Every performer has their own method of acting. For Jack Lord, it was important that he fully understood his character before he stepped onto a television set.

The actor is best known for his performance as Detective Steve McGarrett in Hawaii Five-O. The actor understood that his character was three-dimensional, prone to bouts of loneliness with an overwhelming sense of justice that drove the series.

“The clean line of our show is McGarrett’s striving for a clearly defined goal,” said Lord during an interview with The Herald. “He is a loner dedicated to getting crime out of the islands. What’s more, second place won’t do for this man. He is the representative of the detective breed - wholesome, clean-living, realistic, and honest. McGarrett is a very gentle guy who avoids trouble rather than seeks it, but he can be tough as steel when necessary.”

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It was a character that Lord never thought he’d get an opportunity to play, as he had previously sworn off television. “I maintained that I would never do another television series,” said the actor. “And I kept proving my determination by turning down different series offers, good ones too.”

But when the script for Hawaii Five-O crossed his path, Lord knew he couldn’t refuse the part. “As I got into the script that had been sent to me, my heart began to pound,” recalled the actor. “It had all the elements I had always liked.”