Theater and film actor James MacArthur, who played "Danno" in the original television "Hawaii Five-0" died Thursday at age 72. Agent MacArthur, Richard Lewis, said the actor died in Florida of "natural causes", but not the direct cause was specified.
In a career that spanned more than four decades, MacArthur was most recognized for his role as Detective Danny "Danno" Williams, "Hawaii Five-0", which aired from 1968 to 1980. The episodes often ended with Detective Steve McGarrett, the main character, uttering what has become a
pop culture catch phrase: ". EM book", Danno "
Jack Lord, who co-starred in the role of McGarrett, died in 1998.
MacArthur quit the role of
sidekick McGarrett in the year before last season's program.
"Frankly, I'm bored," he explained on his website. "History has become more gentle and predictable, and are less and less of a challenge for me as an actor."
"Hawaii Five-O", one of the oldest crimes in history
television show with 278 episodes, was shot on location in Hawaii. It was the first national television series in Hawaii.
Drama has been redone with a new cast of CBS in this season.
McArthur, born December 8, 1937, seemed destined to become an actor. He was the adopted son of the playwright Charles MacArthur and Helen Hayes award-winning actress is often referred to as the "
first lady of American theater." Silent film star Lillian Gish was his godmother.
"They taught me a lot about the theater only through my life with them," he says of his parents in 1957 interview in the magazine Teen life. "They never pushed me in any direction. Any important decision has always been my own to do."
James MacArthur made his stage debut at age 8 in summer stock production of "corn is green."
His breakthrough role was in 1957 "Climax! Television series production," The young stranger, "in which he starred as a 17-year-old son of film official, skirmishes with the law.
He enrolled at
Harvard the same year, but dropped his second year to pursue an acting career.
As a young actor, MacArthur appeared in the Walt Disney film "Abduction," "Third Man on the mountain," "Swiss Family Robinson" and "Light in the Forest".
He also had roles in "
Interns" Spencer Mountain, "" Battle of the Bulge "and" Hang 'Em High ", as well as the many roles a guest on TV series such as" Gunsmoke. "
He has performed in many stage plays, including a major role Hildy Johnson in 1981, the production of "Front Page", which was co-written by his father in the late 1920's, the Stanford Community Theatre in Palo Alto, California
His living acting career won him the 1961 Theatre World Award for Best New Actor for his performance in "Invitation to a March".
McArthur said that one of his favorite "Hawaii Five-O" episode was in 1975, a segment called "resign in Sunny Hawaii Forever" because it marks one of the rare occasions that he had worked on the screen with his mother. Hayes played Danno Aunt Clara, who is visiting Hawaii and helps detectives solve the murder.
Replying to Hawaii Star Bulletin newspaper in 2003 about his fond memories of working on "Hawaii Five-O", MacArthur said: "Life in Hawaii."
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