Celebrity Info
Actor Kam Fong is perhaps most widely recognized for his portrayal of police detective Chin Ho Kelly on the iconic television series “Hawaii Five-O,” a role that truly defined his career. Interestingly, Kam Fong didn’t dive into acting until later in life, taking a rather unconventional path to Hollywood fame. Before stepping in front of the camera, he worked as a boiler-maker at the Pearl Harbor shipyard—a job that placed him right in the middle of history when the devastating Japanese attack unfolded on December 7, 1941. That experience undoubtedly left a lasting mark on him.
Tragedy struck again just a few years later, in 1944, when Kam Fong suffered an unimaginable loss: his wife and two young children were killed in a shocking accident when two B-24 bombers collided mid-air and crashed directly onto his home. The incident was both sudden and tragic, reshaping the course of his life in profound ways. By the end of the 1940s, however, Kam Fong found strength to move forward and remarried, beginning a new chapter.
It wasn’t until the late 1950s that Kam Fong started exploring acting more seriously. His early roles were modest—sometimes even uncredited—but they laid the foundation. One of his first notable appearances came in the 1958 adventure film “Ghost of the China Sea,” which gave him a taste of what was to come. Over the next decade, Kam Fong continued to build his resume with small parts in various films throughout the early 1960s.
Then came the big break: “Hawaii Five-O.” Starting in 1968, Kam Fong stepped into the role of Chin Ho Kelly, a tough yet principled detective, and quickly became a fan favorite. He appeared in over 200 episodes across ten seasons, making Kam Fong a household name for viewers across America. His performance brought depth and authenticity to the show, and his presence was a key part of its enduring success.
Even after “Hawaii Five-O” ended in 1978, Kam Fong didn’t completely step away from the spotlight. He made occasional appearances in other projects, including guest spots on the popular Hawaii-based crime drama “Magnum, P.I.“—a nod to his deep connection with island-set storytelling. Then, in a surprising twist, Kam Fong returned to reprise his legendary role as Chin Ho Kelly in a 1997 “Hawaii Five-O” TV movie, despite the fact that the character had been written off years earlier. It was a heartfelt tribute to a man whose journey—from shipyard worker to screen icon—was anything but ordinary. And through it all, Kam Fong remained a quiet, dignified presence, remembered not just for his work, but for the resilience he showed in the face of life’s harshest trials.
Well, when it comes to Kam Fong’s filmography, you know, there are definitely some standout performances. Kam Fong has been in quite a few movies over the years, and if we look at the ratings, Kam Fong’s highest rated movie tends to be the one that really showcases his talent. On the flip side, Kam Fong’s lowest rated film didn’t quite hit the mark with audiences or critics. So overall, while Kam Fong has had some shining moments on screen, not every project turned out to be a hit.
18
Norway
