James MacArthur facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James MacArthur
MacArthur in 1968
Born	James Gordon MacArthur (1937-12-08)December 8, 1937 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	October 28, 2010(2010-10-28) (aged 72) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1955–2008
Known for	Hawaii Five-O Swiss Family Robinson
Spouse(s)	Joyce Bulifant ​ ​ (m. 1958; div. 1968)​ Melody Patterson ​ ​ (m. 1970; div. 1977)​ Helen Beth Duntz ​ (m. 1984)​
Children	4
Parent(s)	Charles MacArthur Helen Hayes
Relatives	John D. MacArthur (uncle) J. Roderick MacArthur (cousin)

James Gordon MacArthur (born December 8, 1937 – died October 28, 2010) was a famous American actor. He had a long and successful career in both movies and television shows. He was well-known for playing Danny "Danno" Williams in the popular TV series Hawaii Five-O. In this show, he was the loyal second-in-command of the Hawaii State Police.

Early Life and Family

James MacArthur was born in Los Angeles, California. He was the adopted son of famous playwright Charles MacArthur and actress Helen Hayes. He grew up in Nyack, New York. His older sister, Mary, sadly passed away from polio in 1949.

James went to the Allen-Stevenson School in New York. Later, he attended the Solebury School in New Hope, Pennsylvania. At Solebury, he was a great athlete, playing basketball, football, and baseball.

In his last year at Solebury, James was very busy. He was the captain of the basketball team. He was also president of his class and the student government. He even edited the school newspaper. He also acted in plays, like playing Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Around this time, he started dating Joyce Bulifant, who later became an actress. They married in 1958.

James grew up surrounded by talented people. His godmother was the famous actress Lillian Gish. Many well-known writers and actors visited his family's home. These guests included John Steinbeck, Harpo Marx, and Robert Benchley.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting in Radio and Theater

James MacArthur began his acting journey early. His first radio role was in 1948 on Theatre Guild on the Air. This was a top radio show that performed plays live. His mother, Helen Hayes, had a role in one play, and James was asked to join in a small part.

He made his first stage appearance in 1949 in a play called The Corn Is Green. His sister was in the play and suggested James join too. He continued acting in summer theater productions.

Before becoming a Broadway star, James learned a lot behind the scenes. He worked as a set painter and lighting director. He even managed the parking lot at one theater. These experiences helped him understand all parts of theater.

First Steps in Television and Film

In 1955, when he was 18, James got a role in a TV play called "Deal a Blow." This was an episode of the series Climax!. Critics loved his performance. The New York Times said he "performed splendidly."

The director, John Frankenheimer, then made a movie version of the play. It was called The Young Stranger (1957). James played the main role again. His acting earned him a nomination for "Most Promising Newcomer" at the 1958 BAFTA awards.

He also appeared in other TV shows like General Electric Theater and Studio One in Hollywood.

Working with Walt Disney

Walt Disney himself chose James MacArthur for a movie. This was The Light in the Forest (1958). In this film, James played a white man who was raised by Native Americans. Disney liked his acting so much that he signed James for three movies.

He then starred in Third Man on the Mountain (1959). In this movie, he played a young man who climbs the Matterhorn mountain. His mother even had a small role in it.

James decided to focus on acting full-time. He left Harvard University to make two more Disney films. These were Kidnapped (1960) and Swiss Family Robinson (1960). Swiss Family Robinson became very popular.

Broadway and Other Roles

In 1960, James made his debut on Broadway. He acted alongside Jane Fonda in a play called Invitation to a March. For this role, he won a Theatre World Award. Even though he didn't return to Broadway, he kept acting in plays throughout his career.

He also released some music records in the early 1960s. Two of his songs, "(The Story of) The In-Between Years" and "The Ten Commandments of Love," were minor hits.

James appeared in many popular TV shows. These included The Untouchables, Bus Stop, and Wagon Train. He also acted in movies like The Interns (1962) and Spencer's Mountain (1963) with Henry Fonda.

In 1965, he was in two important films: The Truth About Spring and The Bedford Incident. In The Bedford Incident, he played a young officer who accidentally causes a nuclear incident. He also played a young officer in Battle of the Bulge (1965).

He continued to guest star in many TV Westerns like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, and The Virginian. In 1968, he acted with his mother in an episode of the Tarzan TV series. He also had a brief role as a preacher in the Clint Eastwood movie Hang 'Em High.

Hawaii Five-O

The writer of Hang 'Em High, Leonard Freeman, was creating a new police TV show. This show was Hawaii Five-0. James MacArthur was chosen to play Danny "Danno" Williams, the assistant to the main character, Steve McGarrett (played by Jack Lord).

James said the producer told them the show would be a "morality play." It would be about good versus evil, where the good guys always win. This idea was very popular at the time.

One of the most famous lines from the show was when Jack Lord's character would say "Book 'em, Danno!" James MacArthur said this phrase became very popular with the public.

Being on Hawaii Five-O made James very successful. He invested a lot of his earnings in real estate in Hawaii.

After 11 years, James decided to leave Hawaii Five-O in 1979. He felt the stories were becoming too similar and didn't challenge him as an actor anymore. The show ended one year after he left.

After Hawaii Five-O

After Hawaii Five-O, James MacArthur continued to act in many TV shows. He appeared in Murder, She Wrote, The Love Boat, and Fantasy Island. He also acted in TV mini-series.

He returned to the stage in plays like The Foreigner and Arsenic and Old Lace. He also had other interests outside of acting. For a while, he co-owned a publication called Senior World and wrote celebrity interviews for it.

James was a good golfer and won a charity golf tournament in 2002. He also appeared in TV and radio interviews. In 1997, he played his character, Danny Williams, who had become Hawaii's governor, in a TV pilot for a new Hawaii Five-O show.

In 2003, he had a small role in a play in Honolulu. Before he passed away, there were talks for him to appear in the new remake of Hawaii Five-O TV series. On November 1, 2010, the new show paid tribute to him after his death.

In 2001, James MacArthur received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. This honored his contributions to entertainment.

Personal Life and Death

James MacArthur was married three times. His first wife was Joyce Bulifant. His second wife was actress Melody Patterson. His third wife was Helen Beth Duntz, a former golfer. James had two daughters and two sons.

James MacArthur passed away on October 28, 2010, in Florida. He was 72 years old.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: James MacArthur para niños