Pat Morita’s Short-Lived ’70s Sitcom Almost Starred George Takei Instead

Long before becoming a beloved movie mentor and pop culture icon, Pat Morita was already helping change what television looked like in America. At a time when Asian and Asian American actors rarely appeared in leading roles, he stepped into the spotlight in a sitcom that many viewers have since forgotten.

According to AOL, the series lasted only a short time, but its place in television history remains significant. Decades before audiences embraced shows centered on Asian American families and experiences, the sitcom attempted something that network television had rarely tried before.

A Short-Lived Series Ahead Of Its Time

In 1976, ABC introduced Mr. T and Tina, a comedy centered around a widowed Japanese inventor raising his children while adjusting to life and work in Chicago. The character hires an upbeat young nanny from Nebraska, creating a classic culture-clash sitcom setup that reflected the television style of the era.

The project went through several changes before reaching viewers. Early versions reportedly featured Star Trek actor George Takei in the lead role before the network shifted the show’s direction and cast Pat Morita as the star. Executives also moved away from a more mature comedic approach in favor of broader family-friendly humor suitable for an earlier time slot. Unfortunately, the show struggled to find an audience and disappeared from television after only a handful of episodes. Despite its brief run, it represented a rare opportunity for an Asian American actor to headline a network sitcom during the 1970s.

A Career That Continued To Inspire Generations

Although Mr. T and Tina faded quickly, Pat Morita continued building a career that would leave a lasting mark on Hollywood. He later became a familiar face on television and eventually achieved worldwide recognition through one of the most memorable roles of the 1980s. For many fans, his performances carried warmth, humor, and quiet wisdom that made his characters unforgettable. Looking back today, the forgotten sitcom feels less like a failure and more like an early step toward broader representation on American television.

Television has changed dramatically since those days, with audiences now enjoying a wider range of stories and perspectives. Yet shows like Mr. T and Tina helped lay the groundwork, even if they did not receive the recognition they deserved at the time. For longtime viewers, revisiting this chapter of Pat Morita’s career offers a reminder that some of television’s most important milestones happen long before the industry is ready to fully appreciate them.