MovieChat Forums > Hawaiian Eye (1959) Discussion > Who's Your Favorite Detective, Lopaka or...

Who's Your Favorite Detective, Lopaka or Steele?

posted 21 years ago by rao-4
2 replies | jump to latest

I'd have to say it's Tom Lopaka, maybe because I had seen Robert Conrad first as James West on "The Wild, Wild West," before I ever saw Anthony Eisley anywhere. I had never even heard of him until I came across this page on the imdb. Tracy Steele (Anthony Eisley) sometimes comes across as too suave, too casual, and always gets the women, though Tom Lopaka (Robert Conrad) was much more handsome and energetic. Tom had some interesting and adventurous cases ("Assigment: Manila," "Dead Ringer," "The Princess From Manhattan," etc.) where he got to show off that tough-guy style that was severly limited whenever Steele had the lead.

I still laugh when I think of the first time I saw the epsiode, "Dragon Road," and my dad took one look at Anthony Eisley and asked, "Is he the hero? Oh, boy!" Then throughout the show he kept asking, "Where's Robert Conrad? Why do they put his name in the beginning and he isn't even there?" It was just our luck that most of the epsiodes of HE that we saw at that time featured Anthony Eisley in the lead. We were waiting to see James West play detective. Eisley was also a good actor, who sadly died earlier this year, and I did enjoy watching him.

I wonder what the rest of you think.

[–] kyle-140 19 years ago

I think steele grows on you the more you watch the series. however my fav character is kim..the local cabbie. he lends the right touch of authenticity to the show with plentiful uncles & aunties, his uke strummin, and his pidgeon slang as he weaves his way among the haoles. Mahalo to the big brass at the studio for putting a show on that to this day is borrowed heavily from.

[–] rao-4 19 years ago

You've got that right! Kim was great comic relief. Every time he came on the screen, I had to laugh. He had a way of bringing levity into the most serious of situations. I agree that Steele tends to develop some affinity from the audience. He provided the gentleman-like presence and sophistication needed to balance Lopaka's rough, hard-edged, inert personality.