About the only dull period in Gilbert "Zulu" Kauhi's life was when he was stationed on French frigate Shoals with the Coast Guard for six months. Night Life Hawaii Style
By BEN WOOD
From Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
November 1, 1972"There were only 14 guys, me, two cats and two dogs out there in the middle of the Pacific," Zulu said. "We did a lot of fishing."
The husky former beach boy, who once parked cars at Queen's Surf, heads his own show at Duke Kahanamoku's supper club. He and his partner—manager Liza Chong own the Waikiki club and have other financial ventures in the works.
He was also a co-star for four years on "Hawaii Five-O."
"I was born in Hilo at 3:33 a.m. on Oct. 17, 1937," he said. "I was the second of four boys in my family. From the time the doc slapped me on the behind I was laughing. And I was always ready to sing. I was never shy. We had a small ukulele which I learned to play soon after I could walk."
"I got the name Zulu when I was playing football at St. Louis. My idea was kill or be killed and I was wild. I would growl and snarl and had long hair even then. One of my teammates, Chubby Vicens, gave me the name."
ZULU HAS SEEN stormy times during his entertainment career. His school teachers also suffered stormy times. He attended nine schools and was bounced out of St. Louis in the ninth grade and Kamehameha in the 10th.
"I was kolohe, a mischievous rascal," says Zulu of his scholastic career. "But I never did anything seriously wrong. I was never in jail."
After leaving Kamehameha he started working on the beach and later joined the Coast Guard. Some of the other beach boys who also picked the Coast Guard were George Downing, Buddy Fo, Bobby Krewson and the late Kui Lee.
"I traveled from New York to Hng Kong in the service," Zulu said. "After I had served my four years I spent some time with Kui and Nani Lee in New York.
"Then I came home and worked as a beach boy for the old Outrigger Canoe Club under Steamboat Mokuahi Sr., for Chick Daniels at the Royal Hawaiian, and later for Downing at the Waikiki Beach Center.
"In the mid-1960S I went to work at Queen's Surf parking cars at the door. One night a floorman didn't show up at the Barefoot Bar and they used me up there. I worked under Abraham "Hoss" Kaapana.
"I can't forget the first time a guy gave me $1 to get him a good seat. I told Hoss about it and he said, 'You're learning.' Sometimes people gave Hoss $50 for a good seat. Those were my happy days. No cares. My only worry was if the surf would be up and if my surfing lesson would show up on time. We would party up every night."
Sterling Mossman, the star of the Barefoot Bar who recently opened at the Barefeet club on Kapiolani Boulevard, was instrumental in getting Zulu into show business.
"One night Sterling called me up on stage and I've never gotten off since. Sterling was a detective in those days and he almost arrested me once when I was 'throwing line' for quarters with the taxi drivers.
Another person who helped Zulu in the entertainment world was Frankie Kewelo from Club Jetty on Kauai.
"After starting out at Queen's Surf parking cars, I later returned to star in the main showroom and was performing there the night it was closed."
When Queen's Surf was shut down, Zulu really began to make people sit up and take notice when he starred in the Pagoda Hotel's C'est Si Bon supper club. A contractual dispute between Zulu and the Pagoda management is now in litigation. Before coming into Queen's Surf as a headliner, Zulu and his group played backup music for Don Ho at Henry Loui's Kalia Gardens on the Aliis night off.
And before becoming a regular on the CBS "Hawaii Five-O" television series, he worked as a tour guide for Island Holidays.
Zulu was with "Five-O" four years before a dispute with a press agent cost him his job.
Concerning the incident, Zulu said: "The unfortunate part of that was I shot my mouth off and I think it has been misinterpreted that I dislike Jewish people. I have regretted saying what I said to the man. I hope some day it can be resolved as I would like to be friends with the individual.
"I will always have the highest regard for Len Freeman, the man who gave me my start in 'Five-O.' And I think Jack Lord is a dedicated person.
"I shared many beautiful moments on the set with all the people connected with the show. 'Five-O' will always be a part of my life. One cannot erase four years.
"I guess this is part of maturing. My stubborn ways are beginning to fall by the side. One day I opened up my eyes and said to myself: "If you really want to make this a nice world, start with yourself.'
"Above all, I would like to be respected, not just as an entertainer, but as a man."