Lani Kai
{{Infobox person
| name = Lani Kai
| image =
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| birth_name =
| birth_date = August 15, 1936
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and age|1999|8|29|1936|8|15}}
| death_place =
| nationality = Hawaiian
| other_names =
| occupation = Actor, singer, entertainer
| years_active =
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| notable_works =
}}
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 film Blue Hawaii and was a regular cast member of the television series Adventures in Paradise.
Background
Kai was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.From Small Screen to Vinyl: A Guide to Television Stars Who Made Records, 1950 - 2000 By Bob Leszczak [https://books.google.com/books?id=UpucCQAAQBAJ&dq=George+Clarence+Dennis+James+Von+Ruckleman+Woodd+II&pg=PA171 Page 171 K, Lani Kai] He was brother of Lee Woodd, and the half brother of Kalai Strode and Junelehua Robertson.Honolulu Star-Bulletin Thursday, August 26, 1999 [http://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/08/26/news/story4.html Entertainer Lani Kai dies at 63] His mother Lukia Luana, a Hawaiian princess, was married to actor Woody Strode.American Sports: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas By Murry R. Nelson [https://books.google.com/books?id=tfTXAQAAQBAJ&dq=luukialuana+kalaeloa+strode+dorothy&pg=PA1293 Page 1293 Strode, Woody (1914 - 1994)]Honolulu Star-Bulletin Thursday, August 26, 1999 [http://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/08/26/news/story4.html Entertainer Lani Kai dies at 63] His brother Lee Woodd, who was also an actor, died on 19 September 2002.Moviefone [http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/lee-woodd/20120866/filmography/ Lee Woodd]Aveleyman.com [http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=22053 Lee Woodd]
=Death=
He died The Chicago Tribune August 29, 1999 [https://web.archive.org/web/20160306135059/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-08-29/news/9908290277_1_papua-new-guinea-saudi-arabia-san-diego/2 Page 2 of 2, Deaths last week] on August 29, 1999, at a North Shore home of a friend, two weeks after his 63rd birthday.Honolulu Star-Bulletin Thursday, August 26, 1999 [http://archives.starbulletin.com/1999/08/26/news/story4.html Entertainer Lani Kai dies at 63]
Music career
Kai got an early break on the Don Sherwood Show in San Francisco, California.MTV Artists [https://web.archive.org/web/20160330201833/http://www.mtv.com/artists/lani-kai/ Lani Kai, Biography]
In late 1959, his single "Now There Are None" / "Isle Of No Aloha" was released.The Billboard December 7, 1959 [https://books.google.com/books?id=5QcEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Lani+Kai+Isle+Of+No+Aloha&pg=PA54 Page 54 Pop Records *** Good Sales Potential] In 1963, his album Island Love Songs was released.Billboard August 3, 1963 [https://books.google.com/books?id=WQsEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Lani+Kai+Billboard&pg=PA31 Page 31 Just Released! From Decca - Coral For A Profitable Fall] In November 1968, he was appearing live at the Hawaii-Five-O club with Al Lopaka and Nephi Hannemann.Billboard November 2, 1968 [https://books.google.com/books?id=sgoEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Lani+Kai%22Nephi+Hannemann&pg=RA1-PA68 Page 68 International News Reports, From the Music Capitals of the World, Honolulu]
In 1968, he had a single released on Don Ho's Hana Ho label.Billboard November 16, 1968 [https://books.google.com/books?id=r0UEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Lani+Kai+Billboard&pg=PA84 Page 84 Cap Releases 3 Ho Singles]
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.Honolulu Star-Bulletin Saturday, January 19, 2002 [http://archives.starbulletin.com/2002/01/19/news/whatever.html Whatever Happened... Entertainer Hannemann a ‘believer in human race’ By Pat Gee]
=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.Billboard November 30, 1974 [https://books.google.com/books?id=ewkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Lani+Kai%22Billboard&pg=PA45 Page 45 General News, Island Madness, Puka Shell Craze Leading To Local Song, Disk Hit] He also co-composed "The Poor People" with Cliff Muller.Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series [https://books.google.com/books?id=MD8hAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22Lani+Kai%22Billboard&pg=PA585 Page 585 Current Registrations] Another composition "Shells" was recorded by Keola Beamer and included on his album for George Winston's Dancing Cat Records, Wooden Boat album.Dancing Cat Records [http://www.dancingcat.com/notes/08022-38024-2.php Liner Notes, Wooden Boat]
Lani Kai discography
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Singles |
| scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Label & cat ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes # |
|---|
| scope="row" | "Beach Party" / "Little Brown Gal (Cha Cha Cha)"
| Keen 1–2023 | 1959 | |
| scope="row" | "I'm Gonna Leave My Heart At Home" / "Batik"
| Keen 82103 | 1959 | |
| scope="row" | "Isle Of No Aloha" / "Now There Are None"
| Keen 5–2023 | 1959 | |
| scope="row" | "Pretty Little Nisei Girl" / "Tamoure'"
| Chelan C-554 | 19?? | Lani Kai & The Shells |
| scope="row" | Malia" / "Flying Bird"
| Hana Ho 1024 | 1968 | |
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Albums |
| scope="col" | Album title
! scope="col" | Label & cat ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes # |
|---|
| scope="row" | Island Love Songs
| Decca DL 4334 | 1963 | |
| scope="row" | Hawaiian Magic (Featuring The Orchestra Of Lani Kai)
| Diplomat Records D-2326 | 1964 | |
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Various artists compilation albums | |
| scope="col" | Song title
! scope="col" | Album title ! scope="col" | Label & catalogue ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Format ! scope="col" | Notes | |
|---|---|
| scope="row" | "Mystic Moon"
| The International Vicious Society Vol. V ! University Of Vice Records UOVR006 ! 2011 | Vinyl LP | | |
| scope="row" | "I'm Gonna Leave My Heart At Home"
| Cheesy Moments ! Chrome Dreams ! 2012 | CD | | |
| scope="row" | "I'm Gonna Leave My Heart At Home"
| Saints and Sinners Vol 7 | !
! Sheik LP-507 ! 2012 | Vinyl LP | |
| scope="row" | "I'm Gonna Leave My Heart At Home"
| Teen Rockin' Party ! Classics Records clcd 752 ! 2014 | CD | | |
| scope="row" | "Beach Party"
| Rockwool Rocker & Ruller Derudaf 2 ! Rockwool A/S ! | CD | |
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+ Compositions |
| scope="col" | Composition
! scope="col" | Appears on album / single release ! scope="col" | By artist ! scope="col" | Label & catalogue ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" | Format ! scope="col" | Notes |
|---|
| scope="row" | "Young Land"
! Tiny Bubbles | Don Ho | Reprise RS 6232 | 1966 | LP album | |
| scope="row" | "This Young Land"
! Don Ho And The Aliis Volume II | Don Ho | Reprise PRO 310 | 1967 | LP album | Credited co-writer Ralph Mathis |
| scope="row" | "This Young Land" |
| scope="row" | "Tu Tu Kane"
! "Tu Tu Kane" / "The Windward Side (Of The Island)" | Don Ho | Reprise 0643 | 1968 | 7" Single | |
| scope="row" | "Shells"
! Paddle, Two Paddle | Pat And His Paddlers | Kanaka KS-1001 | 1972 | LP Album | |
| scope="row" | "Tu Tu kane"
! "Tu Tu Kane" / "Tutu Wahine" | Nephi Hannemann | El Leon Records ERS 45/103 | | 7" single | |
| scope="row" | "Tutu Wahine"
! "Tu Tu Kane" / "Tutu Wahine" | Nephi Hannemann | El Leon Records ERS 45/103 | | 7" single | |
| scope="row" | "Shells"
! Shells | The Surfers | Trim Records TLP-1979 | 1974 | LP Album | |
| scope="row" | "Tūtūkane"
! Kū Ha‘aheo Kakou, E Nā Hawai‘i | Mel Amina | Hana Hou Records HHD 8819–4 | 1995 | Cassette album | |
Film and television career
When he was 24 years old, he was picked for the television series Adventures in Paradise.MTV Artists [https://web.archive.org/web/20160330201833/http://www.mtv.com/artists/lani-kai/ Lani Kai, Biography] He ended up with a role as Kelly the series from 1960 to 1962.Fifties Web [http://fiftiesweb.com/tv/adventures-in-paradise/ Adventures in Paradise]Classic TV Archive [http://ctva.biz/US/Adventure/AdventuresInParadise.htm Adventures In Paradise (1959-62)] He had also played the part of Carl Tanami in the 1961 film Blue Hawaii.Elvis in Hawaii [http://www.elvisinhawaii.com/cac.html Blue Hawaii, Cast & Crew] Between the late 60s and early 70s, he appeared in a few Hawaii Five-O episodes.Digitallyobsessed.com [http://www.digitallyobsessed.com/displaylegacy.php?ID=9551 Hawaii Five-O: The Second Season (1969/1970)] In one the episode The Joker's Wild, Man, Wild!, he played the part of Billy Hona. It also starred Beverlee McKinsey.Booking Hawaii Five-O: An Episode Guide and Critical History of the 1968 - 1970 Television Series By Karen Rhodes [https://books.google.com/books?id=_FruSwC9UjwC&dq=%22Lani+Kai%22Hawaii+Five-O&pg=PA65 Page 65 The Joker's Wild, Man, Wild (#36)]
Filmography
=Feature film=
- Blue Hawaii (1961) - Carl Tanami
- The Late Liz (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)Imdb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0434990/ Lani Kai (1936–1999)]
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|0434990}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kai, Lani}}
Category:Male actors from Hawaii
Category:Songwriters from Hawaii
Category:Male actors from Honolulu
Category:Musicians from Honolulu
Category:Native Hawaiian musicians
Category:20th-century American singers