$40 Million to Hawaii From the Lords

The late Jack & Marie Lord (Photo: Honolulu Advertiser)

Look what else the film and television industry has brought (indirectly) to Hawaii: $40 million, courtesy of the late "Hawaii Five-O" star Jack Lord and his wife Marie. The Honolulu Advertiser reported that the couple had invested their earnings wisely, growing them to $40 million--an amount that will be disbursed among twelve different Hawaii charities.

The $40 million Jack and Marie Lord Fund is expected to generate about $2 million a year to be divided among Hawaii charities including Hospice Hawaii, St. Francis Hospice Care Center, the Salvation Army's Hawai'i division, Eye of the Pacific Guide Dogs Inc., The Association for Retarded Citizens in Hawaii, the Bishop Museum, Variety Club of Honolulu, the Hawaiian Humane Society, the United Service Organizations, the Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaii Public Television and the Hawaii Lions Eye Foundation.

In addition to the $40 million, the couple also left their Kahala condo, clothing designed by Marie Lord, and Jack Lord's collection of "Five-O" memorabilia, paintings, and gifts from pals Sammy Davis Jr. and Elvis. The collection is expected to be auctioned off.

The Lords are a stellar example of how actors and filmmakers who shoot in Hawaii often fall in love with it (who wouldn't?) and become entrenched in our community. If it weren't for CBS's "Hawaii Five-O," which brought the Lords here in the first place, some of Hawaii's neediest people and arts organizations would be $40 million poorer. Thanks, Jack and Marie.

>> From Jack and Marie Lord, a parting gift of $40 million [Hnl Advertiser, 1/22/06]

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