What Happened To The Original Cast Of Hawaii Five-O

"Hawaii Five-0" is a cross-generational hit, but long before Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan's "carguments" in the 2010s reboot, there was an original cast (and the show was "Hawaii Five-O"). Sadly, all the main stars of the first iteration have since passed away, but not without making a serious mark on TV history. 

The first Steve McGarrett to have graced the screen was played by Jack Lord, who'd previously starred as the titular character in the early '60s series "Stoney Burke." As for his time on "Hawaii Five-O," Lord would become an integral part of the series on and off camera. Per The New York Times, it was Lord who ensured the show was filmed in Hawaii even though CBS had originally planned for it to be filmed on the mainland instead. As such, the star was credited with promoting tourism to the island. 

Sadly, Lord did not work much after "Hawaii Five-O" came to an end, but his final project, "M Station: Hawaii," was also filmed on the island. What's more, he and his wife left their estate to the Hawai'i Community Foundation, and in a 2016 article for Honolulu Magazine, the couple was praised for helping countless people through that. Lord passed away in 1998, and was at his home in Honolulu at the time. It's believed the actor had Alzheimer's Disease, though his official cause of death was listed as congestive heart failure. In addition to the money and assets left to Hawai'i Community Foundation, he's also been remembered for helping actors get bigger parts on "Hawaii Five-O." His fellow actor Doug Mossman told starbulletin.com, "It was his insistence over the years that made sure the show would be here, that it should use local talent on both sides of the camera. ... Jack Lord was a great friend to Hawaii."

Herman Wedemeyer played Duke on "Hawaii Five-O," staying on the series from 1971 right through to its finale. In the wake of his passing in 1999, a crew member spoke to The Honolulu Advertiser about how Wedemeyer brought much-needed levity to the set during his tenure. "He was always cracking little jokes with James MacArthur. Just having a good time with work. The 'Five-O' set is a little stressful. Jack Lord expected the top from his actors and co-stars. It was nice to have an air of lightness sometimes. That was Herman," the former prop assistant told the outlet.

"Hawaii Five-O" was one of very few acting credits for Wedemeyer, though he certainly led a very interesting life prior to his TV fame. That may be an understatement: Wedemeyer enjoyed a high-profile career as a famous athlete in the 1940s, and was even named "the greatest athlete in the country" at one point during his years as a professional football player (via The Honolulu Advertiser). Sadly, a serious injury put an end to that, but he later went into politics in Hawaii, first serving as a Republican for the Honolulu City Council, then as a Democrat in the House of Representatives. 

Given his dedication to the island, it probably shouldn't come as a surprise that Wedemeyer's acting credits were Hawaii-specific. Prior to "Hawaii Five-O," he'd been in "The Hawaiians," and after, he worked on "Magnum, P.I." and the "Hawaii Five-O" TV movie. Sadly, he passed away in 1999, aged 74. The multi-hyphenate had a heart attack. 

James MacArthur famously left "Hawaii Five-O" before it officially concluded in 1980, but he wasn't the only one. Kam Fong Chun, who played Chin Ho Kelly and was credited as Kam Fong on the show, also stepped away early, attributing his decision to the storylines becoming repetitive. Chun later featured in "Magnum, P.I." and "Goodbye Paradise."

Fong passed away in 2002 at the age of 84. As was noted by Variety at the time, he'd been diagnosed with lung cancer several years prior to his death. Per Hawaii News Now, Fung's death was not immediately reported, with his family choosing to keep the news private while they processed his loss. However, once they did officially announce his passing, they thanked his fans in a touching statement, noting in particular "the love and aloha you showed to our father throughout the years" (via Starbulletin.com). The statement also said that Fong had always been grateful for their support, continuing, "The thoughtfulness and kindness you displayed meant so much to him."

One thing that set Fong apart from his "Hawaii Five-O" co-stars was that pre-fame, he'd actually worked a regular job as a member of the Honolulu Police Department. Just over a decade after his passing, Fong, listed by his full name Kam Fong Chun, was inducted into the Honolulu Police Department's Hall of Fame. The statement following his induction praised him for overcoming hardship throughout his life (like surviving the attack on Pearl Harbor, where he had been working as a boilermaker at the time), and lauded his representation of Hawaii. "During his 10 years on the show, Chun always strove to promote a positive image of Hawaii law enforcement and was a role model for many local youths," it read.  

Kono Kalakaua was a "Hawaii Five-O" fan favorite first brought to life by Gilbert Lani Kauhi, better known by his stage name, Zulu. The actor left "Hawaii Five-O" relatively early compared to some of his co-stars, officially exiting the show in 1972. At the time, there were reports that he'd used racial slurs against the publicist for the program, which, per "Jack Lord: An Acting Life," Zulu himself admitted to. However, speaking to TV Guide, the actor also said he was tired of feeling like "a trained-animal act."

Post-"Hawaii Five-O," Zulu became a nightclub entertainer, and to this day, a number of fans have gushed over the memory of seeing him perform live. In response to a Facebook post showing an advertisement for his show at Duke Kahanamoku's International Marketplace, a fan gushed, "Saw Zulu here, and had a photo with him after the show ... one of my really nice memories." Another gushed, "We met him in Hawaii and he was very friendly. My daughter loved meeting him and he couldn't have been nicer to her, my mother and myself. GREAT GUY!" Sadly, in the mid-1980s Zulu had a serious road accident that killed a cyclist, and was convicted of negligent homicide. 

Zulu faced significant health troubles in his later years, including a stroke, heart attack, and diabetes, the latter of which required a kidney transplant. Unfortunately, it was not successful, and the actor passed away while waiting for a second transplant in 2004. Speaking to The Honolulu Advertiser of his co-star's passing, James MacArthur tearfully shared, "Several weeks ago, he called me ... Oh dear. He made it on the list for a kidney transplant." The actor added, "I have many happy memories of Zulu."

The Danno to Jack Lord's Steve McGarrett was James MacArthur, and as fans of the original series may know, he left the hit TV series before it was officially taken off the air in 1980. There has been some debate as to why that was, with MacArthur being quoted by The Guardian as saying he was simply "bored" after being on the hit show for so many years, and William Smith, who'd been cast in MacArthur's absence, telling Shock Cinema Lord had made it unbearable for him. "Jack Lord wouldn't let him have a dressing room. He had to change in the prop truck for eleven years," Smith said. As for Lord himself, he told the Kalamazoo Gazette he believed MacArthur left because "he thought we would be cancelled" (via Me TV).

It's certainly possible all of the above played a role, but whatever the case, MacArthur continued to work as an actor after leaving "Hawaii Five-O." The late actor appeared on "The Love Boat" and "Murder, She Wrote," among other productions. That said, he also took some time away from acting altogether, which was helped by the fact that he'd earned a hefty income during his time on "Hawaii Five-O" (another bone of contention from Lord, who told the Kalamazoo Gazette, "Through our show, he's become a millionaire, and I thought he'd do better by us"). MacArthur had also invested in real estate, and according to Celebrity Net Worth, was worth a cool $20 million when he died. Outside of film and TV, MacArthur worked in theater in his post-"Hawaii Five-O" years. 

MacArthur was just 72 when he passed away in 2010. According to People, he died of natural causes. The actor's agent also told BBC News that his family had been with him at the time of his passing. 

As we said earlier, Zulu departed from "Hawaii Five-O" many years before the show's conclusion. Al Harrington was hired to fill the gap, cast as Ben Kokua, and would go on to be a favorite with viewers just as Zulu had been. However, he left the show in 1975, hinting that one of his co-stars hadn't loved him getting all the attention. "Jack Lord is definitely the star of 'Five-O' ... and there were some feelings when Ben became so popular," he told Fort Lauderdale News (via Me TV). 

Despite leaving "Hawaii Five-O," Harrington told Fort Lauderdale News he had great memories from his time on the show, and he went on to appear in productions like "Charlie's Angels," "Forrest Gump," and "Magnum, P.I." He was also a big fan of the "Hawaii Five-0" reboot, and speaking to Deseret News, he gushed that he'd love to be part of it. "I would love for that to happen. That would be a dream come true. I would welcome such an occasion," he said. Not even a month later, he got his wish. Speaking to Hawaii News Now of being cast as Mamo, he shared, "I am stoked for lack of a better word!" At the time, it wasn't clear if Mamo would become a regular on the show, but sure enough, he made several appearances on the show right through to 2018.

Sadly, the longtime "Hawaii Five-O" (and "Hawaii Five-0") star died in 2021, the result of a stroke. "Al embodied the purest, life-giving values of aloha and began each day with a smile," the late actor's wife shared in a statement, per Deadline. Harrington's agent also had kind words for the late star, telling the outlet, "Admiration, respect, humor, peace, and joy are those attributes that one can ascribe to Al Harrington."