New Hawaii Five-O expected to drive tourism

(eTN) – It’s baaack! The original Hawaii Five-O American tv series aired for 12 years on CBS from 1968 to 1980.

(eTN) – It’s baaack! The original Hawaii Five-O American tv series aired for 12 years on CBS from 1968 to 1980. It was one of the longest continuous-running police series in US television history and featured a fictional state police unit run by Detective Steve McGarrett, played by actor Jack Lord. The musical theme is instantly recognizable not only to the people of Hawaii, but to a global audience as well.

Hawaii got a free sneak preview of the new production of the series yesterday, September 13, 2010, on a large screen right on Waikiki Beach. Everyone else will have to wait a week until September 20 when the show premieres on the 42nd anniversary of the original premier in ’68.

The pilot for the new 5-O was shot on Oahu in early March 2010, with full production beginning on July 15, 2010. In the new series, Detective Steve McGarrett is played by Alex Oโ€™Loughlin and is joined by Detective โ€œDannoโ€ Williams, played by Scott Caan. Chin Ho Kelly, played by Daniel Dae Kim, and Chinโ€™s cousin, Kono Kalakaua, is played by Grace Park, which rounds out the main cast.

Just as the show did decades ago, it is anticipated that viewers of the new Hawaii 5-O will come to Hawaii to visit and see for themselves sites they have seen on the show. Hawaiiโ€™s Research and Economic Analysis Division, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, estimates that the show will generate more than US$60 million for the Aloha State in revenues from such areas as tourism, production, and new jobs.

As Jack Lord always used to say to Detective Williams, “Book ’em, Danno,” the Hawaii tourism industry hopes to hear the same “Book ’em” phrase hitched up to airplane and hotel room reservations.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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