Kalai Strode

Woodrow Wilson Kalaeloa Strode (December 16, 1946 – November 27, 2014) was a native Hawaiian assistant director in film and television from the early 1970s to around 2010. In film he worked on North Dallas Forty. In television he worked regularly in the series Diagnosis Murder. He also was an actor, writer and composer.

Kalai Strode
Born
Woodrow Wilson Kalaeloa Strode

(1946-12-16)December 16, 1946
Hollywood, California, U.S.
DiedNovember 27, 2014(2014-11-27) (aged 67)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Other namesKalaeloa Strode
W Kalaeloa Strode
OccupationAssistant film director
Years active1971–2011
Parents

Background

He was born on December 16, 1946 in Hollywood, California.[1][2] He was of African and self-identified Native American ancestry (Cherokee and Muscogee) from his father's side. On his mother's side he was of Native Hawaiian descent.[3] His father was professional football player and actor, Woody Strode.[4][5] His mother was princess Luukialuana Kalaeloa who had done some work in films and was a hula dancer. She was also a descendant of Hawaii's last queen. He had a sister Junelehua (a.k.a. June) who was born in 1948.[6] He also had two half-brothers. One was Hawaiian actor and entertainer, Lani Kai.[7] The other was Hawaiian actor Lee Woodd.[8]

Film career

1970s

He graduated from the Los Angeles Assistant Directors Training Program.[9]

In 1971 he had a role in The Gatling Gun as the Indian Who Shoots Sneed.[10] He was also in the credits as a stuntman in the film[11] In the mid 1970s he was a co-writer for the western film Winterhawk.[12][13] Later in the 1970s, he worked under director Richard Lang as second assistant director for the pilot episode of Fantasy Island that aired in January 1977.[14][15]

1980s

In the early 1980s, he was assistant director in the John Schlesinger directed comedy film Honky Tonk Freeway which starred Beverly D'Angelo, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy and Beau Bridges.[16][17] In 1985, he was assistant director in the made for television drama, Challenge of a Lifetime which was directed by Russ Mayberry, and starred Penny Marshall and Richard Gilliland.[18] In 1988, he worked on the set of the film For Keeps.[19]

1990s

In 1991, he was assistant director in three episodes of Tales from the Crypt, Loved to Death, Abra Cadaver and Mournin' Mess.[20] He was assistant director in the Randall M. Miller directed 1992 comedy Class Act which starred Christopher Reid and Christopher Martin.[21][22] From 1994 to 1998 he worked in five seasons of episodes for television series Diagnosis Murder which starred Dick Van Dyke.[23][24][25][26][27]

2000s

In 2001, having completed his work on Diagnosis Murder, he and his wife Pam moved to Honolulu. He still did some work as assistant director but also worked in transportation for movies. His wife worked in the TV series Lost for six seasons as a stand in actress.[28] In 2010 he worked on the film Deady Honeymoon that starred Summer Glau.[29][30] In 2011, he had a role as Wali in the Ua Lawe Wale episode of the Hawaii Five-0 series remake.[31] Both of his half brothers, Lani Kai and Lee Woodd had appeared in the original series of Hawaii Five-O.[32][33] Post 2011, he underwent a physical examination as part of pre-employment for The River,[34] which was shot in Puerto Rico and Hawaii.[35] The examination resulted in a diagnosis of mantle cell lymphoma.[36]

Filmography
Film
Title Role Director Year Notes #
The Gatling Gun Actor: Indian Who Shoots Sneed, Stunts: stunt archer Robert Gordon 1971
Winterhawk Writer Charles B. Pierce 1975
A Piece of the Action DGA trainee Sidney Poitier 1977
The One and Only Trainee assistant director Carl Reiner 1978
Thank God It's Friday Trainee assistant director Robert Klane 1978
Rainbow Second assistant director Jackie Cooper 1978 TV movie
The Immigrants DGA trainee Alan J. Levi 1978 TV movie
Suddenly, Love Second assistant director Stuart Margolin 1978 TV movie
A Woman Called Moses DGA trainee Paul Wendkos 1978 TV movie
Samurai Second assistant director Lee H. Katzin 1979 TV movie
North Dallas Forty Second assistant director Ted Kotcheff 1979 TV movie
Up the Academy Second assistant director Robert Downey Sr. 1980
Bustin' Losse First assistant director: second unit Oz Scott, Michael Schultz 1981
Honky Tonk Freeway Second assistant director John Schlesinger 1981
When I Am King Second assistant director Wanda Appleton 1981
Challenge of a Lifetime Second assistant director Russ Mayberry 1985 TV movie
Gidget's Summer Reunion Second assistant director Bruce Bilson 1985
The Lost Boys Second assistant director: second unit Joel Schumacher 1987 as Woody K. Strode
For Keeps? Second assistant director John G. Avildsen 1988
House Party Assistant director Reginald Hudlin 1990 as Kelly St. Rode
Phantom Second assistant director 1990 TV movie
4 Faces Second assistant director Ted Post 1999
Tyrannosaurus Azteca Construction driver Brian Trenchard-Smith 2007
Tropic Thunder Driver Ben Stiller 2008
Deadly Honeymoon Second assistant director Paul Shapiro 2010 TV movie
Television
Title Episode # Role Director Year Notes #
Emergency! unknown Dga trainee various 1972 Unknown
Police Story unknown Second assistant director various 1973 Unknown
Fantasy Island Pilot episode Second assistant director Richard Lang 1977 Season 1, Episode 1
Lou Grant Unknown Second assistant director Various 1977 Unknown
The White Shadow Here's Mud in Your Eye Second assistant director Bruce Paltrow 1978 Season 1, Episode 2
The White Shadow Bonus Baby Second assistant director Jackie Cooper 1978 Season 1, Episode 4
The White Shadow Pregnant Pause Second assistant director Jackie Cooper 1978 Season 1, Episode 5
ABC Afterschool Specials A Special Gift Second assistant director Arthur Allan Seidelman 1979 Season 8, Episode 3
CBS Afternoon Playhouse Think I'm Having a Baby Second assistant director Arthur Allan Seidelman 1981 Season 3, Episode 2
Matt Houston X-22 Second assistant director Richard Lang 1982 Season 1, Episode 1
Lottery unknown Second assistant director various 1983
Crazy Like a Fox unknown Second assistant director various 1984
Stir Crazy unknown Second assistant director Christian I. Nyby II or Peter H. Hunt 1985
Amerika unknown Second assistant director Donald Wrye 1987
Buck James unknown Second assistant director 1987
Sonny Spoon unknown first assistant director various 1988
Down Home unknown Second assistant director various 1990
Sunset Beat unknown Second assistant director 1990
Broken Badges unknown First assistant director various 1990
Human Target unknown Second assistant director various 1992
Diagnosis Murder Many Happy Returns Second assistant director Lou Antonio 1994 Season 2, Episode 1
Diagnosis Murder A Very Fatal Funeral second assistant director Alan Myerson 1994 Season 2, episode 2
Diagnosis Murder Woman Trouble Second assistant director Roy Campanella II 1994 Season 2, Episode 3
Diagnosis Murder The Busy Body Second assistant director Vincent McEveety 1994 Season 2, Episode 4
Diagnosis Murder My Four Husbands second assistant director Christian I. Nyby II 1998 Season 2, Episode 5
Diagnosis Murder Witness to Murder second assistant director Paris Barclay 1995 Season 3, Episode 2
Diagnosis Murder The Pressure to Murder, second assistant director Christopher Hibler 1996 Season 3, Episode 9
Diagnosis Murder The ABC's of Murder second assistant director Christian I. Nyby II 1996 Season 4, Episode 11
Diagnosis Murder Murder in the Family second assistant director Vincent McEveety 1998 Season 4, Episode 12
Diagnosis Murder Deadly Games second assistant director Christopher Hibler 1997 Season 5, Episode 4
Diagnosis Murder Slam Dunk Dead second assistant director Vincent McEveety 1997 Season 5, Episode 5
Diagnosis Murder A Mime Is a Terrible Thing to Waste second assistant director Christopher Hibler 1997 Season 5, Episode 11
Diagnosis Murder Down and Dirty Dead second assistant director Ron Satlof 1997 Season 5, Episode 12
Diagnosis Murder An Education in Murder second assistant director Frank Thackery 1998 Season 5, Episode 19
Diagnosis Murder Murder at the Finish Line second assistant director Christopher Hibler 1998 Season 5, Episode 20
Hawaii Five-0 Ua Lawe Wale actor: Wali Duane Clark 2011 Season 2, Episode 2

Writing

He had been a writer.[37] Around or prior to the early 1970s, Strode had composed some songs. They included "Blood Red Moon",[38] "Childling Sun"[39] "Oh Mellow Day",[40] "America Is My Home",[41] "Love Has It's Stormy Seasons",[42] "Me And My Magic Guitar",[43] "Nani's Way",[44] "A Thousand Ways",[45] and "The Truth Is You",[46] Another composition of his, possibly written a few years later was "Coco".[47]

Later years

By 2010 at the age of 63, he ran as an independent candidate. While he was interviewed about his candidacy by Lee Cataluña of the Honolulu Advertiser, he was working for Teamsters Local 996, driving and electrical rigging truck on a movie set of The Descendants.[48] In the 2010 Special, he came 5th in a list of 14 candidates.[49]

In 2014, he was interviewed for the documentary The Forgotten Four,[50] which he and his wife attended the premiere for on September 9, 2014 in Westwood, California.[51]

Illness and death

During a medical examination as part of a pre-employment physical for a movie, Strode was diagnosed with Mantle cell lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. He took five months of chemotherapy and appeared to be in remission. In 2013, as a result of a routine PET scan, it was determined that his cancer had returned. He then relocated to Grand Forks for easier access to the Mayo Clinic.[52][53]

After a three-year battle with the disease, Strode died on November 27, 2014.[54] At the time of his passing, he was helping to care for his mother-in-law.[55]

References
  1. UCLA Alumni Association Kalai Strode Archived March 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Celebrity Birthdays Kalai Strode Archived March 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Historical Dictionary of Wrestling By John Grasso 284
  4. We Are All Movie Geeks September 10, 2014 General News St Louis, EPIX And St. Louis Rams Host FORGOTTEN FOUR: THE INTEGRATION OF PRO FOOTBALL Screening, Q&A Panel
  5. Jet January 23, 1995 Page 61, Entertainment Actor Woody Strode Succumbs In California At Age 80
  6. American Sports: A History of Icons, Idols, and Ideas By Murry R. Nelson
  7. Honolulu Star-Bulletin Thursday, August 26, 1999 Entertainer Lani Kai dies at 63 by Rod Ohira
  8. Honolulu Star-Bulletin Thursday, August 26, 1999 Entertainer Lani Kai dies at 63 By Rod Ohira
  9. Los Angeles Assistant Directors Training Program Comprehensive List of ADTP Graduates
  10. Serienjunkies.de Kalai Strode
  11. Second Edition Hollywood Stunt Performers, 1910s–1970s: A Biographical Dictionary By Gene Scott Freese Page 272
  12. Film In America Winterhawk Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  13. Film & Schauspieler database Winterhawk (1975) Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  14. Columbia Pictures Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Films, 1928–1982 By Michael R. Pitts Page 353 Telefeatures, Fantasy Island
  15. Imdb Fantasy Island (TV Series), Pilot (1977), Full Cast & Crew
  16. New York Times Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), Production credits
  17. Rotten Tomatoes Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), Cast
  18. Hollywood.com Challenge of a Lifetime | Full Cast and Credits
  19. Turner Classic Movies For Keeps (1988) Full Cast & Crew
  20. Turner Classic Movies Kalai Strode
  21. New York Times Class Act (1991) Production Credits
  22. New York Times Class Act (1991), Acting Credits
  23. TV Gems Diagnosis Murder, Crew - Season 2 Archived March 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  24. TV Gems Diagnosis Murder, Crew - Season 3 Archived March 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  25. TV Gems Diagnosis Murder, Crew - Season 4 Archived March 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  26. TV Gems Diagnosis Murder Crew - Season 4 Archived March 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  27. TV Gems Diagnosis Murder Crew - Season 5 Archived March 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  28. University of North Dakota Lifelong Director Captivates Lifelong Learners
  29. Osobnosti.cz Kalai Strode, Filmografie
  30. Osobnosti.cz Deadly Honeymoon
  31. Rotten Tomatoes Hawaii Five-0 > Season 2 > Episode 2, Ua Lawe Wale, Episode Info, Cast
  32. Booking Hawaii Five-O: An Episode Guide and Critical History of the 1968-1980 By Karen Rhodes Page 65 The Joker's Wild, Man, Wild (#36)
  33. Booking Hawaii Five-O: An Episode Guide and Critical History of the 1968-1980 By Karen Rhodes Page 199 To Die in Paradise (#209)
  34. University of North Dakota Lifelong Director Captivates Lifelong Learners
  35. Hawaii alaoha Travel New television show to shoot in Hawaii
  36. University of North Dakota Lifelong Director Captivates Lifelong Learners
  37. Honolulu Star Advertiser January 15th, 2015 Kalai Woody Strode
  38. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series Volume 24, Part 5, Number 2, Section 1 – Music – Current and Renewal Registrations July–December 1970 Page 1726
  39. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series Volume 24, Part 5, Number 2, Section 1 – Music – Current and Renewal Registrations July–December 1970 Page 1760
  40. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series Volume 24, Part 5, Number 2, Section 1 – Music – Current and Renewal Registrations July–December 1970 Page 2180
  41. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series Volume 25, Part 5, Number 1, Section 1 – Music – Current and Renewal Registrations January–June 1971 Page 20
  42. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series Volume 25, Part 5, Number 1, Section 1 – Music – Current and Renewal Registrations January–June 1971 Page 465
  43. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series Volume 25, Part 5, Number 1, Section 1 – Music – Current and Renewal Registrations January–June 1971 Page 496
  44. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series Volume 25, Part 5, Number 1, Section 1 – Music – Current and Renewal Registrations January–June 1971 Page 542
  45. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series Volume 25, Part 5, Number 1, Section 1 – Music – Current and Renewal Registrations January–June 1971 Page 796
  46. Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third Series Volume 25, Part 5, Number 1, Section 1 – Music – Current and Renewal Registrations January–June 1971 Page 823
  47. Catalog of Copyright Entries 1974 Music Jan–June 3D Ser Vol 28 Pt 5 Sec 2 (Volume Catalog of Copyright Entries 3D Ser Vol 28 Pt 5 Sec 2) (page 225 of 362)
  48. The Honolulu Advertiser Friday, April 23, 2010 Islands' 'Mr. Smith' wants to go to D.C By Lee Cataluña
  49. CQ Roll Call Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-Hawaii), Election History, 2010 special
  50. AJC September 10, 2014 4. FORGOTTEN FOUR: Archived March 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  51. Zimbio EPIX & UCLA Present 'Forgotten Four: The Integration Of Pro Football' (Kalai Strode)
  52. University of North Dakota Lifelong Director Captivates Lifelong Learners
  53. In The Know Vol 2, No. 2 – July 2014 Page 1, Life long Director Captivates Lifelong Learners
  54. Honolulu Star Advertiser January 15th, 2015 Honolulu Star-Advertiser Obituaries KALAI WOODY STRODE
  55. FundRazr Kalai (Woody) Strode Memorial Fund by Gretchen Atwood
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