Original Hawaii 5-0 series and ukulele appearances... I'm on the case...

Hey gang,

I've been feeling a bit nuts lately and been lamenting my last ukulele voyage to Hawaii in 2015. I need to get back there!

So, I just bought and received the entire OLD 1970s Hawaii 5-0 series on DVD from 1968 to 1980 via Amazon and I only want to take a peek where UKULELES appeared or were used in the plot or stories or in the background. The uke is sacrosanct for me! I need to know!

Here is my summary so far: (didn't keep such good track at the start and fell asleep during a few episodes)

Hawaii 5-0 Videos with ukes: (updated 2017-03-22)

Season 1: Episode name: "No Blue Skies", Stolen gems put into ukes
Season 3: Can't recall episode name: there was a song performance with ukes, Queen’s jewel, party
Season 4: Can't recall episode name: One ukulele on a float for the Hawaiian celebration parade
Season 5: Episode name: “While You’re At It Bring in the Moon” – no uke but McGarrett does surfer shaka at the end
Season 6: Episode name: “Try to Die on Time.” In the party opening, there is at band on the stage and one guy seems to be holding a ukulele.

[there were a few episodes in pawn shops and only guitars were visible but possibly there was a uke soprano case or it could have been a violin case]

[heard uke in a song one time as background music]

Season 9: Episode name: "To Die in Paradise" - KIDNAPPED FOLK SINGER DOES SONG ON UKE (unseen but sounds like a bartone uke)
Season 10: Episode name: "Friends of Joey Kalima" - ukes on Marco's record store wall

- ongoing...

Oh how I love this! Smuggling gems in ukes. It cannot get better

Like you, I only have vague memories of Hawaii 5-0 but you have inspired me to scavenge YT for some episodes.

I think we need an official media-uke-watch thread

I loved that old series. I think I saw many/most of the original series. I don't remember anything racist about it but I do remember that Jack Lord seemed a little out of character. He seemed a little conflicted or like he would be more comfortable in a Broadway Musical.

On one of my trips to Hawaii, the state Ms. Hawaii contest (or something similar) was on TV with traditional Hawaiian dancing and on the other channel they were showing reruns of Hawaii 50. It was a perfect vacation! Sun and fun during the day and watching a bit of that "Hawaiicana" at night.

I don't recall the ukulele and smuggled jewels episode though so maybe I need to watch more Hawaii 50!

Spoiler alert: they smash the dickens out of the ukes to get to the jewels. (Lol, I'm just guessing).

Best part of Intro:

With Zulu as Kono.

And Kam Fong as Chin Ho.

Lmao! I had my photo taken with the Jack Lord bust last time I was at Kahala Mall. If there is racial bias, you'd not know it by the local love for Jack Lord, who walked in the mall for exercise during his later years, legend has it.

I watched a few episodes a while back and I have to admit, I'm a product of the quick-edit MTV gen, as are you, Petey. H50 is an amazing sleep aid. Lol. Please let us know which episodes kept you alert so that we can watch them on the Internet. Fun!

I didn't watch the old Hawaii 5-0 regularly, but at the time it so popular that "Book 'em Danno" became part of the culture. I wrote and drew a comic strip for my college newspaper in the mid-70s, and I was inspired by Hawaii 5-0 to come up with the following (yeah, I spelled "Danno" wrong).




For what it's worth, I like that the new Hawaii 5-0 seems to be more immersed in Hawaiian culture than the old version was.

@mds725: Nice cartoon! Thanks for your comments. Haven't seen the new series yet! Gotta go thru 12 seasons still... only on disk 3 of season 1! lol

@strumtheory: Yeah, I laughed out loud when I saw them taking the soundboard off nice koa ukes and putting in gems! hehe

@coolkayaker1: Yep! I luv Zulu as Kono! Great character! Chin Ho is so calm and cool. I might have overreacted about the show hearing a few things, but I like the show. I will haul thru the 12 seasons trawling for ukes the next 5 months! hehe

***

First of all... let me state this show has the most amazing theme song! Still sends me shivers to this day!

Perhaps, I didn't really mean racist but more culturally inappropriate after hearing a few things in the early first season. Anyways, I'm only interested in seeing Hawaii on location back in this time and looking for ukes like a fun treasure hunt. Putting stolen gems in nice koa ukes seemed just too much for me! Don’t wreck those ukes!!! What ukes were they? LOL

It’s funny how McGarret always gets in his black car and squeals his tires... like that’s the best sound effect promoting suspense. Very interesting to see the technology compared to now in crime dramas. I like how it was filmed on location. Very classy. You can still see many of the same things in Hawaii like Diamond Head and certain streets. They use the term “wahine” a lot. I pick out the Hawaiian term here and there. I like how they say the names of the streets, etc....

I’ll keep you all posted for ukulele appearances. I also heard the first time he said “Book’em Danno” but they didn’t use it in the following episodes. I’m curious to see when it will become a catch phrase.

Mahalo!

Peke

These posts have reminded me of why I liked the show. I just liked the Hawaiian scenery. The show does OK in reruns as well because it isn't as dated as some other shows of the period.

That's because they wore black suits with narrow tires and the black cadillacs are timeless (well at least the suits are).

seattle said:

These posts have reminded me of why I liked the show. I just liked the Hawaiian scenery. The show does OK in reruns as well because it isn't as dated as some other shows of the period.

That's because they wore black suits with narrow tires and the black cadillacs are timeless (well at least the suits are).

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I totally agree with U! Scenery is tops! Black suits, narrow ties... cool cars... I'm curious if they'll expand the crimes to other islands besides Oahu in the 11 other seasons. The men in black are cool. I wore black while in Hawaii last year most of time even when I hit Walmart in Honolulu to buy a shot glass with my name in Hawaiian "Peke" as Pete. hehe lol hehe

Peke

Can't remember much about the original, but I've tried to like the new one, but it's just too much about guns, drugs and violence.

I'm gonna go out on a limb - or a cliff - and say that this is probably the first time this topic has come up on a UU board....which makes it all the better.

Very cool Petey-o. I lived there 10 years ago and I'd be interested to see the series like you, to see what was different and the same since the 70s. What if one episode there's a heist at the Kamaka factory haha?

Will you be doing a video where you play the theme song on your pineapple?

***Update: Almost finished disk 4 out of 7 of the first season and no more signs of ukes. 8-( hehe Though, I really liked the episode of two stolen Japanese koi. (fish)

@UkerDanno: Indeed, the guns, drugs and violence is pretty much standard fare these days in many series. Though, I do love that show "Person of Interest."

@DaveY: Thanks. I've been just getting cabin fever up here in Canada and I needed something to explore. The crazy idea came to my mind to buy the complete series and look for ukes. hehe Reminscient of my trip last year to Hawaii.

@bonesoup: It's interesting to see that show. I see the monkey pod trees here and there but they just don't stand out on a tv. Those trees were a visual rush when I saw them live in Hawaii. (yeah, I know they're imported from Japan). hehe As for the music, I love the Ventures! I could easily work out an arrangement of the song since I have the sheet music somewhere.

Petey

I love that theme song as well. I used to be able to play it on the ukulele but I've forgotten some of it now. There is a good .pdf version somewhere on here or at least a Google search away.

Gosh, Peke, I wish we lived closer together. We could strum ukuleles, drink like guppies, and watch "Danger Will Robinson" Dr. Smith, Zulu (as Kono), and finish it off with a Petticoat Junction/Courtship of Eddie's Father marathon!

seattle said:

I love that theme song as well. I used to be able to play it on the ukulele but I've forgotten some of it now. There is a good .pdf version somewhere on here or at least a Google search away.

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Indeed one of the best TV themes of all time... though the Munsters comes pretty close! hehe

Petey

coolkayaker1 said:

Gosh, Peke, I wish we lived closer together. We could strum ukuleles, drink like guppies, and watch "Danger Will Robinson" Dr. Smith, Zulu (as Kono), and finish it off with a Petticoat Junction/Courtship of Eddie's Father marathon!

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Thanks Steve-O!!!

Gotta hit the hay tonight... you really understand my 1970s TV fascination!!! I just can't stop looking back in my past culture references from being a kid! I've watched all the 6 Millon Dollar Man, Charlies Angels, Vegas, Lost in Space, and more etc...

Hawaii 5-0 was a new angle since the ukulele has inspired me to go Hawaii since 2006! hehe

Peke

Aloha everyone,

Winter in Canada can get boring so I'm back on this project. hehe

It's been slow going through the 12 seasons of Hawaii 5-O looking for ukuleles! I'm taking my time. I'm only on season 6 now. It's been an interesting ride though. Haven't seen any more episodes with Ricardo Montalban playing a Japanese person which was quite shocking.

Some episodes are interesting and I like seeing the old technology of what they call "computers" back then. Those old rotary phones look so weird now even if I grew up with them.

My summary so far: (didnt' keep good track at the start)

Hawaii 5-0 Videos with Ukes:
1. Season 1: "No Blue Skies", Stolen gems put into ukes
2. Season 3: A song performance, Queen’s jewel, party
3. Season 4: One ukulele on float for the Hawaiian celebration parade
4. Season 5: “While You’re At It Bring in the Moon” – no uke but McGarrett does surfer shaka at the end
5. Season 6: “Try to Die on Time.” In the party opening , there is at band on the stage and one guy seems to be holding a ukulele.

Petey

After working through Hawaii 5-0, your next assignment will be Magnum P.I.

Uke 'em Danno !

Estudiante said:

After working through Hawaii 5-0, your next assignment will be Magnum P.I.

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LOL. I'll leave that to someone braver than me. hehe

The best episode of the first six seasons was the one where McGarett goes to Singapour to rescue a woman. It's a kind of romance and developed his character more. Another good one was when he visits his sister who has a sick child. Also, the one where they steal a feathered cape from the Bishop's museum.

It's funny to see how things were done without cellphones, GPS tracking, and modern computers.

Uke'em Danno is right! hehe

Petey