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Ohara (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Ohara is an American
television
series that first aired on the ABC television network
from January 17, 1987, until May 7, 1988, starring Pat Morita
in the title role of Lt. Ohara. Morita also co-created the series along with Michael Braveman and John A. Kuri
. Kevin Conroy
, Jon Polito
, Rachel Ticotin
, and Robert Clohessy
also starred in supporting roles. The series was notable for being one of the first television series to have a Japanese-American actor in the leading role. However it proved to be unsuccessful and only lasted for two seasons ending after 30 episodes. The series has not been released on VHS or DVD.
-based Japanese American
police
lieutenant
named Ohara (Pat Morita
) who uses spirituality
methods such as meditation
in his home shrine
to solve crimes without the use of a gun
or a partner although he would use martial arts
if necessary. He often talked in the form of epigrams. He was later paired with a partner named Lt. George Shaver (Robert Clohessy
) who was a more conventional cop.
godfather
. This was Lee's only acting role as a villain.
to a federal police officer; he was also paired with a partner. Later on in the season Ohara became a more conventional cop using a gun to assist him in his investigations. The second season had a final format change in which Ohara and his partner were turned into private investigators. Eventually, these changes failed to improve the show's declining ratings and the show was cancelled after the second season.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series that first aired on the ABC television network
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
from January 17, 1987, until May 7, 1988, starring Pat Morita
Pat Morita
Noriyuki "Pat" Morita was an American actor of Japanese descent who was well-known for playing the roles of Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days and Mr. Miyagi in the The Karate Kid movie series, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984.-Early life:Pat...
in the title role of Lt. Ohara. Morita also co-created the series along with Michael Braveman and John A. Kuri
John A. Kuri
John A. Kuri is a US author, film and television producer, writer, director. Among his literary works are Takin’ It Back, a sports-themed inspirational novel endorsed by Shaquille O’Neil and Bill Walton among others , the historical novel Cheyenne Rising Sun, and the true story ' cover endorsed by...
. Kevin Conroy
Kevin Conroy
Kevin Conroy is an American stage, screen, and voice actor, best known for his acclaimed voice role as Batman in numerous animated television series, feature films, and video games that make up the DC Animated Universe.-Early life:...
, Jon Polito
Jon Polito
Jon Polito is an American actor and voice artist, who is known for working with the Coen Brothers, most notably in the major supporting role of Italian gangster Johnny Caspar in Miller's Crossing. He also appeared in the first two seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street and on the first season of...
, Rachel Ticotin
Rachel Ticotin
Rachel Ticotin is an American film and television actress.-Early life:Ticotin was born in Bronx, New York, the daughter of Iris Torres, a Puerto Rican educator, and Abe Ticotin, a Russian Jewish used car salesman. Her brother, Sahaj, is a musician and the lead singer for his rock group, Ra...
, and Robert Clohessy
Robert Clohessy
Robert Clohessy is an American actor, known for playing Correctional Officer Sean Murphy on the HBO drama Oz. He was also a cast member in the final season of Hill Street Blues....
also starred in supporting roles. The series was notable for being one of the first television series to have a Japanese-American actor in the leading role. However it proved to be unsuccessful and only lasted for two seasons ending after 30 episodes. The series has not been released on VHS or DVD.
Premise
The series focused on an unconventional Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based Japanese American
Japanese American
are American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
named Ohara (Pat Morita
Pat Morita
Noriyuki "Pat" Morita was an American actor of Japanese descent who was well-known for playing the roles of Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days and Mr. Miyagi in the The Karate Kid movie series, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984.-Early life:Pat...
) who uses spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
methods such as meditation
Meditation
Meditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
in his home shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
to solve crimes without the use of a gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
or a partner although he would use martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
if necessary. He often talked in the form of epigrams. He was later paired with a partner named Lt. George Shaver (Robert Clohessy
Robert Clohessy
Robert Clohessy is an American actor, known for playing Correctional Officer Sean Murphy on the HBO drama Oz. He was also a cast member in the final season of Hill Street Blues....
) who was a more conventional cop.
Main cast
- Pat MoritaPat MoritaNoriyuki "Pat" Morita was an American actor of Japanese descent who was well-known for playing the roles of Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on Happy Days and Mr. Miyagi in the The Karate Kid movie series, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1984.-Early life:Pat...
.... Lt. Ohara - Robert ClohessyRobert ClohessyRobert Clohessy is an American actor, known for playing Correctional Officer Sean Murphy on the HBO drama Oz. He was also a cast member in the final season of Hill Street Blues....
.... Lt. George Shaver - Kevin ConroyKevin ConroyKevin Conroy is an American stage, screen, and voice actor, best known for his acclaimed voice role as Batman in numerous animated television series, feature films, and video games that make up the DC Animated Universe.-Early life:...
.... Capt. Lloyd Hamilton - Jon PolitoJon PolitoJon Polito is an American actor and voice artist, who is known for working with the Coen Brothers, most notably in the major supporting role of Italian gangster Johnny Caspar in Miller's Crossing. He also appeared in the first two seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street and on the first season of...
.... Capt. Ross - Madge SinclairMadge SinclairMadge Dorita Sinclair was a Jamaican American character actress.-Early years:Sinclair was born Madge Dorita Walters in Kingston, Jamaica, to Herbert and Jemima Walters. She was a teacher in Jamaica until 1968 when she left for New York to pursue her career in acting.-Career:In 1978, she starred in...
.... Gussie Lemmons - Catherine KeenerCatherine KeenerCatherine Ann Keener is an American actress. She has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Being John Malkovich and Capote...
.... Lt. Cricket Sideris - Rachel TicotinRachel TicotinRachel Ticotin is an American film and television actress.-Early life:Ticotin was born in Bronx, New York, the daughter of Iris Torres, a Puerto Rican educator, and Abe Ticotin, a Russian Jewish used car salesman. Her brother, Sahaj, is a musician and the lead singer for his rock group, Ra...
.... Asst. U.S. Atty. Teresa Storm - Meagen FayMeagen FayMeagen Fay is an American actress.A native of Chicago, in the early 1980s Fay was a featured cast member at The Second City. Her first television role was in the 1987 television series Ohara....
.... Roxy
Notable guest stars
- Brandon LeeBrandon LeeBrandon Bruce Lee was an American actor and martial artist. He was the son of martial arts film star Bruce Lee...
appeared in the Season 2 episode "What's in a Name" which first aired on January 23, 1988 as Kenji, the evil son of a yakuzaYakuza, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
godfather
Capo di tutti capi
Capo di tutti capi or capo dei capi is Italian for "boss of all bosses" or "boss of bosses". It is a phrase used mainly by the media, public and the law enforcement community to indicate a supremely powerful crime boss in the Sicilian or American Mafia who holds great influence over the whole...
. This was Lee's only acting role as a villain.
- Other guest stars in the series included Michael Des BarresMichael Des BarresLord Michael Philip Des Barres is a British actor and rock singer. He is known for playing the recurring role of Murdoc on the television show MacGyver and for replacing the late Robert Palmer in the band Power Station, fronting the band at the 1985 Live Aid concert...
, Nana VisitorNana VisitorNana Visitor , born Nana Tucker, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Jean Ritter in the television series Wildfire.-Early life:...
, Mitch PileggiMitch PileggiMitchell Craig "Mitch" Pileggi is an American actor. Pileggi is known for playing FBI assistant director Walter Skinner on the long-running popular series The X-Files. He also had a recurring role on Stargate Atlantis as Col. Steven Caldwell...
and Benicio del ToroBenicio del ToroBenicio Monserrate Rafael del Toro Sánchez is a Puerto Rican and Spanish actor and film producer. He won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA Award for his role as Javier Rodríguez in Traffic . He is also known for his roles as Fred Fenster in The Usual...
.
Season 1
- "Pilot" (January 17, 1987)
- "Eddie" (January 24, 1987)
- "Darryl" (January 31, 1987)
- "Will" (February 7, 1987)
- "Toshi" (February 14, 1987)
- "Terry" (February 21, 1987)
- "Louie" (February 28, 1987)
- "Laura" (March 7, 1987)
- "Jesse" (March 14, 1987)
- "Frannie" (March 28, 1987)
- "Brian" (April 4, 1987)
Season 2
- "Y' Wanna Live Forever?" (October 3, 1987)
- "Artful Dodger" (October 10, 1987)
- "Sparrow" (October 24, 1987)
- "Fagin All Over Again" (November 7, 1987)
- "Take the Money and Run" (November 14, 1987)
- "The Intruders" (November 21, 1987)
- "Hot Rocks" (December 5, 1987)
- "And a Child Shall Lead Them" (December 12, 1987)
- "Silver In The Hills" (December 19, 1987)
- "They shoot Witnesses Don't They" (January 2, 1988)
- "You Bet Your Life" (January 16, 1988)
- "What's in a Name?" (January 23, 1988)
- "Sign Of the Times" (January 30, 1988)
- "The Light Around the Body" (February 6, 1988)
- "X" (March 5, 1988)
- "Last Year's Model" (March 12, 1988)
- "Open Season" (March 26, 1988)
- "Seeing Something That Isn't There" (April 30, 1988)
- "Hot Spell" (May 7, 1988)
Format changes and cancellation
Within a few episodes, the ABC network realized the series had poor ratings and was not attracting the audience they had expected. They put it through many format changes to increase the ratings. The first major format change was to change title character Ohara from a lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
to a federal police officer; he was also paired with a partner. Later on in the season Ohara became a more conventional cop using a gun to assist him in his investigations. The second season had a final format change in which Ohara and his partner were turned into private investigators. Eventually, these changes failed to improve the show's declining ratings and the show was cancelled after the second season.