While some parents were busy cutting the crust off of their kids’ peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, James MacArthur’s parents were busy making art!

MacArthur is the son of playwright Charles MacArthur and actor Helen Hayes. MacArthur penned plays like The Front Page and Lulu Belle, while Hayes starred in movies like Anastasia (1956) and Airport (1970).

During an interview with the Ridder News Service, MacArthur admitted that he had no idea just how famous his parents were. “I just figured everybody’s mother went to the theater every night,” said MacArthur. As he grew older, however, he began to fully understand. Years later, Charles MacArthur’s works were still being performed on the stage. “I own the rights to my father’s works,” said the younger MacArthur. “I get the royalties.”

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As an adult, MacArthur made his own impact on the art form. After appearing in popular films like Swiss Family Robinson (1960), the young performer turned his attention toward television. Beginning in 1968, MacArthur began starring in the hit crime series, Hawaii Five-O as Detective Danny Williams.

While MacArthur’s parents didn’t steer him toward any major life decisions, the young actor did feel that they influenced him simply through love of the craft.

“They [my parents] did teach me a lot about the theatre just through my life with them,” MacArthur said during an interview with Teen Life. “They never pushed me in any direction. Any major decision has always been my own to make.”