Some ironies about Jack Lord

In "A Willing Suspension of Disbelief" Jack lord gives a very strong performance as a surgeon beset with rheumatoid arthritis which will prevent him from operating again. In desperation he takes a quack medicine with does relieve his arthritis but is full of steroids which turn him into a manic-depressive.This causes arrogant outbursts with threaten his medical career and his marriage.

- I've read that lord was offered the role of Ben Casey but he asked for too much money and partial ownership of the show. The same thing happened when he was offered the role of Captain Kirk on Star Trek. That's too bad because I consider Lord a far better actor than the stone-faced Vince Edwards. I also think Lord is somewhat better than Shatner but might have lacked the light touch needed in the occasional comic episodes, (I can't see him dealing with the tribbles). He finally got the deal he wanted with Hawaii Five-0 and Steve McGarrett became the iconic character he was noted for. McGarrett seems to me a less interesting role than Kirk or Casey. He mostly puzzles over clues, gives orders, lectures people or shoots it out with the bad guys. Casey deals with human relationships and illnesses. Kirk deals with alien beings, mysterious forces, the prime directive and the meaning of life. At any rater this episode features Dr. Kildare interacting with a actor, (and even a character) who could have been Ben Casey.

- In the first season of Hawaii Five-0, McGarrett flies to California to be with his sister, whose child is dying. the sister comes under the sway of a quack promoter of fake cures, whom McGarrett vows to destroy, ("Once Upon a Time").

- Late in the run of Hawaii Five-0, Jack Lord struggled with arthritis. I've read he sometimes had to have a double even to film a scene where he gets out of a car.

- I've never heard that Lord was manic-depressive but there are plenty of stories of him being arrogant and having a flash temper.

I suppose in along career, actors are bound to play roles that echo other roles that they play or even events in their own lives.





The past is a series of presents. The present is living history we are privileged to witness