If you close your eyes and think of Hawaii, there’s a good chance a very specific, aggressive drum fill starts playing in the back of your head. That theme song—Morton Stevens’ surf-rock masterpiece—is iconic. But it wasn't just the music that turned a 1968 police procedural into a global phenomenon. It was the faces. The Hawaii Five-O original cast didn't just play cops; they became the face of the 50th state for a generation of viewers who had never even seen a palm tree in person.
Honestly, it’s hard to overstate how massive this show was. It ran for twelve seasons. Twelve! In an era where shows were lucky to survive three. At the center of it all was Jack Lord, a man whose hair was as unmovable as his sense of justice. But the chemistry of that unit—McGarrett, Danno, Chin Ho, and Kono—is what really cemented the show in the TV Hall of Fame.
The Uncompromising Jack Lord
Jack Lord wasn't the first choice for Steve McGarrett. Gregory Peck and Richard Boone were both in the running, which is wild to think about now. Lord got the script on a Wednesday, flew to Hawaii on Friday, and was filming by Monday. Talk about a whirlwind.
Lord was a perfectionist. Some called him difficult; others called him dedicated. He famously insisted that his character drive Fords, leading to that massive 1968 Mercury Park Lane screaming around Honolulu corners. He also had this poetic side. Between takes, he’d actually recite E.E. Cummings to the crew. Imagine a hard-nosed TV detective quoting avant-garde poetry while a lighting tech tries to fix a filter. That’s Jack Lord for you.
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Why "Book 'em, Danno" Stuck
James MacArthur played Danny "Danno" Williams, the reliable second-in-command. It’s funny because in the pilot episode, Danno was played by a guy named Tim O'Kelly. Test audiences in New York hated him. They thought he looked too young. So, they brought in MacArthur, and the rest is history.
The phrase "Book 'em, Danno" wasn't some scripted stroke of genius. It was just a line of dialogue that Jack Lord delivered with such specific, clipped authority that it became a national catchphrase. MacArthur eventually left the show in 1979, just one year before it ended. He was bored. He literally told the producers he was heading down the Amazon River and didn't come back for the final season. Can't really blame the guy after 11 years of "booking" people.
The Local Heart: Kam Fong and Zulu
This is where the show got real. While the network insisted the top two leads be white actors from the mainland, producer Leonard Freeman pushed for local representation in the rest of the squad.
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Kam Fong, who played Detective Chin Ho Kelly, was the real deal. He had actually served as a Honolulu Police Department officer for 18 years before he ever picked up an acting script. He survived the Pearl Harbor attack while working as a shipyard boilermaker. His character’s death in Season 10 was a huge deal—it was one of the first times a major TV regular was permanently killed off.
Then you had Zulu (Gilbert Francis Lani Damian Kauhi) playing Kono Kalakaua. Zulu was a local DJ and comedian with a huge personality. Unfortunately, his time on the show ended abruptly in 1972. There are conflicting stories about why. Some say it was a racist remark directed at a publicist; others say it was a dispute over an award ceremony. Either way, he was replaced by Al Harrington, another local legend who played Ben Kokua.
The Villains and the Vibe
You can't talk about the Hawaii Five-O original cast without mentioning Wo Fat. Khigh Dhiegh played the recurring Red Chinese spy with such chilling calm that he appeared in the pilot and the series finale, bridging the entire twelve-year gap. He was the Moriarty to McGarrett’s Holmes.
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The show did something rare. It used real HPD officers as extras. It filmed on location at the Iolani Palace. It showcased a Hawaii that was beautiful but also gritty. People forget that the tourism board was actually terrified the show would scare people away with all the murders and international espionage. Instead, it turned the islands into the most desirable vacation spot on Earth.
Quick Cast Snapshot
- Jack Lord (Steve McGarrett): The stoic leader who stayed for all 278 episodes.
- James MacArthur (Danny Williams): The loyal partner (Seasons 1-11).
- Kam Fong (Chin Ho Kelly): The veteran detective and former real-life cop (Seasons 1-10).
- Zulu (Kono Kalakaua): The burly, local muscle (Seasons 1-4).
- Richard Denning (Governor Paul Jameson): The man who gave the orders.
What Happened to the Mercury?
People always ask about the cars. The 1974 Mercury Marquis that McGarrett drove in the later seasons was actually saved. It was eventually used in the 2010 reboot as a tribute, a literal bridge between the old guard and the new.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of the 1968 series, don't just stick to the reruns.
- Visit the Jack Lord Bust: If you find yourself in Honolulu, head to the Kahala Mall. There’s a bronze bust of Lord there. He lived in a condo nearby and was a regular at the mall.
- Track Down the "Lost" Pilot: Look for the 1997 attempted reboot pilot. It features James MacArthur as the Governor and Kam Fong reprising his role (even though his character died in the original series—the producers just hoped no one would notice).
- Study the Wardrobe: Notice McGarrett’s suits. Despite the tropical heat, he almost always wore dark, heavy suits to maintain an image of "Mainland" authority, a deliberate costume choice that emphasized his character's rigid nature.
The legacy of the original crew isn't just about a catchphrase or a cool car. It's about a time when television was just starting to realize that the setting could be as much of a character as the actors themselves.
Next Step: To see the cast in their prime, look for the Season 1 episode "Cocoon." It’s the original pilot and sets the stage for everything that followed.