Jack Lord
‘Five-0’ put
By Tim Ryan
spotlight on Hawaii
Star-BulletinIT seems unfair to single out one person as having the major effect on establishing Hawaii's television and movie production industry, but Jack Lord, who starred as Steve McGarrett on "Hawaii Five-0" -- at 12 years the longest-running police show on television -- comes closer than anyone else.
"Hands down, 'Hawaii Five-0' created Hawaii's television industry," said Georgette Deemer, Hawaii Film Office manager since 1986. "What we had gotten previously was just bits and pieces of movies."
"Yes, Jack and the show set the path for other television productions in Hawaii," said James MacArthur, who portrayed McGarrett's right-hand officer, Dano. "We proved that you could be successful filming in Hawaii though the networks were so scared of a production being so far away and out of their control."
The hour-long CBS police drama which starred Lord with its ensemble cast including MacArthur, Kam Fong and Zulu, ran from 1968-80. The show filmed about 24 episodes in about eight months each year, working as many as 80 hours a week.
The production was responsible for establishing a film studio at Diamond Head, now the Hawaii Film Studio; getting the state in 1978 to create the Hawaii Film Office; and started the first real training of a professional production crew that would go on to work on "Magnum, P.I." starring Tom Selleck for some eight years.
"The show brought Hawaii to the world and the world then visited Hawaii," said Rose Freeman, wife of "Five-0's" creator and producer Leonard Freeman. "After 31 years people still want to know about 'Five-0' and are still visiting Hawaii because of it."
According to state records, in 1970 about 1.7 million visitors came to Hawaii; by 1985, the figure climbed to 5 million.
"Hawaii Five-0" put more than $100 million into circulation in the state with its production costs and incidental outlays, and indirectly aided the state's economy through its tourism promotion.
The show was a gold mine for local businesses.
Besides the nearly $500,000 spent producing each of the 24 annual episodes -- that's $12 million -- the families of married staff members were said to have spent at least another $500,000 on personal expenses for each season. Maintenance of the production unit's motor vehicles and construction cost at least another $500,000.
In the show's dozen years here, some 20,000 local people were used as extras, receiving more than $1 million, with a similar amount going to local actors.
Worldwide the show was seen weekly by some 300 million viewers in 83 countries. Even this year "Hawaii Five-0" still has a weekly audience in reruns of more than 100 million viewers.
Lord, who died on Oahu in 1998, was quoted as saying about 25 percent of Hawaii's tourists were here in part because of the show. Maybe that's because 70 percent of the show's scenes were filmed outdoors, showing Hawaii's beauty.
According to Luis Reyes in his book "Made in Paradise," "Hawaii Five-0's" production spending accounted for about $180 million to the local economy, including some $16 million in state taxes. The show also created nearly 8,000 jobs a year.
Former Hawaii Gov. George Ariyoshi, who was in office during much of "Five-0's" production here, said the importance of Lord and the show is best told in anecdote.
"Jack was having some disagreements with the producers or network and said he was not going back to work; in fact he didn't work for several days," Ariyoshi said. "I was very concerned because I knew what the show meant for state tourism.
"I called Jack and told him how important the show was to us and that I would personally appreciate it if he would return to work."
Lord thanked Ariyoshi and the actor returned to the set.
