If you close your eyes and think about the original Hawaii Five-O, the theme song probably starts blasting in your head immediately. You see Jack Lord looking stern. You see the waves. But for a lot of people, the heart of that early team wasn't just McGarrett; it was the big, local guy with the easy smile and the surfboard. His name was Zulu, and he played Kono Kalakaua.
He was a force.
Most people don't realize that Zulu wasn't just some actor they plucked from a casting call in Los Angeles. He was a local legend in Hawaii long before the cameras started rolling at the Iolani Palace. Born Gilbert Lani Kauhi, he was a beach boy, a musician, and a comedian who basically embodied the spirit of Waikiki.
Who Was the Man Known as Zulu?
Before the suits and the police badges, Zulu was a surfer. Honestly, that’s where his soul was. Growing up in Hilo and then moving to Honolulu, he became one of the famous "Waikiki Beach Boys." These guys were the gatekeepers of the ocean, teaching tourists how to ride waves and outrigger canoes.
He had this incredible, booming presence.
It wasn't just his size, though he was a big man. It was his charisma. He performed in nightclubs, often working with legendary Hawaiian entertainers like Don Ho. He had a comedy act. He sang. He played the ukulele. He was a "local boy" made good, and when Leonard Freeman was looking to cast the pilot for Hawaii Five-O in the late 1960s, he knew he needed someone who actually represented the islands.
He found Zulu.
The Chemistry of the Original Four
The dynamic of that first cast was lightning in a bottle. You had Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett—the intense, uncompromising leader. You had James MacArthur as "Danno," the loyal second-in-command. Then you had Kam Fong as Chin Ho Kelly and Zulu as Kono Kalakaua.
Zulu brought something the others didn't.
He provided the "muscle," sure, but he also provided the cultural grounding. While McGarrett was barking orders and chasing international spies, Kono felt like the guy who actually knew the streets—and the beaches—of Oahu. He was the bridge between the mainland police procedural and the authentic Hawaiian setting.
Fans loved him.
He appeared in the first 97 episodes. That is a massive run for a character who, on paper, was often relegated to the background. But Zulu didn't stay in the background. He commanded the screen every time he was on it. He didn't have to say much; his presence told the story.
The Controversy and the Exit
Things weren't always "aloha" on the set, though.
In 1972, during the fourth season, Zulu was abruptly fired. If you've ever wondered why Kono just suddenly vanished from the team, the reality is a bit messy. It wasn't a creative decision based on the script. It was a clash of personalities and a very public incident.
Basically, Zulu got into a heated confrontation with a unit publicist. Reports from the time suggest there were racial slurs involved—directed at Zulu—and he didn't take it lying down. He was a man of immense pride. He stood his ground. But in the rigid hierarchy of 1970s television production, especially on a set run by the notoriously strict Jack Lord, the "troublemaker" was the one who had to go.
He was replaced by Al Harrington (who played Al Siu), but for many die-hard fans, the show lost a bit of its soul when Kono left.
Life After the Five-O Badge
What do you do when you're one of the most famous faces in the world but you've been blacklisted from the biggest show in town?
You go back to your roots.
Zulu didn't crawl away and hide. He returned to the stage. He became a staple of the Waikiki showroom circuit. He had a long-running show at the C'est Si Bon showroom in the Pagoda Hotel. He did what he did best: he entertained people with music, jokes, and that massive personality.
He also stayed active in the community. He was a huge proponent of Hawaiian culture and often used his fame to support local causes. He was a real person, not a Hollywood construct. He had his demons, sure—legal troubles and health issues cropped up later in life—but the people of Hawaii never stopped loving him.
The Legacy of Kono Kalakaua
When the Hawaii Five-O reboot happened in 2010, they reimagined Kono as a woman, played by Grace Park. It was a cool twist, but for the "silver surfers" and the kids who grew up in the 70s, there is only one Kono.
Zulu's portrayal was groundbreaking in a way we often overlook today.
Back then, Pacific Islanders were usually cast as "villager #3" or "scary thug." Zulu was a hero. He was a smart, capable, high-ranking police officer. He was part of the elite. That mattered. It mattered to kids in Hawaii to see someone who looked like them, spoke like them, and carried himself with that kind of dignity on national television.
He passed away in 2004 at the age of 66.
His ashes were scattered off Waikiki, exactly where you'd expect a beach boy to return. He wasn't just an actor who played a cop; he was a piece of Hawaiian history that happened to be captured on 35mm film.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Historians
If you want to really appreciate what Zulu brought to the screen, don't just watch the highlight reels.
- Watch the early Season 1 episodes: Specifically, look at "Strangers in Our Own Land." It deals with the changing face of Hawaii, and you can see Zulu’s genuine connection to the subject matter.
- Look for his music: Zulu released several albums, including Zulu Hawaii's Favorite and Zulu Sings. They aren't just kitschy TV actor albums; they are actually decent snapshots of the Waikiki lounge era.
- Visit the "Five-O" spots: If you're ever in Honolulu, skip the tourist traps for a second. Go to the beaches at Waikiki where the old beach boys used to congregate. You can still feel the vibe that Zulu brought to the character.
- Study the firing incident: If you're interested in television history, look into the 1972 production notes of the show. It’s a fascinating, albeit sad, case study in how labor relations and racial tensions were handled in the industry fifty years ago.
Zulu was more than a character. He was a man who lived his life with a specific kind of Hawaiian "mana" or power. He fought for his respect, he loved his islands, and he left a mark on television that still hasn't faded. Book 'em, Danno. But let Kono lead the way.
Next Steps for Deep Diving into Zulu’s Career:
- Locate "The 14th Part": Seek out Zulu's smaller film roles, such as his appearance in the 1963 film Diamond Head, to see his raw talent before the Five-O fame.
- Archival Research: Check the Honolulu Star-Bulletin archives for 1972-1974 to read the contemporary local coverage of his departure from the show, which provides much more nuance than the official network press releases.
- Support Local Heritage: Look into the Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) archives, which occasionally run retrospectives on local performers who broke barriers in Hollywood.
