{{Short description|American actor and entertainer (1933–2013)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Poncie Ponce | image = Poncie Ponce Hawaiian Eye 1959.JPG | caption = Ponce in 1959 | birth_name = Ponciano Tabac Hernandez<ref name="Ponce Heads a Karate Studio"/><ref name="biodata"/> | other_names = Poncie Ponce | birth_date = {{birth date|1933|04|10}} | birth_place = Maui, Hawaii | death_date = {{death date and age|2013|07|19|1933|04|10}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | occupation = Vocalist<br />Actor<br />Musician<br />Stand-Up Comedian<br />Impressionist | years_active = 1953–2013 | spouse = Sherry Luke (m. July 21, 1956) }}
'''Poncie Ponce''' (born '''Ponciano Tabac Hernandez''';<ref name="Ponce Heads a Karate Studio"/><ref name="biodata"/> April 10, 1933 – July 19, 2013) was an American actor, musician and stand-up comedian. Born in Maui, Hawaii, he moved to Los Angeles, where from 1959 to 1963 he played the role of cab driver Kazuo Kim in the Warner Bros. detective series ''Hawaiian Eye'' on the ABC television network. In 1961, Ponce was at the forefront of a growing national interest in martial arts when he opened a karate studio in North Hollywood.<ref name="Ponce Heads a Karate Studio"/>
==Early life== Ponciano Tabac Hernandez<ref name="biodata">{{cite news|last=Tsuchiyama|first=Ray|title=Before Hawai'i 5–0: Hawaiian Eye|url=http://www.mauinews.com/page/blogs.detail/display/4399/Before-Hawai-i-5-0--Hawaiian-Eye.html|accessdate=July 23, 2013|newspaper=Maui News|date=June 15, 2013|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051408/http://www.mauinews.com/page/blogs.detail/display/4399/Before-Hawai-i-5-0--Hawaiian-Eye.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> was born one of seven surviving children in Maui, Hawaii on April 10, 1933, to Maria ({{nee}} Tabac) and Alfredo Hernandez.<ref name="Ponce Heads a Karate Studio">{{cite news |title=Ponce Heads a Karate Studio|newspaper=Lewiston Evening Journal |date=4 November 1961 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UKk0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=OWoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6004,503619&dq=poncie+ponce&hl=en }}</ref><ref name="ObitAdvertiser">{{cite news|title=Ponciano Tabac Ponce "Poncie Ponce"|url=http://obits.staradvertiser.com/2013/07/30/ponciano-tabac-ponce-poncie-ponce/|accessdate=August 18, 2013|newspaper=Honolulu Star-Advertiser|date=July 30, 2013}}</ref> He attended Honokaa High School in Honokaa, Hawaii, and pursued a career as a welder at Hawaii Vocational School.<ref>Woolley, Malsbary & Strange 1985, p. 169</ref>
However, he was drafted and served for two years in the United States Army. Deployed to Germany in 1953, Ponce honed his artistic talents in Munich's clubs.<ref name="Ponce Heads a Karate Studio"/> Drawn to a career in entertainment, upon return to civilian life Ponce made the rounds of Hawaii's local talent contests and television and radio stations. Encouraged by Hawaii tourist audiences, Ponce decided to try his luck in Los Angeles.<ref name="Ponce Heads a Karate Studio"/>
==Discovery and stardom== thumb|180px|Ponce and Connie Stevens, 1961. Los Angeles automobile dealer Bob Yeakel broadcast an 18-hour weekly amateur talent show called ''Rocket to Stardom''<ref name="L.A. Then and Now: Long before 'American Idol,' the performances were live -- and strange">{{cite news |title=L.A. Then and Now: Long before 'American Idol,' the performances were live – and strange|author=Harvey, Steve |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=14 February 2010 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-feb-14-la-me-then14-2010feb14-story.html }}</ref> from his Wilshire Boulevard showroom. The broadcast was split over two local stations, KHJ-TV Channel 9 and KTTV-TV Channel 11. Ponce made a series of appearances on the local show in the late 1950s and was soon working at Ben Blue's<ref name="Future of Nightclubs Bleak, Says Ben Blue">{{cite news |title=Ponce Heads a Karate Studio|author=Thomas, Bob |newspaper=Daytona Beach Morning Journal |date=18 December 1962 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XfEpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XsoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=975,3736225&dq=ben+blue+nightclub&hl=en }}</ref> Santa Monica night club. Warner Bros. executives William T. Orr<ref name="Ponce Heads a Karate Studio"/> and Hugh Benson<ref name="Ponce Heads a Karate Studio"/> happened to catch his act at Ben Blue's and thought he might be a good fit for their new production ''Hawaiian Eye''. There was one stipulation to the contract, that he change his name to Poncie Ponce. Jack L. Warner changed his name to Ponce.<ref name="ObitAdvertiser"/>
Ponce came to national attention in 1959 as the wise-cracking cab driver Kazuo Kim on the Warner Bros. detective series ''Hawaiian Eye'',<ref name="This Hawaiian Eye Has Seen It All">{{cite journal|last=Lagronio|first=Dan|title=This Hawaiian Eye Has Seen It All |journal=Clarity Digital Group LLC |date=24 April 2010}}</ref> which ran for four years on ABC. Kazuo Kim was known for his trademark straw hat and ukulele, sometimes as an informant for the detectives<ref name="Bob Conrad Hitches Wagon to Movies' Famous Short Stars">{{cite news |title=Bob Conrad Hitches Wagon to Movies' Famous Short Stars|newspaper=Southeast Missourian |date=11 February 1960 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=y7EfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PdcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2882,3125088&dq=poncie+ponce&hl=en }}</ref> and at other times simply playing his ukulele while leaning against his cab waiting for fares. The show's introduction showed Kazuo Kim floating in the ocean on an inner tube, wearing the hat and plucking his ukulele.<ref name="Hawaiian Eye Intro">{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWgT43pWB4U | title=Hawaiian Eye Intro | accessdate=October 15, 2025|website=youtube.com }}</ref>
==Films and club dates==
The show led to parts in a handful of films,<ref name="This Hawaiian Eye Has Seen It All"/> most notably as part of a stock car racing pit crew on Elvis Presley's team in the 1968 ''Speedway''.
''Hawaiian Eye'' provided opportunities for Ponce that continued after the show ended to perform and make personal appearances around the globe.<ref name="Ponce Visits Royal Melbourne Hospital">{{cite news |title=Ponce Visits Royal Melbourne Hospital|newspaper=The Age |date=13 September 1963 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gIUQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E5UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7284,1920150&dq=poncie+ponce&hl=en }}</ref> In 1963, Ponce joined the promotional staff of television station HSV 7 in Melbourne, Australia.<ref name="Australia">{{cite magazine|title=Australia |last=Hilder |first=George |magazine=Billboard|date=12 October 1963|page=42}}</ref> Beginning December 29, 1964, Ponce began a four-week engagement at the Checkers Club in Sydney, Australia.<ref name="People and Places">{{cite magazine|title=People and Places |last=Gross |first=Mike |magazine=Billboard|date=26 December 1964|page=30}}</ref> In February 1965, Ponce played the Getsusekai club in Tokyo.<ref name="MG People and Places">{{cite magazine|title=MG People and Places |last=Gross |first=Mike |magazine=Billboard|date=13 February 1965|page=40}}</ref> June 9–16, 1965, Ponce was appearing on radio and television in Buenos Aires.<ref name="Buenos Aires People and Places">{{cite magazine|title=Buenos Aires People and Places |last=Gross |first=Mike |magazine=Billboard|date=15 May 1965|page=12}}</ref> Ponce, who lived in California, sometimes entertained at events in Las Vegas.<ref name="Show Biz">{{cite news|last=Harada|first=Wayne|title=Show Biz|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Oct/07/il/hawaii810070306.html|newspaper=Honolulu Advertiser|date=7 October 2008}}</ref> Long after the show ended, Ponce was booked at nostalgia events.<ref name="Annual Grape Fest">{{cite news |title=Annual Grape Fest |newspaper=The Modesto Bee |date=8 September 1971 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bPstAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EX8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2801,1884299&dq=poncie+ponce&hl=en |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124133739/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bPstAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EX8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2801,1884299&dq=poncie+ponce&hl=en |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 24, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="Actors Reunited">{{cite news |title=Actors Reunited |newspaper=The Palm Beach Post |date=20 April 1983 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LwItAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ds8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2569,5965153&dq=poncie+ponce&hl=en |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130124131712/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LwItAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ds8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=2569,5965153&dq=poncie+ponce&hl=en |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 24, 2013 }}</ref>
==Recordings== The television show also opened opportunities for Ponce to record for Warner Bros. Records. In 1961, Warner Bros. released Ponce's single ''Ten Cent Perfume / No Huhu''. ''Billboard'' magazine gave the single a three-star rating for "Moderate sales potential".<ref name="Moderate Sales Potential">{{cite magazine|title=Moderate Sales Potential |magazine=Billboard|date=11 December 1961|page=34}}</ref> The magazine explained its three-star rating as, "...these frequently will be of interest for disk jockey programming." In 1962, Warner Bros released the album ''Poncie Ponce Sings''. ''Billboard'' gave the album a four-star "Strong Sales Potential" rating, saying, "He does his best work on novelties."<ref name="Review of New Albums">{{cite magazine|title=Reviews of New Albums |magazine=Billboard|date=26 May 1962|pages=22, 25}}</ref>
==Later years== In 2000, Ponce underwent heart surgery.<ref name="Blonde Ambition">{{cite journal |last=Stukin |first=Stacie |title=Blonde Ambition|journal=Los Angeles Magazine |date=March 2000 |page=158}}</ref> That same year, he made an appearance at a Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters luncheon honoring his friend and former co-star Connie Stevens, where the two old friends sang the ''Hawaiian Wedding Song''. In 2006, Ponce, who was home on Maui for a high school reunion, gave locals a thrill by performing an impromptu jam with stand-up comic Augie T.<ref name="Augie T. Joins Poncie Ponce For Impromptu Jam">{{cite news |last=Harada |first=Wayne |title=Augie T. Joins Poncie Ponce For Impromptu Jam|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Oct/05/il/FP610060309.html|newspaper=Honolulu Advertiser|date=5 October 2006}}</ref> After retiring, Ponce spent time with Sherry Luke Ponce, his wife of over five decades, as well as his three daughters and his grandchildren.<ref name="ObitAdvertiser"/><ref name="This Hawaiian Eye Has Seen It All"/> He died on July 19, 2013, at 80.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hawaiian-eye-star-poncie-ponce-dies-594111 |title='Hawaiian Eye' Star Poncie Ponce Dies |publisher=hollywoodreporter.com |date=July 26, 2013}}</ref>
==Discography== *''Hawaiian Eye'' (soundtrack) (1960) Warner Bros. 1355, (2006) re-released, Collectibles 7779<ref>{{cite web|title=Hawaiian Eye soundtrack|url=http://blog.humuhumu.com/2006/06/20/hawaiian-eye-soundtrack-on-cd|publisher=Humu Kon Tiki|accessdate=21 June 2010|archive-date=13 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100813094610/http://blog.humuhumu.com/2006/06/20/hawaiian-eye-soundtrack-on-cd|url-status=dead}}</ref> *''Ten Cent Perfume / No Huhu'' (1961) Warner Bros. single 5244 *''Poncie Ponce Sings'' (1962) Warner Bros. W5-1453
==Filmography== *''Portrait of a Mobster'' (1961)<ref>{{cite web |title=AFI{{!}}Catalog |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/23324-PORTRAIT-OF-A-MOBSTER?cxt=filmography |website=catalog.afi.com |access-date=16 November 2022}}</ref> *''Speedway'' (1968)<ref>{{cite web |title=AFI{{!}}Catalog |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/18570-SPEEDWAY?cxt=filmography |website=catalog.afi.com |access-date=16 November 2022}}</ref> *''The World's Greatest Lover'' (1977)<ref>{{cite web |title=AFI{{!}}Catalog |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/54401-THE-WORLDS-GREATEST-LOVER?cxt=filmography |website=catalog.afi.com |access-date=16 November 2022}}</ref> *''G.I. Joe: The Movie'' (1987)<ref>{{cite web |title=G.I. Joe: The Movie|website=Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/gi_joe_the_movie |access-date=16 November 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
==Television appearances== {{unreferenced section|date= November 2022}} *''77 Sunset Strip'' (1959–1960) *''The Gallant Men'' (1963) *''Hawaiian Eye'' (1959–1963) *''The Red Skelton Hour'' (1953–1963) *''The Woody Woodbury Show'' (1968) *''Family Feud'' (1983) *''Michael Nesmith in Television Parts'' (1985) *''Doctor Duck's Super Secret All-Purpose Sauce'' (1986)
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=33em}}
==Further reading== {{commons category}} *{{cite book |last=Woolley |first=Lynn |author2=Robert W. Malsbary |author3=Robert G. Strange |year=1985 |title=Warner Bros. Television |publisher=McFarland |isbn=0-89950-144-3 |pages=168–169}}
==External links== * {{IMDb name|id=nm0690291|name=Poncie Ponce}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponce, Poncie}} Category:1933 births Category:2013 deaths Category:American male television actors Category:Male actors from Hawaii Category:Actors from Maui Category:American male actors of Filipino descent Category:Ukulele players from Hawaii Category:Bongo players Category:American trombonists Category:American male trombonists Category:Warner Bros. contract players