RIGHT FAR

I see in the obits that James MacArthur died today. Now for some people, that name won't ring a bell...until they click on this and see the photo that goes with the story.

Most people will recognize MacArthur as the character 'Danno' (book him Danno) from the original Hawaii Five-0 (there's a new version this season...but I haven't watched it).

I 'do' remember MacArthur from the 'old' Hawaii Five-0 (Hawaii was the 50th state you know...so...5...0...Five-0). Anyway it wasn't Hawaii Five-0 that I liked MacArthur from.

One of my favorite all-time movies is titled...'Spencer's Mountain'. The movie starred Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara as the parents of a brood of children...and MacArthur played the oldest son...Clayboy.

The movie was the basis of a well-loved TV show of the 70's called 'The Waltons'.

The basis of the movie is the dream of the father to build a get-away home up on the old mountain for he and his wife to enjoy...and the dream of Clayboy...to get 'off' that mountain and do something besides what his grandparents and parents and uncles have done all their life.

I still remember the last words of the movie.

As Clayboy takes a seat on the bus that will take him away to college...after just saying a touching goodbye to his parents and siblings...a man that Clayboy sits down beside on the bus asks him...'going far'...and Clayboy responds...'right far'.

A great movie if you haven't seen it.


Dan