When James MacArthur joined the cast of Hawaii Five-O, he had no idea that he’d be gaining a second home.

The actor, originally born in Los Angeles, California, was raised by playwright Charles MacArthur and actor Helen Hayes. As a young man, MacArthur was raised in New York, and later left home to pursue a career in acting. After appearing in movies like Swiss Family Robinson (1960), MacArthur broke into Hollywood when he began appearing in Hawaii Five-O. MacArthur appeared in a majority of the popular crime series before departing in 1979.

Because the series was shot on location, MacArthur spent quite a bit of time in Hawaii. During an interview, the actor claimed that the state was an excellent place to work, as well as live.

Watch Hawaii Five-O on MeTV!

Weekdays at 11 AM

*available in most MeTV markets

“The ‘aloha’ spirit really does exist there, you know,” said MacArthur during an interview with The Gaffney Ledger. “It’s an insular place, of course, and sometimes you feel pretty far removed from the action. It’s great to come back to the mainland and get the feeling of excitement - but it’s great, too, going back to Hawaii to live and work.”

Oddly enough, MacArthur had his own personal doubts about pursuing the life of an actor. In turn, these quiet moments of reflection and appreciation allowed him security and self-assurance.

“Now and then, when I find myself running down a road in front of a camera, with a toy pistol in my shoulder holster,” said MacArthur, “I shake my head a little and say, ‘Hey, aren’t you a little old for this?’ But the other moments are rewarding enough, the communicating bit and the see-the-world thing, so that I don’t dwell on the occasional absurdity of it all.”