| Lani Kai | |
| Birth Date: | August 15, 1936 |
| Nationality: | Hawaiian |
| Occupation: | Actor, singer, entertainer |
Lani Kai (born George Clarence Dennis James Von Ruckleman Woodd III; August 15, 1936 – August 29, 1999) was a Hawaiian singer and actor. He had a role in the Elvis Presley film Blue Hawaii and was a regular cast member of the television series Adventures in Paradise.
Kai was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.[1] He was brother of Lee Woodd, and the half brother of Kalai Strode and Junelehua Robertson.[2] His mother Lukia Luana, a Hawaiian princess, was married to actor Woody Strode.[3] [4] His brother Lee Woodd, who was also an actor, died on 19 September 2002.[5] [6]
He died [7] on August 29, 1999, at a North Shore home of a friend, two weeks after his 63rd birthday.[8]
Kai got an early break on the Don Sherwood Show in San Francisco, California.[9] In late 1959, his single "Now There Are None" / "Isle Of No Aloha" was released.[10] In 1963, his album Island Love Songs was released.[11] In November 1968, he was appearing live at the Hawaii-Five-O club with Al Lopaka and Nephi Hannemann.[12]
In 1968, he had a single released on Don Ho's Hana Ho label.[13]
In the late 1990s, he was working on an album with actor / singer Nephi Hannemann which was to be a follow-up to Hannemann's album The Polynesian Man but Kai died before it could come together.[14]
His composition "Puka Shells" which was recorded by Rod Young made it to no 2 in the Hawaiian music charts in the mid-1970s.[15] He also co-composed "The Poor People" with Cliff Muller.[16] Another composition "Shells" was recorded by Keola Beamer and included on his album for George Winston's Dancing Cat Records, Wooden Boat album.[17]
| Title | Label & cat | Year | Notes # | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Beach Party" / "Little Brown Gal (Cha Cha Cha)" | Keen 1–2023 | 1959 | ||
| "I'm Gonna Leave My Heart At Home" / "Batik" | Keen 82103 | 1959 | ||
| "Isle Of No Aloha" / "Now There Are None" | Keen 5–2023 | 1959 | ||
| "Pretty Little Nisei Girl" / "Tamoure'" | Chelan C-554 | 19?? | Lani Kai & The Shells | |
| Malia" / "Flying Bird" | Hana Ho 1024 | 1968 |
| Album title | Label & cat | Year | Notes # |
|---|---|---|---|
| Island Love Songs | Decca DL 4334 | 1963 | |
| Hawaiian Magic (Featuring The Orchestra Of Lani Kai) | Diplomat Records D-2326 | 1964 | |
| Song title | Album title | Label & catalogue | Year | Format | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Mystic Moon" | The International Vicious Society Vol. V | University Of Vice Records UOVR006 | 2011 | Vinyl LP | ||
| "I'm Gonna Leave My Heart At Home" | Cheesy Moments | Chrome Dreams | 2012 | CD | ||
| "I'm Gonna Leave My Heart At Home" | Saints and Sinners Vol 7 16 Obscure Rockin' Shots from Occident that will cut your head off! | Sheik LP-507 | 2012 | Vinyl LP | ||
| "I'm Gonna Leave My Heart At Home" | Teen Rockin' Party | Classics Records clcd 752 | 2014 | CD | ||
| "Beach Party" | Rockwool Rocker & Ruller Derudaf 2 | Rockwool A/S | CD | |||
| Composition | Appears on album / single release | By artist | Label & catalogue | Year | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Young Land" | Tiny Bubbles | Don Ho | Reprise RS 6232 | 1966 | LP album | |
| "This Young Land" | Don Ho And The Aliis Volume II | Don Ho | Reprise PRO 310 | 1967 | LP album | Credited co-writer Ralph Mathis |
| "This Young Land" | ||||||
| "Tu Tu Kane" | "Tu Tu Kane" / "The Windward Side (Of The Island)" | Don Ho | Reprise 0643 | 1968 | 7" Single | |
| "Shells" | Paddle, Two Paddle | Pat And His Paddlers | Kanaka KS-1001 | 1972 | LP Album | |
| "Tu Tu kane" | "Tu Tu Kane" / "Tutu Wahine" | Nephi Hannemann | El Leon Records ERS 45/103 | 7" single | ||
| "Tutu Wahine" | "Tu Tu Kane" / "Tutu Wahine" | Nephi Hannemann | El Leon Records ERS 45/103 | 7" single | ||
| "Shells" | Shells | The Surfers | Trim Records TLP-1979 | 1974 | LP Album | |
| "Tūtūkane" | Kū Ha‘aheo Kakou, E Nā Hawai‘i | Mel Amina | Hana Hou Records HHD 8819–4 | 1995 | Cassette album | |
When he was 24 years old, he was picked for the television series Adventures in Paradise.[18] He ended up with a role as Kelly the series from 1960 to 1962.[19] [20] He had also played the part of Carl Tanami in the 1961 film Blue Hawaii.[21] Between the late 60s and early 70s, he appeared in a few Hawaii Five-O episodes.[22] In one the episode The Joker's Wild, Man, Wild!, he played the part of Billy Hona. It also starred Beverlee McKinsey.[23]