Hawaii
1970: Listen to the pitter-pat
of Barefoot Bar-room feetGUESS who founded the Occidental Underwriters of Hawaii? An Oriental, of course: Lawrence T. Kagawa. How inscrutable can you get? ... The patter of unclad feet will be heard again tonight at the Barefoot Bar as the Queen's Surf reopens with Inny Young starring along with Varoa Tiki and the Tikis. (Jan. 20, 1970) ...
WHEN former TV newscaster Mason Altiery, now a freshman state senator, moved into his handsome new office in the Capitol, his young daughter looked around and said, "Daddy, this is much better than television." (Jan. 22, 1971) ... State House speaker Tadao Beppu was one of nine Americans invited by the Japanese Ministry to participate in a Regional Leaders Group Conference in Tokyo beginning Feb. 5. It must have hurt Speaker Beppu to turn down the all-expenses-paid trip, but the legislative session in progress precluded his accepting the invitation. (Jan. 23, 1973) ...
JACK LORD was in L.A. when he learned the tragic news about the death of his boss, Leonard Freeman, executive producer of "Hawaii Five-O" and the man who fairly catapulted Lord into the international limelight. Lord had been invited to Las Vegas to attend the openings of both Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra this week, but will doubtless decline under the circumstances. Freeman was more than Lord's boss, he was his friend. What Leonard Freeman did for Hawaii when he began "Hawaii Five-O" will be difficult to measure. Its contributions to the tourist boom in the islands probably dwarf the efforts of the HVB, simply because it isn't trying to "sell" anything. And despite the violence and the crime (which no TV crime show can do without completely), it showed the loveliness and beauty of the islands like nothing else. Undoubtedly, "Five-O" will continue for another year or two or three. Leonard Freeman would have liked nothing better. (Jan. 22, 1976) ...
I JUST couldn't believe the crowds at yesterday's Carole Kai Bed Race and Parade. Camera-carrying tourists and locals alike stood in the rain to take pictures of the colorful beds, most of which resembled parade floats, so much work went into them. The individual winners of the race itself are of secondary concern. Thousands of dollars were raised for Variety Club School for children with leaning disabilities. (Jan. 24, 1977) ...
LOCATIONS Inc. honcho Bill Chee and four of his staffers entered into a no-nonsense pact to give up cigarettes a few weeks ago, and they all pledged $500 with each backslider's money being divvied up among the remaining nonsmokers. So you can imagine the glee when the other Locations people saw Chee light up a cigar at the firm's annual awards banquet at the Honolulu International Country Club. Oops, sorry -- Chee pointed out a loophole in the agreement. It mentioned cigarettes only. Next: Stogies Anonymous! (Jan. 26, 1981) ...
HILO'S Tracey Lauder looked like an FTD delivery man when he arrived at the opening of the state Legislature. He's an officer with the Hawaii Anthurium Product promotion committee, which decided to say it with flowers, sending 10 dozen anthuriums to be distribute to legislators. Incidentally, Hawaii's heart-shaped flowers have been named the official flower of the Romance Writers convention to be held -- when else? -- over the Valentine's Day weekend at the Hawaiian Regent. (Jan. 23, 1984) ...
WHEN Sylvester Stallone and his bride walked into Zorro's Pizza on Kuhio Avenue the other day, Sue Woollett reports, "the cleaning lady fell on the floor." ... Things have been disappearing over the past few days at United Preschool, but it's not a case for the cops. Bill Turbin, father of Honolulu attorney Rich Turbin, has been making things disappear and reappear as "The Great Turbini" doing magic shows for the kids. Turbini, who is 76, was assisted in the magical proceedings by his 3-year-old granddaughter, Laurel. (Jan. 21, 1986) ...
"The Week That Was" recalls events culled from Dave Donnelly's three-dot columns over the past 30 years. Donnelly continues to write his "Hawaii" column Tuesdays through Fridays in the Star-Bulletin.
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com