Don Ho biography

Ho had more success appearing as himself on other programs, including The Brady Bunch, Charlie's Angels, Sanford and Son, and Fantasy Island.

In the 1990s, Ho dabbled in acting, appearing in the comedy Joe's Apartment (1996) with Jerry O'Connell and the independent film First Daughter (1997). Still much of his time was spent in Hawaii, entertaining visitors with his show. Ho lived in beautiful home on the slope of Diamond Head crater,

not too far from Waikiki were he played regularly. A family man, Ho had ten children, six with his first wife Melva May Wong who died in 2002.

Death and Legacy

In his later years, Ho struggled with a heart problem. He traveled to Thailand in 2005 to undergo an experimental treatment that used stem cells to repair the damage to his heart. The next year, however, Ho had to have a pacemaker implanted to regulate his heartbeat. Despite his health issues, he returned to performing, but had a reduced schedule of shows. Around this time, Ho married his former assistant Haumea Hebenstreit.

A dedicated performer, Ho made his last appearance at the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel only two days before his death. He passed away on April 14, 2007, from heart failure. Family, friends, and fans turned out to good-bye to this Hawaiian icon at his memorial service on May 5 at Waikiki Beach where his ashes were scattered off shore.

His show at the Waikiki Beachcomber goes on as the Ohana Ho Show--ohana means "family" in Hawaiian. Some of his family, band members and several other people involved in his original show are part of the production, which is in part a tribute to Don Ho. Several of his children are also following in his footsteps, most notably his daughter Hoku. She is a singer who had a hit single with "Another Dumb Blonde" in 2000. She got her start performing on stage with her legendary father.

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