RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN IN
“ISLAND SON”
© 2000. Okihei Enterprise, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Tribute to Richard Chamberlain

 

 
First Telecast: September 19, 1989
Last Telecast: March 29, 1990

Starring: Richard Chamberlain as 
Dr. Daniel Kulani

Co-starring:

Timothy Carhart   as Dr. Anthony Metzger
Carol Huston    as Dr. Caitlin McGrath
Brynn Thayer    as D. Margret Judd
Clyde Kusatsu   as Dr.Kenji Fushida
Kwan Hi Lim    as Tutu Kulani
Betty Carvalho   as Nana Kulani
Ray Bumatai   as James Kulani
William McNamara    as Sam Kulani
Alberta Watson   as Nina Delaney
Ariana Richards   as Tess Delaney
Michael Adamshick   as Paul Brody

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Background of the series:

Richard Chamberlain had a marvelous idea of filming a medical drama in Hawaii. 

Everyone was enthusiastic and he got ‘carte blanche’ from the American television.

With Dr. Kildare at the back of their mind, which was an enormous success in the sixties they had visions of many millions profit.

At first Richard wanted to revive Dr. Kildare. 
But soon he discovered MGM, who produced the series, had still the rights on this title and he was afraid they would asked a fortune for these rights.

So he created a new doctor. 

Dr. James Kildare became Dr. Daniel Kulani, a real Hawaiian physician. The headline of the story was born. 
Daniel Kulani adopted after the bombardment on Pearl Harbour and raised in a traditional Hawaiian family, where he got the knowledge of the Hawaiian culture, and their ancient beliefs.

Richard wanted Dr. Kulani used the Western forms of treatment as well as the ancient Hawaiian forms of treatment, included the spiritual power and parapsychology fenomeen.
Producer McKeads got the job to find out about these age-old customs and how it was managed at the moment in the Hawaiian hospitals.

Really busy preparing the first episode, Richard got the message from the Television-bosses to make drastic changes in the intentions of the series.

They didn’t want the Hawaiian forms of treatments in the series, because they were afraid people won’t like it. 
It had to be a conventional medical series with the usual problems: less money, forbidden romances, despotic chief surgeon.

Not at all Richard’s idea to educate people in the Hawaiian culture, their beliefs and their love for life and land. 

Richard’s dream to make a medical series on high human level didn’t come through. It is just crazy for words wonderful ideas always depend on money can't be realized!

Unfortunately there are less human beings who have genuine ideas, brains and money and of course love for the job!

The planned 24 episodes became 18 episodes.

Story:

Daniel Kulani, became after the bombardment of Pearl Habour an orphan; he was adopted and raised in a traditional Hawaiian family, where he got the knowledge of the Hawaiian culture and their ancient beliefs. He became a dedicated physician and had a successful career as an internist on the mainland. 

After returning home he decided to take a staff position at the Kamehameha Medical Center in Honolulu.

After his divorce he enjoyed to be close to his adoptive family and he loved his work with the needy native Hawaiians.
Although the series centered around activities at the hospital with the chief surgeon  Kenji Fushida, the cost-conscious chief of staff Margaret Judd and the two talented young residents, Anthony Metzger and Caitlin McGrath.

Daniel Kulani did spend time with his parents, his stepbrother James and his own son, 18-year old Sam.
In the spring of 1990 Daniel fell in love with the high school drama teacher Nina Delaney. 
She divorced and had a 13-years old daughter.

Unfortunately the series Island Son was cancelled before the course of their relationship was determined. 

 
Island Son

USA medical drama series 1989 – 1990.

Filmed in Hawaii.

Maili Point Production
Lorimar Televesion
Warner Brothers Television

18 episodes, each 60 min. color.
 

 1- HEART AND SOUL
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     Directed by Dick Lowry.
Daniel witnesses a drunken accident that leaves 
a little girl severely injured.
 

2- FATHERS AND SONS
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Directed by Michael Switzer.
Metzger suspects an elderly patient's family of abuse; 
Daniel's son visits and decides to make it permanent
 

3- SOMETIMES THEY’RE ZEBRAS
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Directed by Jorge Montesi.
Daniel's son falls for a patient facing a fatal prognosis;
a resident falters before his prominent mother's determination
that he follows her into cardiac medicine.
 

4- GIFTS
Directed by Jorge Montesi.
A tourist protests the age of her physician when Caitlin 
gets her case, and Daniel's budding romance is nipped 
by illness and her past.
 

5- PAINKILLERS
Directed by Helaine Head.
Daniel suspects the new head of cardiology is addicted to pills,
and an orderly's illiteracy nearly kills a patient.
 

6- LIFE SENTENCE
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Directed by James A. Contner.
Daniel tries to protect his patient, a convicted rapist, 
from the media mob surrounding the hospital; 
Sam falls for a crafty hitchiker.
 

7- THE STATE VERSUS JOHN KULANI
Directed by David Jackson.
A doctor has Daniel's father arrested for performing a
Hawaiian healing ceremony in the hospital; 
Caitlin worries about a furtive admirer.
 

8- ROLE MODELS
Directed by Michael Switzer.
Fushida becomes a difficult patient when he develops a 
dangerous infection; Daniel battles to have a patient 
admitted for critical surgery despite insurance problems; 
diabetic friend of Sam's risks his health.
 

9- EVERYDAY PEOPLE
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Directed by James A. Contner.
Veronica returns with a proposition, but Daniel's 
distracted by his patients: dying talk-show host and a 
paraplegic fighting to keep his home.
 

10- HIHIA aka THE BENDS
Directed by Stephen L. Posey.
Sam is paralyzed with caison disease after lying his way
into a deep sea diving job with his uncle, 
which touches off a bitter fight between the brothers; 
racism cripples Metzger's romance with a Japanese-American.
 

11- THE CHRISTMAS STORY
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Directed by Gwen Arner.
A group of men dressed as elves are admitted with 
symptoms of plague; 
Dr. Fushida is adamant that he wants a natural son despite 
the diagnosis that a pregnancy would kill his wife.
 

12- FALLING STARS
Directed by Gwen Arner.
Metzger's confidence is shaken when he disastrously 
misdiagnoses a patient; 
Daniel tries to reconcile the estranged Fushidas; 
Sam befriends an elderly man.
 

13- ICARUS FALLING
Directed by Stephen L. Posey.
A pilot refuses to be tested for the source of his blackouts;
a teenager resists his girlfriend's decision to put their 
baby up for adoption.
 

14- MARY. MARY. QUITE CONTRARY
Directed by Joseph L. Scanlan.
A teenage volunteer attempts suicide after confiding
a terrible secret to Sam. 
Increasingly unable to cope with terminal cases,
Margaret betrays a patient when he returns to the hospital
after a recurrence of his cancer.
 

15- JANINE RETURNS
Directed by Nick Havinga.
Daniel's former wife stirs up trouble when she arrives
to celebrate their son's birthday. 
Parents of a dying infant worry that a doctor whose 
child has an identical health problem will receive 
preferential treatment in an organ donor program.
 

16- VIRUSES
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Directed by Michael Rhodes.
Daniel discovers that Tess's little friend is HIV-positive; 
Margaret tries to help an ailing former movie star.
 

17- MOVING TARGETS
Directed by Gwen Arner
A serial killer who targets prostitutes poses a threat 
to James's fiancé, a former call girl;
Fushida's disapproval of Margaret's office romance
hurts their working relationship.
 

18- SEPARATIONS aka RELATIONSHIPS (final episode)
Directed by Jerome Courtland.
Nina hesitates when Daniel proposes, a man uses 
his illness to blackmail his daughter, 
and Caitlin murders a patient when she disagrees with 
his family's decision to fight his liver disease.

 
RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN IN
“ISLAND SON”

DANISH INTERVIEW BY
MERETE SCHRAMM

CLICK HERE


 
RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN,
BRYNN THAYER AND
CAROL HOUSTON


WISH YOU A HAPPY
THANKSGIVING
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TRIBUTE TO RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN
“ISLAND SON”
ADVENT CALENDAR

EACH DAY UNTIL CHRISTMAS A 
NEW PICTURE OF 
RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN
IN “ISLAND SON”

CLICK HERE

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