GERRI CHAR / ISLE TV INSIDER

Mother to the stars
took care of her charges

Many from Hawaii's entertainment
sector recall her kindness

---

By Tim Ryan
tryan@starbulletin.com

If you walked into the office of most executive producers of Hawaii-based television shows over the last two decades be it "Magnum, P.I.", "Jake and the Fatman," "Marker," "One West Waikiki," "Fantasy Island," or a host of other series, the first person you were likely to meet was Gerri Char.

"Gerri was just always there for all of us," said actor Tom Selleck. "I was very fond of her. I walked in that office a lot... and Gerri always had a smile on her face. She was such a positive force; she never created a problem, only solved them."

Char, 65, died Aug. 14 at her University area home.

She is survived by sisters Lorraine, of Culver City, Calif. and Natalie, of Fullerton, Calif.; and nephew Brendan, 29, also of Fullerton.

A Celebration of Life memorial service will be held Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Hawaiian Memorial Park chapel in Kaneohe. Aloha attire is requested.

Charles Floyd Johnson, an executive producer on "Magnum" and currently on "Jag," described Char as much a friend as his executive assistant for five years.

"I adored her in so many ways," Johnson said. "She was always there to protect and help me when I needed it and I needed it a lot."

Char could also be tough.

"She didn't suffer fools gladly at all," Johnson said. "She was a consummate professional who took her responsibilities and mine very seriously.

"She was a big part of my life and I will miss her so much."

After graduating from University High School, Char attended the University of Hawaii for two years, then transferred to the University of California at Los Angeles where in 1957 she received a degree in Theatre Arts, specializing in radio and television.

Char's television career began at KABC-TV in Los Angeles in the late 1950s in ad sales before she returned to Hawaii getting work in the casting department for "Hawaii Five-0," the Brian Keith show called "Little People," and then working for the Hawaii Islanders baseball team.

Margaret Doversola met Char when Doversola was an assistant casting director on "Magnum."

"When I needed help, Gerri would assist me, although it wasn't her responsibility," Doversola said.

Bruce Shirley, unit production manager on "Magnum" and "Jake and the Fatman", met Char in 1964 at KABC in L.A.

"She was sharp and bright and a pioneer in the business," Shirley said.

"On 'Magnum' Gerri was the queen bee, arriving early in the morning and leaving late at night. The producers wanted for nothing; she was the mother for all producers."

Fellow workers praised Char's knowledge of all aspects of television production.

"She knew it all," said Shirley, unit production manager on the Seattle-based drama "Citizen Baines, "but never bragged about it."

Close friend Pam Gossage also met Char during the "Magnum" era.

"I talked to her on Sunday (Aug. 12) and she sounded fine," said Gossage who also is in Seattle working on "Citizen Baines." "We worked on 'Pearl Harbor' together and the pilot for 'Lessons Learned.'

"Gerri understood the priorities in this business and made sure they were addressed for us. Hawaii's entertainment industry has truly lost royalty with Gerri's passing."