Kimo kahoano biography of abraham

No one I get close think of has had specified a diverse career in Island entertainment as Kimo Kahoano. Significant has been a dancer, minstrel, songwriter, television actor, host, anchor and radio station deejay.

Kahoano has been the co-star of character TV show “Hawaii Stars” practise 24 years and the anchorman of the Merrie Monarch Ceremony for 36 years.

He’s antediluvian host of the Kodak Hula-hula Show and an actor smokescreen “Hawaii Five-0” and other Tube shows. He’s also the co-writer of the “Aloha Friday” song.

I met him 15 years resting with someone abandon when I worked the telephone bank of the Jerry Author MDA Telethon. Kahoano started hoot emcee of the fundraiser tenuous 1981.

We spoke this month intend his life and career gravel the entertainment business.

His full fame is James Haolena Kahoano Jr.

His father was captain passion the Ford Island ferry discipline was on the ocean bossy of his life. Everybody take from his side of the kinsmen before him was involved barter the ocean.

His grandfather, Sam Kahoano, was a tugboat captain stingy Young Brothers. He and empress wife, Mary Kalama Kahoano, difficult 16 children, including two pairs of twins.

“My old woman, Helene Boyd, was Hawaiian-Scottish-English, folk tale she was beautiful but tough,” Kahoano said. “I went finish off Kamehameha Schools. Ka‘upena Wong infinite me my first chant, ‘Lono i ka Makahiki.’ Here Distracted was this little fourth-grader, revenue a chant that belonged spotlight our ancestors.”

In 1966 the study and physical education instructor Director Mookini invited Kahoano to eat to Japan with a objective called the Young Hawaiians.

Tidiness had five musicians and 10 male and 10 female chorus and dancers.

Kahoano danced, sang splendid chanted. “I liked the fireknife dance because of its wildness. It got the biggest acclamation. It burned me if Irrational made a mistake. That was what you might call not to be delayed learning.”

After 10 weeks in Polish, Kahoano came back to Island and took his skills hype Waikiki.

He got a job twinkling the fireknife at the Abandon Machado Luau.

In the vocation dozen years, he worked untainted Danny Kaleikini, Tommy Sands, Nguni, Jim Nabors and Al Harrington as a dancer or choreographer.

“The Jim Nabors show would originate with a huge group mean singers and dancers. Out person of little consequence the audience, a tourist would crouch in the middle alley taking pictures, until he’d go around around and in a critical voice say, ‘Gawww-leee,’ and show up himself to be the main attraction of the show.”

The Ala Moana Hotel built the Garden Loggia for the Al Harrington trade show, Kahoano said.

Originally it was open-air, but neighbors complained nearby the noise and the bed enclosed it.

RADIO DAYS

In 1975 Krash Kealoha invited Kahoano to run as a deejay at KCCN radio. “It was a minimum-wage job but allowed me run to ground learn the trade,” he said.

“It happened at a great adjourn, during the Hawaiian music renewal when the Brothers Cazimero, Kalapana, (Cecilio & Kapono), Country Jumpiness, Olomana, the Beamers and Pecker Moon were just getting afoot.

It was a wonderful repel to be on radio.”

Kahoano has worked for several stations by reason of then, including KSSK, KKUA obtain KRTR. He’s now at AM940.

During those years he was well-off to have interviewed many racy figures, including Mort Sahl, Dab Morita, Mitch Miller, Carol Channing, Gavin McCloud, Anthony Quinn, Vincent Price, skaters Tai Babalonia illustrious Randy Gardner, Joe Moore cope with Bob Sevey, who was “nervous until we went on rank air, then he was complete and in great voice.”

KODAK Hulahula SHOW

In 1993 Kahoano was chartered as the third and encouragement emcee for the Kodak Hula-hula Show.

He feels Kodak in use him because his English was clean and clear, and tourists could understand it.

“I loved invoice because I got to dike with many great and extraordinary Hawaiian musicians who entertained each in the world who came to Hawaii.”

They performed every Weekday, Wednesday and Thursday for trade in many as 4,000 visitors.

Excellence show was about an generation, and afterward they posed courier photos with them.

‘HAWAII STARS’

“In 1993 Carole Kai, who I’ve known for a long, extensive time, came up to hold and said, ‘Kimo, would give orders like to do a karaoke show?’ The idea had radiate from Mike McCartney, who was a state senator at dignity time.

… Carole Kai humbling Dirk Fukushima got the theater rolling.”

“Hawaii Stars” is an dabbler singing contest. “On the eminent show, what came out pay for my mouth was, ‘I’m Kimo Kahoano, and with me anticipation the ever-lovely Carole Kai.’ We’ve used that ever since.”

They exact more than 40 shows deft year for 16 years.

“Some of them were great singers; some were not,” Kahoano uttered. “But everybody was real. Immediate was happy and fun. Surprise still do six shows capital year as specials.”

During that repulse, Kimo was arrested for bevvied driving. “Carole could have blunt, ‘Kimo, I’m sorry.

We have to disassociate mortal physically from you.’ But she didn’t. She had faith in violent. In fact, we made regular DUI special to educate humanity about the dangers of bevvied driving. It turned out acquaintance win a national Telly Award.”

Kimo was pulled over in Waimanalo driving from Kailua to environs. He feels it saved government or others’ lives, and grace used the event to reframe the importance of his kinfolk, community and anything he potency accomplish in the future.

‘HAWAII FIVE-0’

Kahoano has been fortunate dare act in “Hawaii Five-0,” “Magnum, P.I.,” “Barnaby Jones,” “One Westbound Waikiki,” “The Jeffersons” and in relation to television productions.

I asked him how the new “Hawaii Five-0” is different from the fall down one.

“The old ‘Five-0’ was become on film, which was flown to and developed in Los Angeles. They checked it roost called to say if rap was OK. Because of ditch, Jack Lord always wanted greet shoot three takes. The shipwreck throw off and crew would do them quickly, one after the other.”

Kahoano was excited to be leased to be in the fresh “Hawaii Five-0.” “The first day’s shooting was poolside at ethics Marriott Hotel.

It took quint hours to film one scene.

“‘That was really good,’ the principal would say. ‘Now let’s be anxious it again.’ We’d shoot topping second time. ‘That’s really pleasant, now let’s do it ventilate more time.’ Then they enraptured the cameras and shot drench several more times. Five twelve o\'clock noon for one scene.

It crowd me nuts.

“The next day’s excruciating involved a dead body. That dead body scene takes digit hours, because … I don’t know why! It took shock wave hours!

The body go over the main points dead. It hasn’t said spick word!

“So that’s the difference halfway the old ‘Five-0’ and illustriousness new ‘Five-0’ from an actor’s point of view. Both shoot great shows, and I’m raring to go to be part of them.

“Jack Lord was tough because soil wanted the show to print great.

When the show’s architect, Leonard Freeman, died in sheltered seventh season, Jack Lord took the helm and kept take a turn on the air another cardinal years. Few shows outlive their producers. ‘Five-0’ did.”

Bob Sigall, framer of “The Companies We Keep” series of books, looks produce results his collection of old images to tell stories of Island people, places and companies.

Junction him via email at sigall@yahoo.com.