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Actor James MacArthur of Hawaii Five O passes away

Actor James MacArthur of Hawaii Five O passes away

The actor James MacArthur who appeared the TV series Hawaii Five-O has died. He ws 72.

Mr. MacArthur played the character Detective Danny “Danno” Williams in the popular series along side Jack Lord’s Detective Steve McGarrett. Episodes often ended with Lord saying “Book ’em, Danno”.

While Mr. MacArthur will best be remembered for his involvement in one of the most popular television series produced in the 1970s he also had enjoyed success in films.

He had abandoned his studies at Harvard University to pursue a career as a film actor. His early credits included The Young Stranger (1957) and Kidnapped (1960).

Mr. MacArthur then appeared in Swiss Family Robinson (1960) which became a classic.

His involvement with Hawaii Five-O came about after he appeared in the Clint Eastwood movie Hang ’em High (1968). The film’s writer was Leonard Freeman who became producer of the Hawaii Five-O series.

The actor playing the Detective Williiams character in the pilot for the series was deemed to be too young by test audiences and Freeman asked Mr. MacArthur if he would take-up the role.

He appeared in the show from 1968 until 1979. He left a year before the series ended but by then Mr. MacArthur was a wealthy man having invested most of his earnings from the TV show in Hawaiian property.

He was married three times and is survived by his third wife, Helen Beth Duntz, and his four children.

 

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