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Outtakes Online: James Caan hints at chemistry on H50

BY MIKE GORDON / mgordon@staradvertiser.com

Ever since CBS announced that veteran actor James Caan would appear in an episode of his son’s hit TV show “Hawaii Five-0,” fans of the series have been eager to see the chemistry between them.

The episode will air Monday and the elder Caan has promised the dialog with his son Scott will be memorable.

James Caan plays a retired New York police detective who has moved to Oahu. During a break in shooting aboard the 76-foot-long junk Intrepid Dragon II, Caan described the character.

“The idea was to be this half off-the-wall retired cop,” said Caan, in his affable Bronx accent. “He is some kind of homicide genius who is retired who is an old fashioned kind of guy. Doesn’t go for this computerized stuff.”

But Caan’s character breakdown isn’t the best part of his screen time with Danno and McGarrett.

“Most importantly, I don’t get along with the two guys,” he said. “Especially my son. I get along with my son. I don’t get along with Danno.”

Caan brings a hefty acting resume to “Five-0”: More than 100 roles in film and television, four Golden Globe nominations and an Oscar nomination (Best Supporting Actor) for his role as Sonny Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather.”

In 2009, he appeared in “Mercy,” a film written by his son.

“Five-0” executive producer Peter Lenkov is a fan of James Caan’s work, especially the 1981 Michael Movie “Thief,” which starred Caan as a professional safecracker trying to find a normal life.

“‘Thief’ is my all-time favorite film, so working with Jimmy is one of the highlights of my career,” Lenkov said.

Caan could become a recurring character “if he wants to,” Lenkov said.

The episode, which is the 18th this season, was written by Kyle Harimoto, who grew up in Southern California but spent summers and vacations with relatives who live in Honolulu.

“Hawaii Five-0” airs at 9 p.m. Mondays on KGMB.

Watch for a longer story Sunday in the Star-Advertiser’s Today section.

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Mike Gordon covers film and television in Hawaii for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Email him at mgordon@staradvertiser.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his weekly “Outtakes” column Sundays in the Star-Advertiser.