Lani Kai (born George Clarence Dennis James Von Ruckleman Woodd III; August 15, 1936 – August 29, 1999) was a Hawaiian singer and actor. He had a role in the
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
film ''
Blue Hawaii
''Blue Hawaii'' is a 1961 American musical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Elvis Presley. The screenplay by Hal Kanter was nominated by the Writers Guild of America in 1962 in the category of Best Written Americ ...
'' and was a regular cast member of the television series ''
Adventures in Paradise''.
Background
Kai was born in
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island o ...
. He was brother of Lee Woodd, and the half brother of
Kalai Strode and Junelehua Robertson. His mother Lukia Luana, a Hawaiian princess was married to actor
Woody Strode
Woodrow Wilson Woolwine Strode (July 25, 1914 – December 31, 1994) was an American athlete and actor. He was a decathlete and football star who was one of the first Black American players in the National Football League in the postwar era. Aft ...
. His brother Lee Woodd, who was also an actor, died on 19 September 2002.
Death
He died on August 29 1999 at a North Shore home of a friend, two weeks after his 63rd birthday.
Music career
Kai got an early break on the Don Sherwood Show in San Francisco, California.
In late 1959, his single "Now There Are None" / "Isle Of No Aloha" was released. In 1963, his album ''Island Love Songs'' was released. In November 1968, he was appearing live at the Hawaii-Five-O club with
Al Lopaka and
Nephi Hannemann
Nephi Hannemann (February 6, 1945 – March 31, 2018) was an actor and singer of Samoan, German and English descent who appeared numerous times on '' Hawaii Five-O'' and ''One West Waikiki''.
Biography
Nephi Hannemann was born in American Samoa ...
.
In 1968, he had a single released on
Don Ho's Hana Ho label.
In the late 1990s, he was working on an album with actor / singer Nephi Hannemann which was to be a follow up to Hannemann's album ''The Polynesian Man'' but Kai died before it could come together.
Compositions
His composition "Puka Shells" which was recorded by Rod Young made it to no 2 in the Hawaiian music charts in the mid-1970s. He also co-composed "The Poor People" with Cliff Muller. Another composition "Shells" was recorded by
Keola Beamer
Keola Beamer (born Keolamaikalani Breckenridge Beamer February 18, 1951) is a Hawaiian slack-key guitar player, best known as the composer of "Honolulu City Lights" and an innovative musician who fused Hawaiian roots and contemporary music. Keola ...
and included on his album for George Winston's Dancing Cat Records, ''Wooden Boat'' album.
Lani Kai discography
Film and television career
When he was 24 years old, he was picked for the television series Adventures in Paradise. He ended up with a role as Kelly the series from 1960-1962. He had also played the part of Carl Tanami in the 1961 film ''Blue Hawaii''. Between the late 60s and early 70s, he appeared in a few ''Hawaii Five-O'' episodes. In one the episode ''The Joker's Wild, Man, Wild!'', he played the part of Billy Hona. It also starred
Beverlee McKinsey
Beverlee McKinsey (August 9, 1935 – May 2, 2008) was an American actress. She is best known for her roles on daytime serials, including Iris Wheeler, Iris Cory Carrington on ''Another World (TV series), Another World'' and the spin-off series ...
.
Filmography
Feature film
* ''Blue Hawaii'' (1961) - Carl Tanami
* ''
The Late Liz
''The Late Liz'' is a 1971 American drama film directed by Dick Ross and written by Bill Rega. It is based on the 1957 book ''The Late Liz'' by Gertrude Behanna (pen name Elizabeth Burns). The film stars Anne Baxter, Steve Forrest, James Gregor ...
'' (1971) - Manu (final film role)
Television
* ''Adventures in Paradise'' - Episode: '' The Forbidden Sea'' - Khobu - (1 episode) (1960)
* ''Adventures in Paradise'' - Episodes: Various - Kelly Katimakaka, Kelly Kelimanaha, Kelly (26 episodes) (1960–1962)
* ''Hawaiian Eye'' - Episode: ''Go for Baroque'' - Johnny (1 episode) (1963)
* ''Hawaii Five-O'' - Episode: ''Yesterday Died and Tomorrow Won't Be Born'' - M.K. (1968)
* ''Hawaii Five-O'' - Episode: ''The Joker's Wild, Man, Wild!'' - Billy (1969)
* ''Hawaii Five-O'' - Episode: ''Most Likely to Murder'' - Lonnie Kahekili (1970)
[Imd]
Lani Kai (1936–1999)
/ref>
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kai, Lani
Male actors from Hawaii
Songwriters from Hawaii
Male actors from Honolulu
Hawaiian songwriters
Musicians from Honolulu
Native Hawaiian musicians
20th-century American singers
Native Hawaiian people
1936 births
1999 deaths