Mario Machado, an Emmy Award winning former television news anchor who acted in several films including "Scar Face" and "Rocky III," died Saturday at a Los Angeles convalescent facility. He was 78.
Machado death was related to complications from pneumonia, his daughter Michelle told the Los Angeles Times. He reportedly suffered from Parkinson’s disease for years.
Los Angeles' first Asian-American newscaster, Machado was born in Shanghai to a Chinese mother and Portuguese father.
Urgent: Is Obamacare Hurting Your Wallet? Vote in Poll
Machado spent decades on television at KCBS-TV and KCAL-TV, working as a newsman, producer, TV show host and soccer commentator.
On the big screen, Machado acted as a newsman in such films as "Oh, God!" in 1977, "Rocky III" in 1982 and the TV movie "Brian’s Song" in 1971.
In the 1980s, Machado played reporter Casey Wong in the "RoboCop" trilogy.
Machado was a tireless advocate of multiculturalism in business.
In 1994, he was awarded the John Anson Ford Humanitarian Award and one year later was named Los Angeles County's Humanitarian of the Year.
ALERT: Government ‘Blunder’ Spawns Massive Profit Opportunity
One of his most acclaimed projects was the instructional program that shows legal permanent residents how to become U.S. citizens called "U.S. Citizenship: A Dream Come True." The program received10 Emmy Award nominations of which it won 8. It was broadcast in more than 120 countries.
Related stories:
Annette Funicello Dies: 'Mickey Mouse Club' Mouseketeer Was a Disney Star
Frank Bank, 'Lumpy' Rutherford on 'Leave It To Beaver,' Dies at 71
'Star Wars' Actor Dies: Richard LeParmentier Was Famously Choked by Darth Vader
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.