Jack Lord will probably be best remembered as Steve McGarett in the long running television series Hawaii Five-O, but he was much more than that however. He starred in several movies, directed several episodes of his show, was in several Broadway productions, and was an accomplished artist. Two of his paintings were acquired by New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British Museum of Modern Art by the time he was twenty. Lord was also known for being a very cultured man who loved reading poetry out loud on the set of his TV show and as being somewhat reclusive at his Honolulu home. He met his son from his first marriage, who was killed in an accident when he was thirteen, only once as a baby.


Traci Lords has said she changed her name to "Lords" as an honor to her favorite actor, Jack Lord. Was considered for the part of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek" (1966), but was rejected by Gene Roddenberry and Desilu Studios because Lord wanted to also be co-producer, and own a percentage of the series. Originally wanted to be billed as "Jack Ryan," but discovered that another actor had already registered that name with Actor's Equity. He wanted a short name, so he chose "Jack Lord" instead. A dedicated liberal activist, he was a vocal advocate of gun control in the United States. Best remembered by the public for his starring role in Hawaii Five-O (1968). Was the first actor to play CIA Agent Felix Leiter in the "official" James Bond films, beginning with Dr. No (1962). His real name, John Patrick Ryan, is also the name of the CIA Agent hero of Tom Clancy's novels. Both characters first appeared on film opposite Sean Connery.