Jack Lord was an American actor and director best known for his role as Steve McGarrett in the television series "Hawaii Five-O," which ran from 1968 to 1980. He played the lead character, who headed an elite state police unit, for the entire 12-year run of the show, which was one of the most popular and successful police dramas of its time.

Lord was born John Joseph Patrick Ryan in New York City in 1920. He began his acting career in the 1950s, performing in theater productions and appearing in small roles in films. He also had a successful stage career, performing in productions of "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "The Crucible" among others.

In addition to "Hawaii Five-O," Lord appeared in a number of other television shows and films. He played the lead role in the 1960s series "Stoney Burke" and made guest appearances on shows such as "The FBI" and "The Wild Wild West." He also appeared in films such as "God's Little Acre" and "The Satan Bug."

Lord was also an accomplished painter and photographer, and he often painted the backgrounds for the scenes in "Hawaii Five-O." He was also a collector of contemporary art.

He died on January 21, 1998, in Honolulu, Hawaii.