After an inquiry was posted in our newsgroup by a fan who had missed the live chat held in March 2002, James MacArthur graciously spent a couple of hours in this site’s chatroom with some of his fans. What follows is a transcript of that evening’s chat session:

Jim: Hi, everybody. Glad to be here and very honored that you are all here, too.

Jim: Why don't we get started?

Jim: First, how about if you all introduce yourselves, starting with Mandy and going in order until we reach Annette?

Mandy: My name is Mandy Turner, and I'm from Greenville, SC.

Lynn_A: My name is Lynn Abell and I live in Washington Crossing PA

Lexy: My name is Alexis Michels (Lexy) from North Carolina

Lena: My name is Lena Parker and I am from Jackson, Mississippi

Julie: My name is Julie Wilson and I am from California

Hélène: My name is Hélène and I live on a small island near Montreal (Québec, Canada)

Emily: I am Emily from St. Paul Minnesota

Cindy_k: I'm Cindy Kimura from Southern California

Annette: Annette Nixon from the cornbelt section of Illinois

Jim: Well! Quite a group we have here. A real cross section of the country

Jim: My life's an open book. So, Mandy, what would you like to know?

Mandy: I was just wondering how your cat Kittery was doing these days.

Jim: How kind you are to ask. I;m sorry to say that we lost her after 14 years, but we had a lovely lovely animal, and we miss her.

Mandy: I'm so sorry to hear that. My deepest sympathy.

Jim: Thank you, Mandy.

Annette: My condolences.

Jim: Thank you, Annette.

Lynn_A: It is very hard to lose a pet.

Jim: Sorry to bring things down so soon. Lynn, would you like to ask a question?

Lynn_A: I have a question about the movie Truth about Spring

Jim: Okay, shoot.

Lynn_A: There is a lot of non verbal comedy in that movie

Lynn_A: I was wondering if those details are in the script

Lynn_A: or if you and Hayley Mills made it up as you went along

Lynn_A: also do you have any favorite stories about making that movie?

Lynn_A: thanks

Jim: As to the nonverbal comedy, there is an awful lot in just looking at each other in different ways at certain times that brings something additional to the scene

Jim: For instance, there is in the writing perhaps no sexual connotation, but in the playing of the scene, things happen that get caught by the camera

Jim: If the director likes what he sees, it stays in the movie, scripted or unscripted.

Lynn_A: I was particularly thinking of the scene where she barely pours you a cup of coffee and your reaction to it

Jim: As to our other question, I think my best recollection of favorite stories regarding Truth About Spring is that the Mills Family

Jim: and the MacArthur family shared a villa and we got along wonderfully

Jim: including the wonderful birthday party for my oldest son, Charlie

Jim: it was great fun, both on and off screen.

Jim: Lexy, you're next.

Lexy: Jim I saw you in person in a play at Ft Bragg Playhouse in NC.. you were of course "darlin" and I was on the front row so believe me ladies I SAW!!...I tried to "reach out and touch" when you were leaving the stage but my husband, dying of embarressment

Lexy: slapped my hand!!.....OK 2 questions... did you really hold that snake in Swiss Family Robinson?? and do you remember your last line in Spencers Mountain.. I do, cause I always smooched the screen when you said it HAHHA

Jim: Yes, that was a real snake

Jim: and I was young and foolish

Jim: wild horses couldn't get me to do that again

Jim: as to Spencers Mountain ...

Jim: the guy says, "Going far, son?" and Clay replies "Right far."

Lexy: yessssssssssssss .. I always thought I'd try to flag down that bus, but I never could find it!!....thanks :)

Jim: I think it's one the most upbeat lines ever to end a movie

Lexy: I love that movie....

Jim: glad you enoyed it, Lexy. Lena, do you have a question?

Lena: It is with great pleasure to speak with you. I have been such a diehard fan for so many years. I understand that H50 is coming out in 2006 and was wondering if you will be providing any commentary for the dvds and also will there be any out takes from the

Lena: show we would love to see out takes:-}

Jim: I have not been directly contacted to talk about Five-O on the DVD series

Jim: However, I am of the central characters, just about the last one living

Lena: Will you be in anything upcoming? I hope !!!

Jim: So if they want any commentary from the trenches, I am the one they should talk to

Jim: I don't know anything about any possible outtakes

Jim: I don't think there are any, which is a shame

Jim: as to your other question

Jim: never say never!

Jim: Julie, you're up

Julie: Thank you Jim. I have been a fan of yours for years.

Julie: I would like to know if you attended Marie's funeral and would you know as to what will be done with the Lord's estate?

Julie: Also, are you still active in tennis and golf?

Jim: I did not attend because there was no formal funeral

Jim: even I was surprised at her age

Jim: As to the estate, I believe Jack and Marie, having no children, left most everything to various Hawaiian charities, as they loved the islands very much

Jim: as to the tennis and golf, yes, indeed

Jim: I play tennis two or three times a week and golf a couple of times a week

Julie: thank you

Jim: Unfortunately, I never seem to get any better!

Jim: Helene, do you have a question?

Hélène: I would like to know if you will write your biography. I'm sure you have many many stories to write.

Jim: I haven't decided about that yet

Hélène: So I have to wait...

Jim: I think I have to get down in note form what I could possibly make a book out of and see if I think it would be good enough to interest a publisher

Jim: yes, Helene, I'm afraid so

Hélène: Thank you

Jim: Emily, what would you like to know?

Emily: actually I just wanted to say hello and listen in to what others are saying, thank you

Jim: Thank you!

Jim: Cindy, that means you're next

Cindy_k: No question. I think I asked you enough questions.Ha. Ha. I just want to wish you a great Turkey Day and Merry Christmas. And thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule.

Jim: Cindy, thanks for checking in. It's alwasy been a pleasure to see you in person in the desert

Jim: Annette, time for your question....

Annette: How did the rafting trip go?

Jim: When I hiked down from 7200 feet to 2400 feet in five hours

Jim: At the Grand Canyon

Jim: my legs turned into rubber

Jim: and then, joining my companions, we went through the first big rapid

Jim: and shipped a lot of water

Jim: I thought to myself, this is a lot of fun

Jim: and then, after we stopped for lunch, we went through another rapid

Jim: this time the guy running the raft steered us right into a rock and I was thrown out of the raft

Jim: and came up under it

Jim: guess what?

Jim: there's no air under a raft

Annette: yikes!

Jim: this was not fun

Jim: at that moment, the current carrying me down the 47 degree water

Jim: of course I had a life vest on

Jim: and was going down the river when I heard something

Jim: I looked down the river

Jim: saw another set of rapids coming

Jim: and I said to myself, "this is really not fun"

Jim: at that point, one of the other rafts in our four-raft convoy

Jim: came up on me and a huge river guide from Idaho grabbed me like a fish and pulled me into his raft

Jim: now I'm thinking, "I got seven more days of this???"

Jim: I think you have the bare bones of my rafting story....

Jim: let's start another round

Jim: Mandy?

Annette: too late at that point to get a refund <VBG>

Mandy: I promise a more upbeat question.

Jim: and no way to get out of the Canyon!

Mandy: What professional football teams do you follow?

Mandy: I for example follow the Falcons and the Panthers.

Jim: Denver Broncos

Mandy: I like them okay.

Jim: you're following two exciting teams

Mandy: Oh, yes! It's been a fun season!

Jim: Yes, it has. Okay, Lynn?

Lynn_A: sorry still laughing about the rafting story LOL

Lynn_A: I enjoyed meeting you in Chicago

Jim: yes, it was a pleasure for me too

Lynn_A: Do you have any more personal appearances planned

Lynn_A: and did you like the tea?

Jim: nothing at the moment, but one never knows

Jim: yes, to the tea, and again, thank you for your kindness!

Jim: Lexy, back to you

Lexy: Jim who were your favorite Rock N Rollers when you were growing up? what is your favorite movie you performed in and your favorite just to watch over and over, like I love Spencers Mountain.. do you dance? do you sing? did you ever have a secret crush on

Lexy: one of your co-stars?? you are so sweet

Jim: I worked with some very fine actors and beautiful women

Jim: looking back on it all

Jim: I am very grateful to have been in such good company

Jim: Do I dance? Yes.

Jim: Do I sing? I've had many requests, but I'm going to keep singing anyway

Lexy: HAHAHHA

Jim: I don't have a favorite movie

Jim: I guess I'm just grateful that in all the movies I made, I never had to use the "F" word

Lexy: amen to that

Jim: as to rock and roll... hmmm.

Jim: Elvis was a pal of mine and it would be hard to go beyond him for favorites

Lexy: WOOHOO mine too!!

Jim: well, you have good taste, Lexy. Lena, what would you like to ask?

Lena: You can give us any commentary on H50 we would love to hear from you and your thoughts about H50!! Also, have you noticed that you are surrounded by nothing but women who love you????!!!!

Lexy: Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for this.. I feel like a foolish 16 year old tonite :)

Jim: As to the women, that's the only kind I want!

Jim: As to Five-O...

Jim: I think I am extremely grateful that the show goes on and on and on

Jim: and for whatever reason seems to have a charmed life

Jim: I am honored to be a part of a show like that

Jim: and very honord to have fans like all of you

Jim: Julie?

Lena: We LOVE you JIM no matter what you do we will always support you in what ever endevor you do!! <vbg>

Jim: God bless you, my dear!

Jim: Julie, it's up to you...

Lena: thank you!

Julie: thank you Jim again. Speaking of Five-O, I know Jack Lord had at least 2 stunt doubles, did you or did you do your own stunts. Also, did you ever get hurt doing a stunt and how bad if you did?

Jim: I had a stunt double named Beau van den Ecker

Jim: who did some wonderful things for me that I could not have done myself

Jim: he is a wonderful guy

Jim: and I had dinner with him just last night {SPECIAL NOTE: See above right for pictures of James MacArthur with Beau van den Ecker taken at the dinner mentioned here}

Jim: after picking him up from the nursing home he's in

Jim: he'll be 75 next week and we've been friends for 48 years

Jim: most of you probably dont' know

Jim: but Beau and I go all the way back to The Light in the Forest

Jim: made in 1957, where he was working stunts

Lena: Why is he in a nursing home?

Jim: he's a helluva guy

Julie: In Swiss Family, did you do your own stunts?

Jim: He has Parkinson's disease and diabetes

Jim: and needs to be cared for

Jim: in Swiss Family, I had another double

Jim: but actually I did most of my own things in that movie

Jim: of course, I was younger and stronger....

Jim: and stupid

Jim: Helene, you're next

Hélène: Are you still skiing? By the way Hawaii Five-0 is still running here in Montréal. We had it in french a few years ago. But I really really love your real voice.

Jim: I gave up skiing about a year ago

Jim: figuring that after 50 years without an accideent

Jim: my number was just about due

Jim: I love my real voice too and sing to myself all the time

Jim: too bad you can't hear me in here

Lynn_A: :(

Hélène: Thank you for being here tonight

Jim: Emily, did you decide perhaps you have a question after all?

Emily: no - thank you

Jim: You're very welcome

Jim: Cindy?

Cindy_k: USC or UCLA?

Jim: As a Harvard man

Jim: I don't insinuate myself into ungentlemanly sports at universities

Jim: Annette?

Annette: I'm glad to see that Beau still gets out. All to often I see too many people left alone.

Jim: yes, it's quite sad

Annette: If you had one character out of all to do over, which would it be

Jim: myself

Jim: as Shaw said,

Jim: youth is wasted on the young

Annette: lol

Jim: Well, ladies

Jim: it's about that time

Lena: You are so precious!! Thank you for your time and I hope you will do this again soon :-}

Annette: I walked into that one with both feet :)

Lexy: Jim, are you ever in touch with Tommy Kirk?? were you ever friends, besides co-stars?? I had no idea he had such a troubled life, until I looked him up on the internet.. He was always one of my teenage favs too.. Do you know what ever happened Kevin Corcoran

Hélène: Merci beaucoup

Julie: Thank you for coming

Lynn_A: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us

Mandy: Thanks so much, Jim!

Jim: Lexy, I'll answer quickly, then I must go

Lexy: thank you

Annette: aloha nui

Jim: No, I'm not in touch with Tommy or Moochie

Jim: they've both gone their own ways

Jim: charming guys, both of them

Jim: I wish them all the best

Jim: and I wish all of you the best too

Cindy_k: mahalo

Lexy: you were all such a big part of my growing up year....God Bless you Jim...this was so much fun :)

Jim: I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by your families and friends

Julie: Happy Thanksgiving Jim & have a Merry Christmas

Jim: and a very joyous Christmas season

Lynn_A: You too

Mandy: Thanks and same to you, Jim!

Jim: and again, I'm very happy to have had the chance to speak with you all

Lena: We love you

Jim: it's been great fun!

Jim: We'll do it again some time

Lexy: nite 'all

Jim: Good night, everyone