Hi MaiTaiMan, Pahonu,Pahonu wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 3:33 pmHe was also great in The Manchurian Candidate. I’ve always wanted to see his short-lived TV series Khan! but to no avail so far. Even though it’s not supposed to be very good, I’m still interested in watching it.MaiTaiMan wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 7:56 amYes, Leonard Freeman, creator of Hawaii Five-0, often ate at Wo Fat Chop Sui. He then used part of the name for McGarrett’s nemesis. Wo Fat was played by the late Khigh Deigh (pronounced like KI Dee).Luther's nephew Dobie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 02, 2023 6:25 am Thank you 308Guy for creating this thread.
The first time I watch a TV series I try to take it on it's own terms and hope I will be entertained.
If it's worthwhile, the second time through I try breaking down what the writers/director did to put the story over.
Plus searching for the trivial aspects, because I enjoy nonsense, such as looking for film crews reflections in windows or the polished sides of cars, or finding out that the cool sports car driven by
Clark Kent(George Reeves) in Superman was actually his own 1952 Nash Healey Convertable.
Some random Hawaiian Eye stuff:
The Hawaiian Village entrance to the Hawaiian Eye detective agency was flanked on one side by "Cricket's Corner" photography studio and on the other by "The Record Shop"(later also run by Cricket).
By my count 11 times Warner Brothers promoted it's records by putting them in The Record Shop's display window.
Twice a large sign proclaimed -
"TOMORROW'S SOUND TODAY, WARNER BROS. RECORDS"
Either one of the two albums from 77 Sunset Strip would be displayed, briefly seen as one of the stars walked in or out of the hotel.
The albums were
1) "77 Sunset Strip (Music From The Year's Most Popular New Show) 1959"
2) "Kookie Star of 77 Sunset Strip Edd Brynes"
The LP records first appeared in episode one, Malihini Holiday, Oct. 7, 1959. They were last seen on March 5, 1963, in "Blow Low, Blow Blue", one of the very last episodes.
Cricket is seen holding the full cast LP in Sam's Record Store, a Beatnik joint run by hep cat Victor Sen Yung(Bonanza's "Hop Sing"), portrayed here as a full blown jive talking Beat in the proper regalia.
The Cartwrights would have been gobsmacked -
Hungry Hoss: "Hopsing, I'll have scrambled eggs, 2 link sausages and hash browns, extra fries, coffee with cream. And make it fast, please."
Newly Beat Hop Sing recites back Hoss's order in The Kings Jive -
"Frantic, daddy-o. That's cackleberries, two oinks and a haystack, ride the straws, Java and squeeze Bossy. Dig, I'm heels on fire, kitchen bound."
As discussed on the Hawaii Five - O thread, the creative talent behind that series often ate at a Chinese restaurant called "Wo Fat Chop Sui", inspiring the monicker
for McGarrett's arch nemesis, memorably portrayed by Keye Luke.
Wo Fat's was a beloved Chinatown landmark, the oldest restaurant in Hawaii.
The restaurant is gone now but it still remains the "Wo Fat Building".
It showed up at least three times on Hawaiian Eye, it's large neon sign lighting up Hotel Street. It also showed up on Hawaii Five - O and the original
Magnum PI.
Wo Fat's appears twice on Hawaiian Eye in season one, "Malihini Holiday" and "The Kikiki Kid", and once in season four, "Day in the Sun".
In "Day in the Sun", Phillip Barton (Troy Donahue) takes his date there for dinner, but it is now a Japanese restaurant, who knows why.
It was just a handful of episodes. In one of those strange quirks of casting, he played almost entirely East Asian roles though he was born Kenneth Dickerson in Spring Lake, New Jersey of Anglo-Egyptian heritage. It’s not unlike Iron Eyes Cody, born Espera Oscar de Corti, of Italian heritage in Louisiana. They both made successful careers, however.
Aha, it was you MaiTaiMan that supplied the info about Freeman and company eating at Wo Fat's joint, I couldn't recall offhand. My short term memory of late is foggy, I'm told that can be a COVID
side effect for awhile, hopefully like lack of taste it goes away.
Pahonu, holy smokes, my man Wo Fat is actually a Jersey boy named Kenneth Dickerson? Who knew he was a fellow consumer of Taylor Ham and Cheese on a roll washed down with a bottle of
Dr. Brown's finest root beer, while rooting on the NJ Devils.
But if you ask me Mrs. Dickerson has got "some splainin' to do" to her husband, they may be an Anglo-Egyptian couple but their son Ken looks like he could be a Mongol chieftain raiding across
the steppes for Ghengis Khan. Of course he may have been adopted.