Tonight 50 years ago, CBS aired "The Banzai Pipeline", S06E16.

Happy 2024, everybody!!

The is a cool Season 6 episode as the background concerns surfing.

The criminal plot involves developer Oswald Greggs (Bob Basso) bribing a zoning commissioner -Edward Huffman (John Lennon and as Mr. Mike points out – not the Beatle). Huffman has been indicted by a grand jury and he plans on leaving town.

Greggs is so paranoid about going to prison, he takes care of Huffman thanks to his goon, Andy Koa (Rudy Diaz). Koa kills Huffman but realizes someone probably witnessed him killing Huffman. The lead is a dropped film canister.

Rick McDivitt (Perry King) is an aspiring filmmaker with big dreams to make the ultimate surfing movie. His brother, Roger (Nicholas Hammond) is an excellent surfer and the subject of Rick's film. However, with the dirty dealings of Greggs and company, the brothers are embroiled in the whole mess.

It doesn't help that Greggs' other goon Cass Tanner (Jack Hogan) literally guns for the pair. Everything comes to a head at the Pipeline while Rick is filming when Tanner shoots
Roger off his board and then takes out Rick as he tries to aid his brother.

Five-O closes in on Greggs and Tanner, causing those two to crash the Mustang they're in. The car explodes but not before the bad guys are killed.

Mr. Mike is far more thorough. His review is here: https://www.fiveohomepage.com/5-0log6.htm#136

There is a lot in this episode. First, the surfing. The shots are amazing and you get an idea of how big the sport is.

Second, the casting. Rick is played by a young Perry King. If you grew up in the 80s, chances are you know him from the short-lived series "Riptide". He was one of two detectives (along with Joe Penny) and their third geeky/computer genius sidekick played by Thom Bray (I think that's his name). It followed "The A-Team" for a couple of years on NBC. King was also in "The Day After Tomorrow" – a sci-fi film where the planet is freezing up.

Also concerning casting, there's Rudy Diaz as Koa. I had read where he was actually a part of LAPD in his younger days and the first one on the scene when Marilyn Monroe died. It was interesting to read up on him.

Mr. Mike also mentions Elissa Dulce as this episode includes her first appearance.

While this episode isn't among my most favorites, I will gladly watch this one again and again. As Mr. Mike says, this is one of the most "Hawaiian" of the series.

Happy 50th, "The Banzai Pipeline"!!