Pat Morita – 73 Years Old – Mr. Miyagi

Pat Morita may have left us for good since 2005, yet his legacy in the film industry will be always be remembered. Among his masterpiece roles, the most noteworthy was definitely in The Karate Kid movie, as his strict yet lovable portrayal of Mr. Miyagi was just mesmerizing!

Contrary to people’s expectations, Pat’s attempt to attain the role was unbelievably difficult. The producer Weintraub initially didn’t want him to become Mr. Miyagi since this actor was well known for his comedic personality. Fortunately, he was able to prove his worth to everyone after being tested five times!

Chad McQueen – 60 Years Old – Dutch

Steve McQueen, one of the greatest names in Hollywood, must have been proud of his son, Chad McQueen, for playing the role of Dutch, a member of the Cobra Kai in The Karate Kid and its sequel, The Karate Kid part II.

Even though he did well as an actor, being like his dad was not his calling as he had a love for race car driving. Chad established a solid reputation for himself in racing and motocross in the earlier 2000s, and it’s no surprise that he now owns a personalized motorcycle and racecar company.

 

Tony O’Dell – 60 Years Old – Jimmy

The good-looking Tony O’Dell showed up as Jimmy looking all preppy in The Karate Kid and The Karate Kid II after which he landed a role as an edgy rich-kid, Alan, in Head of the Class.

The actor welcomed the spotlight that came with Dynasty and went on to act for George Lopez, making an appearance in the music video for Sweep The Leg by No More Kings. However, Tony reprised his role in 2019 in the spin-off web series of The Karate Kid that features the original film characters as grown-ups.

Randee Heller – 73 Years Old – Lucille LaRusso

Besides the main characters, one of the most unforgettable people in The Karate Kid movie is none other than Lucille LaRusso! Portrayed by the prominent celebrity Randee Heller, she was able to attract the audiences’ attention, thanks to peerless and flawless acting ability.

Decades have passed since the loving appearance of Randee in that legendary film, and she hasn’t shown the sign of retiring at all! Despite not as often as before, this celebrity still actively appears in television programs and big screens, including the American thriller movie: A Crooked Somebody. A dedicated actress indeed!

 

Rob Garrison – 59 Years Old – Tommy

Does anybody remember the “Get him a body bag, yeah!” quote line from The Karate Kid? We believe you all do since it is super famous nowadays and has even become a meme! In case you don’t know who shouted that legendary line, he is Tommy (portrayed by Rob Garrison), one of the Cobra Kai members.

Believe it or not – this memorable quote initially didn’t exist in the script! a few months after the shooting period, Rob was called to add two seconds of dialogue, and he came up with that line. Thanks to that, the actor became a legend afterward, even after his departure to the netherworld.

 

Frances Bay – 92 Years Old – Dog Lady

You must remember the sweet lady sitting by the swimming pool at Daniel’s apartment complex in The Karate Kid. It was Frances Bay who played the part of the “Lady With The Dog” in the movie, a latecomer to acting, who made her screen debut in 1978’s Goldie Hawn comedy named Foul Play, which was a smash hit.

Over the next thirty years, Frances went on to appear in a number of other films like Single White Female and Twins. Sadly, Bay passed away in 2002 after a tragic and unfortunate car crash.

 

Israel Juarbe – 57 Years Old – Freddy Fernandez

Israel Juarbe made his first-ever appearance on Hadley’s Rebellion in 1983, and his second role was on The Karate Kid as Freddy Fernandez. The character arrives in California and befriends Daniel LaRusso, who invites him to a beach party where he then meets Ali and the Cobra Kai.

Since then, Israel went on to star in movies and motion pictures back to back up until 2010, and boy, do we treasure him for that. He is known to have made appearances in hits like Boogie Nights, The Net, and then on television programs like Diagnosis M***** and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

 

Pat E. Johnson – 82 Years Old – Referee

Pat E. Johnson was the ultimate star on the screen when he portrayed the referee in what is perhaps the most renowned Karate championship on TV ever, the All Valley Karate Championships. Did you know that the man, in real life, is a trained ninth degree black belt who mastered his skills in martial arts in South Korea and then with Chuck Norris as well?

Reasonably, Pat chose to work with his passion in the entertainment industry as a stunt coordinator, to be precise. He helped out in getting the facts and fists right in The Karate Kid and several other movies like Green Street and even Batman and Robin.

 

William Bassett – 85 Years Old – Mr. Mills

William Bassett is a real treasure to the movie industry, and his resume has to be one of the most fascinating yet. For starters, it dates back to 1960, when he got his first-ever movie role in The Tempest. And then his record features numerous other prominent roles he played before starring in The Karate Kid as Mr. Mills.

But if you’re a younger demographic, you’d recognize William’s face from his most recent roles in Reno 911 and The Towering Inferno or his voice from video games like Fallout 3: Broken Steel and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Honestly, we don’t know of a better lived 85 years!

 

Bruce Malmuth – 71 Years Old – Ring Announcer

Now, if you do not remember Bruce Malmuth portraying the ring announcer in the movie, you would certainly remember him as the man who had trouble pronouncing “Miyagi-Do Karate” right. Another noteworthy moment in the film is when he goes over to hand Daniel LaRusso to hand the trophy over but was cut off when Johnny Lawrence wrestled it from him to do so himself.

Bruce only appeared in seven movies until 1994, although he did work behind the scenes as a director often. In 2005, however, he passed on due to an illness aged 71. Rest in peace, sir!

 

Peter Jason – 76 – Soccer Coach

Peter Jason famously portrayed the football/soccer coach in The Karate Kid, who also breaks up a clash between Daniel and Bobby, a Cobra Kai member. He then commands Daniel off the ground as he mutters four iconic words: “This school sucks, man!”

The movie was a great opportunity for Peter to showcase his abilities on the screen and get more gigs as a result too. The fact is evident because he has been extremely busy since The Karate Kid, as he’s continuously gotten role after role in various movies and on television ever since then!

Larry B. Scott – 59 Years Old – Competitor

Remember the first kid to lose to Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid‘s finale? It was Larry B Scott who played that part in the climax of the movie. It was not a very long appearance, but it was enough for fans to remember his face forever, as part of the cast in the greatest martial arts-themed film ever!

Having made his film debut back in the late 70s, Larry has quite some prominent acting credits to his name on both big and small screens!
The man did have a break from 2012 to 2018, but since then, he has been active in the game!

 

Tom Fridley – 55 Years Old – Alan

Tom Fridley is a man with an impressive career in Hollywood and is no stranger to starring alongside the biggest stars of his times. At the beginning of his career, he was cast alongside Ralph Macchio in
The Karate Kid to play the part of Alan, for which he was greatly appreciated.

In fact, it is one of the most beloved and remembered portrayals by him to date. In addition to movies, Tom also had projects on television, like the time he was on ABC‘s Tonight’s the Night and NBC‘s Playing With Fire as well. An impressive rundown, don’t you think?

 

Christopher Kriesa – 73 Years Old – Tournament Official

This might be a shocking fact, but Christopher Kriesa, the man who played tournament official in The Karate Kid, actually has a degree in psychology! He tried various job roles in the field, but fate obviously had other plans. He was led into the entertainment sector and started as a movie extra.

It proved to be something he really enjoyed doing, which is why Christopher chose to polish his acting skills and moved on to better and bigger gigs in the field. And now, his resume boasts 174 credentials in movies and TV, over 50 commercials, and a handful of plays as well!

 

Bernie Kuby – 84 Years Old – Mr. Harris

Alumni of the University of Cincinnati, Bernie Kuby, was a multi-talented man, to say the least. During his 84 years, Bernie worked as a songwriter, an author, and even served as a copywriter to various magazines, not to mention television and radio – Talk about being super talented!

If that was not one satisfactory career, Bernie even had several acting gigs, including on The Karate Kid in which he portrayed the role of Mr. Harris. Sadly, the gentleman took his final breaths back in 2008. In retrospect, the revered performer had a gloriously diverse lifetime to look back upon in his last days.

 

Helen Siff – Undisclosed – Cashier

Many of you might remember Helen Siff from multi-generation favorite, The Karate Kid. Even though she had a pretty small role in the film, her performance became engraved in millions of fans’ minds. Most of you might be wondering, what did she do after the movie? Well, you might be surprised to find out that since then, she has appeared in numerous television series and films, including Hail, Caesar! and You Don’t Mess With the Zohan.

Interestingly, despite her age, Helen is yet to take a break from the entertainment business, and we are sure that she has already saved up a lot for the retirement days!

 

Abbott Alexander – Undisclosed – Yahoo #2

Best known for his performance in The Karate Kid, Abbott Alexander is among the celebrated actors, producers, and casting directors of our times. Soon after the film hit the box office, Alexander’s career took a new shift, and he landed roles in films like Starry Night. You might not know, but he cast his father, Phillip Abbott, in the movie, which turned out to be his last and was released after his father’s demise.

For the past few years, Abbott has remained out of the public eye. We are not sure what he is up to these days; maybe he is enjoying retirement.

 

Todd Lookinland- 55 Years Old – Chicken Boy

You might remember the gorgeous Todd Lookinland as a child actor from superhit films like The New Land and The Blue Bird in the ’70s. But his appearance in The Karate Kid made him a household name in American and elsewhere. The actor was last seen in a 2008 short film, and it looks like he has pretty much retired from the acting world.

Besides acting, Todd has also worked as an art director in top-grossing films like The Matrix Reloaded, Men In Black and famous biopics. Well, that is impressive!

 

Sam Scarber – 71 Years Old – Referee

In the ’60s and ’70s, Sam Scarber was a big name in the National Football League. And over his years in the sport, he had played with numerous teams across the US. But as the career as an athlete was fading, he ventured into the film industry. Well, thanks to his hard work, he appeared in films like The Karate Kid and Against All Odds.

Since then, there was no stopping Sam as he went on to star in numerous television and silver-screen projects. Isn’t it pretty impressive for a football star to establish a name for himself in the film business?

 

Scott Strader – 59 Years Old – Eddie

Scott Strader became a household name soon after his appearance in The Karate Kid. And that was just the beginning of an outstanding career in Hollywood. Even though he pretty much vanished from the silver screen in the mid-nineties, he had appeared in numerous films, including Gimme A Break and some famous television shows.

Not much is known about his whereabouts these days though. There’s a chance that he decided to retire after such a long professional run in the industry, or maybe he is planning to make a comeback with an exceptional project on the cards!

 

Robyn Lively – 48 Years Old – Jessica Andrews

Before her outstanding performance on The Karate Kid Part III, Robyn Lively had already made a name for herself in Hollywood, having started her acting career when she was only six years old. Her role as Jessica Andrews in the much-acclaimed movie series opened her up to more leading roles, making her even more famous.

The actress has never looked back since her The Karate Kid days, and she still acts regularly and has starred in countless films and television shows. You can catch her most recent performance in the All Rise drama series, where Lively is phenomenal as always!

 

Juli Fields – Unknown – Susan

Juli Fields is known for playing Susan in The Karate Kid, and she was one of Ali’s best friends. While she did not reprise her role in the subsequent films, her blockbuster movie’s performance won her many applauds worldwide.

While much is not known about Juli’s career after The Karate Kid, the actress recently starred in Reunited Apart, a reality talk show where they discuss different classic films. We hope that we will see more of her talent for years to come, maybe even in the remake of her breakout movie role!

 

Dana Andersen – 57 Years Old – Barbara

In the critically acclaimed film The Karate Kid, Barbara, played by Dana Andersen, is another one of Ali’s friends, who doesn’t see eye to eye with Daniel, but at the end of the movie, we see her cheering for him. Talk about a plot twist!

After her appearance in The Karate Kid, Dana starred in a couple of productions, including Outbreak and Alien Nation: Dark Horizon, both of which were released in the late ’90s. We haven’t heard anything from her, so we hope she still actively participates in film making as she is incredibly talented!

 

Darryl Vidal – Unknown – Darryl Vidal

In a rare instance, Darryl Vidal played as himself in the hit movie The Karate Kid, and we must say he did a great job! Also, did you know that the actor was among the only three people who had an actual black belt in the film?

Darryl is still very active in Hollywood, and he has starred in Bullets, Blades, and Blood while also diversifying his portfolio by producing John G. Avildsen: King of the Underdogs. Apart from acting, the martial artist currently manages his karate school in California and trains pupils in the art of Wing Chun Kung Fu.

 

Frank Burt Avalon – 57 Years Old – Chucky

Famous for his role as Chucky in The Karate Kid, Frank Burt Avalon is a popular actress whose performance in the hit film brought him fame and success in equal measure. The actor went on to appear in numerous other hit movies like Airwolf.

However, after doing a few productions, Avalon’s career went silent, and we have no idea whether he is still in the film business and in which capacity. Maybe he decided to take a hiatus and stay away from the cameras for a while, but whatever his reasons, we hope to see him on our screens again.

Ralph Macchio – 59 Years Old – Daniel LaRusso

Instead of Charlie Sheen, Ralph Macchio played the role of Daniel LaRusso, a teenager who transferred to a different school where he was bullied by some boys that practiced martial arts in a manner against the sport’s principles. Ralph was cast in the movie when he was in his early twenties and even featured as the same character in two other The Karate Kid movies.

Down the line of Ralph’s career, he appeared in How I Met Your Mother and Hitchcock as a secondary character, but more recently, The Karate Kid actor stars in the new spin-off series, Cobra Kai.

Elisabeth Shue ─ 57 Years Old ─ Ali Mills

While she might have been a bit of an unknown at the start of the film, Elisabeth Shue quickly made a name for herself by doing quite an impressive job playing Ali Mills. Her character was Daniel LaRusso’s love interest and the girlfriend (turned ex) of Danny’s rival, Johnny.

Following her time with The Karate Kid castmembers, Elisabeth went ahead to star in several other movies and series. They include Leaving Las Vegas (which she received an Academy Award nomination for), Hamlet II, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and The Boys. She also made a guest appearance in The Karate Kid‘s spinoff, Cobra Kai‘s third season.

William Zabka – 55 Years Old – Johnny Lawrence

Johnny Lawrence, the lead member of Cobra Kai in The Karate Kid, was played by William Zabka, making it his first appearance in the Hollywood entertainment industry.

After The Karate Kid, William acted in various movies while exploring his writing talents, directing, producing, and even won an academy award in 2004 for the short film Most. Besides the work he did behind the scenes, he also starred in the series How I Met Your Mother as himself, and since Cobra Kai started airing on Netflix, he has continued to act as Johnny.

Ron Thomas ─ 59 Years Old ─ Bobby Brown

Playing Bobby Brown, the second-strongest fighter in the Cobra Kai dojo, Ron Thomas was one of the big names amongst The Karate Kid cast. His character was just as big, so much so that some even argued he was probably stronger than Johnny, the latter who was Cobra Kai’s official number 1.

Following The Karate Kid movie’s close, Ron has starred in a few other films and series, including Tosh.0 and The Extendables. He has also furthered his studies in the martial arts and is now a sixth-degree blackbelt in Kodendkan Jujutsu. Thomas currently stars on The Karate Kid spinoff series as Bobby.

Martin Kove ─ 74 Years Old ─ John Kreese

Martin Kove played the character John Kreese in The Karate Kid movie. While there was a rumor around the time that the role was initially meant for Chuck Norris, so very few people (if any at all) can say Kove didn’t do a good job.

Following his time with The Karate Kid cast, Kove has featured in several other movies and TV series. He remains a practicing martial artist and is in pretty good shape despite being in his 70s. Martin is also a cast on The Karate Kid spinoff series, Cobra Kai, and appears as Sensei Kreese.