Stuntman and martial artist Kim Kahana, Sr. has died at the age of 94. You may remember him as Chongo from the live-action “Danger Island” serial on the Banana Splits Adventure Hour. He began his theatrical career as a motorcycle riding extra in The Wild One (1953). Upon learning stuntmen were paid better than extras, he began training with Yakima Canutt (1895-1986) for his new career. He eventually opened a training school of his own to later train a generation of over 25,000 stunt artists. Kahana was a longtime member of SAG’s Safety Investigating Team, and his incredible life story was told in the 2023 documentary “Kim Kahana: The Man Who Changed Hollywood.”
Kahana would also star in a series of television shorts called Danger Island as part of the Banana Splits Adventure Hour (1968-1970) as the mischievous and acrobatic character, Chongo, who spoke only in monkey chirps and exotic bird calls. Since it was a television show for kids, the adventures were more comical than dangerous. Danger Island was filmed in Mexico, and starred Jan-Michael Vincent as Lincoln ‘Link’ Simmons. The series was directed by Richard Donner, who would later be known for directing X-15 (1961), Superman (1978), the “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” episode of Twilight Zone and Lethal Weapon (1987).
Kim Kahuna was born October 16, 1929, in Lanai City, in what at the time was Hawaii Territory, long before it achieved statehood. He died August 12, 2024, in Groveland, Florida. He and his wife Sandra had three sons, Tony, Rick, Kim, Jr., and one daughter Debbie. All of his children followed him into stunt work.
At 5’7″ (or 170 cm) and only 150 lbs., he could work as a stunt double for both men and women. He did stunts for Stephanie Powers in The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. and Sally Fields in The Flying Nun. He worked as a stunt double for Charles Bronson in The Magnificent Seven (1960), The Dirty Dozen (1967), The Mechanic (1972), Death Wish (1974), Mr. Majestyk (1974) and Breakout (1975). His work during this classic era of television was considered legendary.
He also did stunt work for the horror movie Jeepers Creepers (2001), Fun in Acapulco (1963) and Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966), Planet of the Apes (1968), Patton (1970), Soylent Green (1973), Earthquake (1974), The Killer Elite (1975), Smokey and the Bandit (1977), MacArthur (1977), Good Guys Wear Black (1978), Passenger 57 (1992). His TV shows included Mission: Impossible; The Six Million Dollar Man; Vega$; Magnum, P.I.; Charlie’s Angels; Quincy, M.E.; Fantasy Island, Kung Fu and The Brady Bunch. When the Brady family went on vacation to Hawaii, Kahana performed as a skilled fire dancer for the television family.
Kim Kahana was a skilled martial artist who trained in Japan. He had six black belts in karate, judo, and aikido. He founded the Kahana Stunt School. He taught stunt work, stunt rigging, martial arts and hand to hand combat. He also ran a professional bodyguard agency. Kahana wasn’t just a fighter on screen. He was a decorated combat veteran who earned two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and two bronze Stars. During the Korean War, Kahana was a paratrooper.
Kim Kahana, Sr. is survived by his wife, Sandra Kahana, his sons, Tony, and Kim Jr., and his daughter Debbie, and his grandchildren, Michael, Lance, Kalana and Josh, to whom we offer our deepest condolences. His son, Rick Kahana, died before he did in 2012. Kahana was a soldier, actor, teacher, martial artist and certified American hero as well as a television stunt professional whose legend and effect on television cannot be underestimated.
Aloha, Kim Kahana, may you find peace.
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
That’s one of the things about stuntmen. You can see them over and over and over again–and not know it. Thanks for giving Kim Kahana this recognition.