Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and created by Leonard Freeman. Set in Hawaii, the show aired for 12 seasons on CBS from September 20, 1968, to April 5, 1980. The show starred Jack Lord as Detective Captain Stephen "Steve" McGarrett, the head of a fictional state police task force in Hawaii. The theme music composed by Morton Stevens became especially popular. Many episodes in the series would end with McGarrett's catchphrase, "Book 'em, Danno!"

At the airing of its finale, it was the longest-running police drama in American television history, and the last scripted primetime show that debuted in the 1960s to leave the air.

Overview The CBS television network produced Hawaii Five-O, which aired from September 20, 1968, to April 5, 1980. The program continues to be broadcast in syndication worldwide. Created by Leonard Freeman, Hawaii Five-O was shot on location in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, and throughout the island of Oʻahu and elsewhere in the Hawaiian Islands with occasional filming in locales such as Los Angeles, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

The show centers on an elite fictional state police unit led by former U.S. Naval officer Steve McGarrett (played by Jack Lord), a detective captain, appointed by the Governor, Paul Jameson. In the show, McGarrett oversees state police officers — the young Danny "Danno" Williams, veteran Chin Ho Kelly (Kam Fong Chun), and streetwise Kono Kalakaua for seasons one through four. Honolulu Police Department Officer Duke Lukela joined the team as a regular, as did Ben Kokua, who replaced Kono beginning with season five. Occasionally, McGarrett's Five-O team is assisted by other officers as needed: Det. Frank Kamana (Douglas Mossman), P.O. Sandi Wells (Amanda McBroom), medical examiner Doc Bergman (Al Eben), forensic specialist Che Fong (Harry Endo), and a secretary.

The title of the show refers to Hawaiʻi's status as the fiftieth U.S. state. At the time of the show's premiere, Hawaiʻi had been a state for nine years. The Five-O team consists of three to five members (small for a real state police unit), and is depicted as occupying a suite of offices at the ʻIolani Palace. Five-O lacks its own radio network, necessitating frequent requests by McGarrett to the Honolulu Police Department dispatchers.

For 12 seasons, McGarrett and his team pursued international secret agents, criminals, and organized crime syndicates plaguing the Hawaiian Islands. With the aid of District Attorney and later Hawaii Attorney General John Manicote, McGarrett is successful in sending most of his enemies to prison. One such crime syndicate, introduced in the fifth season, was led by the Vashon family, portrayed by Luther Adler and Harold Gould. Other criminals and organized crime bosses on the islands were played by actors such as Ross Martin, Gavin MacLeod, and Ricardo Montalbán.

By the 12th and final season, series regular James MacArthur had left the show (in 1996, he admitted that he had become tired of the role and wanted to do other things), as had Kam Fong. Unlike other characters before him, Fong's character, Chin Ho Kelly, at Fong's request, was killed off, murdered while working undercover to expose a protection ring in Chinatown in the last episode of season 10. New characters Jim "Kimo" Carew (William Smith), Lori Wilson (Sharon Farrell), and Truck (Moe Keale) were introduced in season 12 alongside returning regular character Duke Lukela.

Most episodes of Hawaii Five-O ended with the arrest of criminals and McGarrett snapping, "Book 'em." The offense occasionally was added after this phrase, for example, "Book 'em, murder one." In many episodes, this was directed to Danny "Danno" Williams and became McGarrett's catchphrase: "Book 'em, Danno." This catchphrase also expanded to sports in the mid-1970s with former Pittsburgh Penguins announcer Mike Lange, who would utter the line for some Penguins goals.

McGarrett's tousled yet immaculate hairstyle, as well as his proclivity for wearing a dark suit and tie on all possible occasions (uncommon in the islands), rapidly entered popular culture. While the other members of Five-O "dressed mainland" much of the time, they also often wore local styles, such as the ubiquitous aloha shirt.

In many episodes (including the pilot), McGarrett is drawn into the world of international espionage and national intelligence. McGarrett's nemesis is a rogue intelligence officer of the People's Republic of China named Wo Fat. The communist rogue agent was played by veteran actor Khigh Dhiegh. In the show's final episode in 1980, titled "Woe to Wo Fat", McGarrett finally sees his foe go to jail.

Unlike the reboot, the show's action and straightforward storytelling left little time for personal stories involving wives or girlfriends, though a two-part story in the first season dealt with the loss of McGarrett's sister's baby. Occasionally, a show would flash back to McGarrett's younger years or to a romantic figure.

In the episode "Number One with a Bullet, Part 2", McGarrett tells a criminal, "It was a bastard like you who killed my father." His 42-year-old father had been run down and killed by someone who had just held up a supermarket. Because Steve McGarrett is also a commander in the Naval Reserve, he sometimes uses their resources to help investigate and solve crimes. The United States Navy, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard, provided some locations and resources for filming, hence the closing credits of some episodes acknowledge the assistance of the United States Navy. A 1975 episode involving Danno's aunt, played by MacArthur's mother Helen Hayes, provided a bit of Williams' back story.

Creation of the show Sources differ on how the show came to be. Producer Leonard Freeman moved to Hawaiʻi to recuperate after suffering a heart attack. One source states the idea for the show may have come from a conversation Freeman had with Hawaiʻi's then-Governor John A. Burns.Harada, Wayne. "The Continuing Legacy of 'Hawaii Five-O'" , Honolulu Advertiser (1998-01-26).

Another source instead claims that Freeman wanted to set a show in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California until his friend Richard Boone convinced him to shoot it entirely in Hawaiʻi."Richard Boone: U.S. Actor" , The Museum of Broadcast Communications. A third source claims Freeman discussed the show with Governor Burns only after pitching the idea to CBS.Raddatz, Leslie. "How An Ex-Rodeo Rider Went West To Enjoy The Good Life As A Hawaiian Cop" , TV Guide (1969-01-04). Before settling on the name "Hawaii Five-O", Freeman considered titling the show "The Man".

Casting

Freeman offered Richard Boone the part of McGarrett, but Boone turned it down; Gregory Peck and Robert BrownQuigley, Mike. "My Report on the 1996 Five-O Conventions" , The Hawaii Five-O Home Page. were also considered. Ultimately, Jack Lord – then living in Beverly Hills – was asked at the last moment. Lord read for the part on a Wednesday, was cast, and flew to Hawaiʻi two days later. On the following Monday, Lord was in front of the cameras. Freeman and Lord had worked together previously on an unsold TV pilot called Grand Hotel.

Tim O'Kelly originated the role of Danny "Danno" Williams in the pilot episode, "Cocoon". Test audiences apparently were not positive on O'Kelly, however, and the producers replaced him with James MacArthur.

Kam Fong Chun, an 18-year veteran of the Honolulu Police Department, auditioned for the part of the lead villain Wo Fat, but Freeman cast him in the part of Chin Ho Kelly instead. Freeman took the name Wo Fat from a restaurant in downtown Honolulu. The name Chin Ho came from Chinn Ho, the owner of the Ilikai Hotel where the penthouse shot of Steve McGarrett in the opening title sequence was taken.Gomes, Andrew. "Now that Ilikai deal is done, is Hard Rock in its future?", Honolulu Advertiser (2006-07-13). Retrieved 2009-03-03. Richard Denning, who played the governor, had retired to Hawaiʻi and came out of retirement for the show. Zulu was a Waikīkī beach boy and local DJ with no acting experience when he was cast for the part of Kono, which he played for the next four years.

Characters Character Actor Job Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Steve McGarrett Jack Lord Commander, Five-O Task Force colspan="12" Danny "Danno" Williams James MacArthur Detective Sergeant, Five-O Task Force; Lieutenant Five-O Task Force colspan="11" colspan="1" Chin Ho Kelly Kam Fong Chun Detective, Five-O Task Force colspan="10" colspan="2" Kono Kalakaua Zulu Detective, Five-O Task Force colspan="4" colspan="8" Paul Jameson Richard Denning Governor colspan="12" May Maggi Parker Secretary colspan="1" colspan="11" Jenny Sherman Peggy Ryan colspan="1" colspan="7" colspan="4" John Manicote Glenn Cannon Attorney General colspan="3" colspan="6" colspan="3" Edward "Duke" Lukela Herman Wedemeyer Sergeant, HPD; Detective, Five-O Task Force colspan="4" colspan="8" Nick Kellog Danny Kamekona Sergeant, HPD; Sergeant, Five-O Task Force colspan="4" colspan="3" colspan="4" colspan="1" Ben Kokua Al Harrington Detective colspan="4" colspan="3" colspan="5" Frank Kamana Douglas Mossman colspan="6" colspan="1" colspan="5" James "Kimo" Carew William Smith colspan="11" colspan="1" Lori Wilson Sharon Farrell colspan="11" colspan="1" Moe "Truck" Kealoha Moe Keale Detective, HPD colspan="11" colspan="1"

Recurring Wo Fat (Khigh Dhiegh), a Chinese intelligence agent and criminal mastermind Che Fong (Edward Tom, season 1; Danny Kamekona, seasons 1–2; Harry Endo, seasons 2–10) the HPD forensic specialist Joey Lee (Brian Tochi), former gang leader turned undercover informant for McGarrett Doc Bergman (Al Eben), the medical examiner Lieutenant George Kealoha (Douglas Mossman), HPD (season 1) Jonathan Kaye (James Gregory, pilot; Joseph Sirola, season 2–5; Robert Dixon, "To Kill or Be Killed", season 3; Tim O'Connor, "The Ninety-Second War", season 4; Bill Edwards, seasons 5–10; and Lyle Bettger, season 10) from the U. S. State Department "Doc" (full name never used—Newell Tarrant, season 1; Robert Brilliande, season 2; Ted Thorpe, season 2; Robert Costa, season 3) HPD medical examiner (or coroner) Attorney General Walter Stewart (Morgan White, season 1) May (Mitzi Hoag, pilot; Maggi Parker, season 1), McGarrett's secretary Jenny Sherman (Peggy Ryan), McGarrett's secretary (seasons 2–8) Luana (Laura Sode), McGarrett's secretary (seasons 11–12) Dr. Grant Ormsbee (Pat Hingle), a scientist (seasons 8 & 9) Dr. Bishop (Jean Tarrant), criminal psychologist (season 6). Tarrant also guest starred in two non-recurring character roles, one in season 8 and one in season 9.

Pilot cast Danny "Danno" Williams, Detective Sgt. – Tim O'Kelly Paul Jameson, Governor – Lew Ayres May, secretary – Mitzi Hoag

Production The first season was shot in a rusty military Quonset hut in Pearl City, which the various cast members quickly nicknamed "Mongoose Manor".Davidson, Bill. "Hawaii's Happy Almond: Giving up the spotlight to a glowering coconut doesn't faze James MacArthur" , TV Guide (1973-09-22). The roof tended to leak, and rats would often gnaw at the cables. The show then moved to a Fort Ruger location for seasons two to eight. A third studio was built at Diamond Head, and was used during the last four seasons.