch Hawaii," "Son of the Beach" and "Married With Children"; and even appreared as himself in the inside-filmmaking feature "The Last Shot" (2004).