Posted on 05/20/2004 2:55:54 PM PDT by churchillbuff
I'm late in posting this, but this is one of my favority shows of all time.
Gilbert Francis Lani Damian Kauhi, known to television viewers worldwide as a "Hawaii Five-0" detective and to friends and fans as Zulu, died Monday at Hilo Medical Center of complications from diabetes. He was 66.
As Detective Kono Kalakaua, Kauhi is remembered for breaking down a door in the opening segment of "Hawaii Five-0." Zulu, a nickname given to him in high school on the Big Island, was also known for his singing voice, wit, independent ways and occasional confrontational manner.
"What a shock, what a truly terrible thing," said fellow entertainer Don Ho. "We were beach boys together growing up. Zulu was probably one of the best canoe strokers of all time; he was incredible."
Soon Zulu will be returned to Waikiki where his ashes will be scattered at sea from a canoe by old friends among Waikiki beachboys.
Niece Laura Kauhi-Leffingwell said that in 1994, Zulu discovered he had high blood pressure. Then diabetes.
"He had open heart surgery four years ago," Kauhi-Leffingwell said. "He was treated for a heart attack a few weeks ago. He's been on kidney dialysis for six years."
He was on a waiting list for a second kidney when he went for dialysis Monday, his mother, Emma Kauhi, said.
During dialysis, his body stopped working, family members said. Doctors took him to the emergency room but could not save him.
Zulu had written instructions that he was under the care of a Honolulu physician who is on vacation until May 24, Kauhi-Leffingwell said. The hospital may not be able to release his body until then, she said. That leaves doubt about when the scattering of ashes will take place.
"I was proud of him," said Emma Kauhi. "He was a good kid and I loved him."
She still calls him "Gil."
His father lost his job as a fireman and the family moved to Honolulu where the father drove a taxi, his mother said.
She wanted Zulu to attend Kamehameha, but he always put her off. His friends were at the public schools. He dropped out of Saint Louis after the 10th grade and joined the U.S. Coast Guard, never returning to school. "He graduated in other ways," she said.
As a boy, Kauhi would go off to school with his hair neatly combed, but when he played football, it would become rumpled, he mother said. Since his classmates had studied the Zulu people, they thought his hair looked African and nicknamed him Zulu.
Zulu, who was fired from "Hawaii Five-0" in 1972 after four seasons, had been a disc jockey for radio station KHVH and a stage comedian when he was hired for the TV show.
On March 31, 1986, a car driven by Zulu struck triathlon athlete Ronny Lee Fennell of Kona while Fennell was riding his bicycle on Queen Kaahumanu Highway.
Niece Kauhi-Leffingwell said, "That was a nightmare for him. Uncle Gilbert goes to church every single Sunday. He's a very strong Catholic."
In 1988, Zulu was sentenced to a year's probation for second-degree negligent homicide in the death.
Midweek columnist Eddie Sherman, who made several appearances on "Hawaii Five-0" and knew Zulu well, said "He had a complicated personality, which hurt him sometimes, I think. He had a great opportunity to be a character actor in films but, at heart, I don't think he was that ambitious. He liked being in Hawaii, being a local boy."
Sherman remembered that Zulu sometimes would fall asleep between film scenes, which "really upset" star Jack Lord.
"They take so much time setting up, some people would read, and Zulu would put his head back, nap and snore," Sherman said. "He wasn't that impressed with Jack. It was like 'Who the hell does he think he is! I'm Zulu.' Zulu thought he was just as important as anyone else on the show."
Big Island rancher Larry Mehau, a relative of Zulu's, noted: "He had the ability to really draw a crowd and fire 'em up. When we did the political rallies, Don (Ho) would use Zulu to get the crowd excited, and then we would bring the governor out. He could make people laugh and had the ability to speak several languages, but whether he understood what he was saying I don't know."
Zulu had a band -- "Zulu and the Seven Sons of Hawaii" -- that performed music in seven languages.
He wasn't afraid to confront someone he thought was misbehaving, Mehau added.
"He was a big burly guy ... always ready for action," he said. "He could handle himself if there was a problem."
Mehau remembered often offering Zulu career and personal advice -- which the entertainer usually failed to follow.
"He could be awkward, annoying, even when he thought he was doing well," Mehau said, laughing. "He meant well even when he was intruding. His heart was so big he didn't know when to stop."
I loved that show.
RIP Zulu...
Zulu was a standup comic before coming to the show... too bad ol' Jack Lord never really let him show any personality.
Hey, that was part of the show's shtick. NOBODY showed any personality. It was FORBIDDEN to show personality.
Trivia. What was the last line said at the end of Hawaii 5-O every week?
"Book 'em, Dano!"
Bump
Everyone one except Jack.
I almost choked once when he showed up in one episode wearing a broad brimmed plantation hat, scarf, white bellbottoms & white patent leather shoes.
"Book 'im Dan-o, Murder One." Please, ask something difficult.
OK. Gavin McLeod showed up in two episodes. What was his character named?
No. Even if it was the line, Jack Lord didn't start using it till later in the show's run. Most endngs up till then were various. One episode Lord said only "book him". The next week he used the famous line and it stuck. But that's not it. This is a hard one.
Ever see the movie "The Dish"? If not, you MUST get it. Believe me, trust me, the theme music for Hawaii Five-0 has a part in a very important scene. It is a riot. If you're a NASA buff, you'll love this movie even more. Its set in Australia, I will say no more, expect that I lived in Auz and the characterizations of the people are wonderful.
Still not it.
Is it available for rent yet?
My screen name has often got the reply:
"Book 'em don-o"
Ok, this is big league trivia, and you've got me stumped. I know it wasn't Wo-Fat, because an Asian guy played that commie heavy. !
aloha?
I give up . I'd say, "A Quinn Martin Production," but it wasn't.
Your messin with a guy who didn't miss an episode for the first 5 years.
The 'Big Chicken'.
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