Off to Hawaii where so many great television shows have been filmed. It’s not just BIG WAVE DAVE’S. There have been others. Speaking of “others”, LOST films there. They’re probably close to concluding the series. If I see a giant blinding light and suddenly I’m in 1945 I’ll know why.But you forget how many great shows were filmed in America’s 50th state. I’m pretty sure HAWAII FIVE-O. And from the 50s, HAWAIIAN EYE.
But that’s just the tip of the tropical iceberg.
These other great shows went before the cameras in Hawaii:
AVERAGE JOE: HAWAII
THE NEW GIDGET
SURF GIRLS
BAYWATCH HAWAIIAN WEDDING
MOOLAH BEACH
BRITNEY IN HAWAII
JOHNNY TSUNAMI
TOO RICH: THE SECRET LIFE OF DORIS DUKES
CROWFOOT
LEGEND OF THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES
LAVA AND LIFE
TRENCHCOAT IN PARADISE
TARZAN IN MANHATTAN
ISLANDS OF THE FIRE GODDESS
THE WALLY AMOS HAPPINESS HOUR
WAR AND REMEMBRANCE
YUKI SAITO SPECIAL
MAUI JAIL BREAK
Oh yeah, and something called MAGNUM P.I.
When we did BIG WAVE DAVE’S in 1993 we did it as a multi-camera show on the Paramount lot. But the plan was, should the show become a big hit we would actually film it in Hawaii. I remember we had some preliminary discussions about what it would cost, converting a sound stage, building bleachers and sound and video booths, how many camera crews we would have to import, etc.
And then we realized, this is stupid! We’d still be inside, shooting on a dark sound stage. Who moves their entire production to Hawaii just to be filming indoors in a giant barn with no windows?
That would have been a colossal waste of money. Fortunately, CBS was looking out for us and cancelled the show before we could make such a faux pas. Thanks again, guys.
So now the Levine clan is off once again to Maui, where I can honestly say it is just as beautiful in real life as it is in HD.
Aloha.
7 comments :
I worked on Trenchcoat in Paradise! And was jealous as hell of the folks who got to go! Remember some high-larious dailies of one of the male leads' hair being blown into something that can only be described as a rooster comb! Aaaaahhhh, the good old days.
Also shot in the Hollywood fo teh South Pacific: the Juarassic Park films, and RIDE THE WILD SURF with Fabian & Tab Hunter and no shirts allowed. Not shot in Hawaii, SOUtH PACIFIC.
I heard a rumor that BLUE HAWAII with Elvis was really filmed in Toronto.
Bring me back some LOST swag, like maybe THE SCRIPT OF THE FINAL EPISODE. (shhh.)
WV: fruinge: a really grungy episode of FRINGE.
Knowing Warner Bros TV back then, I doubt Hawaiian Eye did any shooting in Hawaii anymore than Bourbon Street Beat was shot in New Orleans.
There was also Hawaiian Heat, which I actually remember -- cops Robert GInty & Jeff McCracken relocate from Chicago; it debuted the same Friday night as Miami Vice.
And oddly, for a stretch in the middle of the run of Jake and the Fatman, they moved production from LA to Hawaii. I surmised that CBS wanted to keep its Hawaiian studio active after Magnum PI ended, rather than shut the operation down.
Hi Ken. Just got back from Florida - but HA sounds much better. Just checking in to say hi. Have a great trip. Do you ever get over to the big Island? Nikki Hevesy
Speaking of Lost, this is more of a Friday question.
When writers are trying to sell a new show that has a big surprise or twist, perhaps two or three seasons in (obviously they are hoping they get that far), do they have to reveal every detail at the pitch/submission?
If Lost had been by a first time writer, would he/she have had to explain the polar bears etc?
I loved Robert Ginty as an actor. He's now hanging out in Ireland, I understand, acting and teaching drama.
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