Those of you old enough to remember will recall that the TV show “Hawaii Five-0” currently appearing (on CBS, I think) isn’t the original show about the police force in Hawaii. The original show premiered in the 1960s — and — was filmed in Hawaii.
In the early 70s I was assigned to a project that required extensive travel between Washington and Honolulu — I made the trip at least weekly for some time. We were there so much that our organization rented an apartment on one of the upper floors of the Ilikai Hotel. The apartment was owned by a Japanese business man and only used by him on rare occasions. It was very nicely furnished and we were able to leave our belongings there and not have to haul them back and forth on every trip.
One day myself and a co-worker had just arrived a few hours earlier when we got an urgent phone call informing us that we must return to Washington immediately. Reservations on a flight had already been made for us and there was a car waiting downstairs — we had less than an hour to get to the airport. (Flying then was much easier and more expedient that it is today.) Anyhow, we grabbed our briefcases (everyone carried a briefcase in those days,) jumped in the elevator, and raced out through the lobby to our waiting car.
We were not aware at the time that a scene for the (original) Hawaii Five-0 TV show was being filmed in the lobby of the Ilikai. Of course we went racing through the scene and were obviously caught on camera, although it was very briefly.
The lobby had been cordoned off for the scene, but we burst out of the elevator so fast that the “guard” by the elevator was caught by surprise.
I’m sure the scene was ruined and had to be re-shot, but the project we were working on was considered to be very sensitive and our security people went to the production crew and demanded (and got) the film/tape of the scene. When I heard that the film was confiscated I inquired about it, but was never shown the film. I asked if the people that had seen it thought I might have a career in television. I mostly just got scowls — it turns out that our group had to “pay” for the film.
I don’t watch today’s version of Hawaii Five-0, but when I see it advertised, I often think of my (very) short stint on TV.
As an added bonus, for reading this blog, do you happen to know the significance of “Five-0” in the shows title?
The show was about an (elite) force of police in the 50th state. So the 5-0 stood for the 50th state. On the show, the cops would announce themselves by shouting, “police, five 0!” The term became widely adopted as a way to announce the presence of police.
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