▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁a ▁special ▁state ▁police ▁task ▁force , ▁which ▁is ▁called ▁Five - O . ▁McG ar rett ▁was ▁fam ously ▁port rayed ▁by ▁Jack ▁Lord ▁in ▁the ▁original ▁show ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁and ▁later ▁by ▁Alex ▁O ' L ough lin ▁in ▁the ▁series ' ▁re make ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁Through out ▁the ▁show , ▁McG ar rett ▁is ▁partner ▁to ▁Det ect ive ▁D anny ▁" D anno " ▁Williams . ▁ ▁Hawai i ▁Five - 0 ▁( 1 9 6 8 – 1 9 8 0 ) ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁original ▁show , ▁Steve ▁McG ar rett ▁was ▁port rayed ▁by ▁Jack ▁Lord ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁McG ar rett ▁was ▁a ▁former ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁Lieutenant ▁and ▁Det ect ive ▁Captain ▁in ▁the ▁Hon ol ulu ▁Police ▁Department ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁requested ▁by ▁Governor ▁Paul ▁James on ▁to ▁head ▁the ▁Five - 0 ▁Task ▁Force , ▁a ▁fict ional ▁equivalent ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁police . ▁He ▁was ▁port rayed ▁as ▁a ▁highly ▁driven ▁cop ▁and ▁work ah ol ic , ▁often ▁stay ing ▁at ▁his ▁office ▁until ▁mid night . ▁It ▁was ▁said ▁that ▁he ▁" only ▁takes ▁orders ▁from ▁the ▁Governor ▁and ▁God ▁– ▁and ▁occasionally ▁even ▁they ▁have ▁trouble ". ▁ ▁McG ar rett ▁had ▁a ▁sister ▁Mary ▁Ann ▁( N ancy ▁Mal one ). ▁Their ▁mother ▁was ▁murder ed ▁by ▁crim