Falling Down

“Where are the Hawaii stuntmen?” Lord’s voice echoed through the Ko’olau Mountains.

The Time:  1978
The Place:  Hang Glider Ridge, Hawaii Kai
The Voice:  Jack Lord
The Show:  Hawaii Five-0

I stood next to Jack Lord, we looked like twins. I was his stunt double that day.

The scene was a drug bust. McGarrett drove up in his big black Mercury and surprised the bad guys making a drug deal. He almost runs them down but they dive out of the way. McGarrett jumps out of the car, gets the drop on them and “books” the bad guys. Jack was not pleased with the stunts. He liked what I did, but he hated what the mainland guys did. “You guys came all the way to Hawaii to fall down? We pay you first-class air and hotel to come to Hawaii to fall down? Don’t we have any guys in Hawaii who can fall down, John? Where are the Hawaii stuntmen?!” he shouted at the sky.

When my ears stopped ringing, I made myself a promise. I knew some local guys who could fall down and that was the beginning of the Hawaii Stunt Association.

I would build it, as Jack Lord would have, to help the Hawaii stunt players, to help the local film industry and to give back to the state of Hawaii.

Jack Lord loved Hawaii. He was the inspiration behind the Hawaii Stunt Association (HSA). Twenty-five years ago, HSA became the first professional stunt association in Hawaii. It was first envisioned and suggested by Jack Lord, encouraged by the Screen Actors Guild Hawaii Branch, assisted by the Hawaii Film Office and modeled after the Stuntmen’s Association of Hollywood, and incorporated as a professional association in 1980.

The purpose of the HSA is to train and promote Hawaii’s stunt players. Its standards are high and membership in the HSA is demanding and requires commitment. The HSA specializes in four areas: stunt performers, training, equipment and production.

With this corporate structure and its many film credits, HSA is a partner in Hawaii’s Film Industry. Several years ago, HSA and the Screen Actors Guild lobbied at the State Capitol for a bill to support local film production. How could we make our point for our industry? I came up with an idea. The next day at the Legislature, as legislators filed out of their meetings at lunch time, they heard a loud voice on a megaphone. I announced that stuntman Colin Fong would be jumping into the rotunda. As people stood watching, Colin jumped! He fell down from the top floor of the capitol to the rotunda floor and landed safely on a large air bag. He knew how to fall down. We used this stunt to make our point that day.

Colin Fong 'falling down'

Today, members from the Hawaii Stunt Association work on the new incarnation of Hawaii Five-0. Thanks to the original Hawaii Five-O and the numerous shows that followed, Hawaii’s stunt community continues to grow and build on its reputation. Today, Hawaii’s stunt professionals live and work in Hawaii and around the world.

Jack Lord would have been very proud. He believed in local hire. Thank you, Jack.

This item was originally featured in the August 2013 local newsletter.