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?╟≤ L. A. Examiner - 4/14/74 'WHO'S GOING TO BE FOOLISH ENOUGH TO TOP THIS?' \ 'Hallelujah Hollywood9 for Spip! A. A'AA By MICHAEL CARMACK Herald-Examiner Staff Writer LA'S VEGAS ?╜?╟÷' '^Excuse my conceit, but I'm better than Ziegfeld ever was." With those modest words, it seems obvious that Donn1Aftim feels he has a better than average stage revue in *.'r|aiielujah Hollywood," opening April 26 in the Grarjd Hotel's "appropriately named Ziegfeld Room. What the Las Vegas hostelry and producer Arden have .done, is conceive a musical horn of plenty. It will not only spill all over the Ziegfeld stage, but hang from the rafters, mushroom from-the basement, hurtle in from the sides and almost, march across,patrons' tables between their gin fizzes. Its aim is to be a spectacle of spectacles, showcasing many of the great songs and moments from MGM classic films. But style is more important than content here. Arden, a name svnbnymous with feathered and jeweled productions for 25 years, has brought together 120 entertainers (as well as assorted animal acts), scores of technicians, and placed them on what is probably the largest stage in the world (one which incorporates 11 lifts, enabling different areas of the stage to , move up and down during songs). Off stage, three turntable-staircases will be moved in at the appropriate time while a 100-foot passerelle or "runway in the sky" will be lowered from the ceiling so that dozens of show girls will give customers a tasty eye view of rhinestones and glitter. And then you've got the 20-pieee orchestra playing via closed-circuit television and sound signals one floor below the showroom stage, a dolphin tactfully disrobing a young woman in art aquarium, a Judy Garland tribute with tens of thousands of little lights filling the stage, and a sunken pirate ship in what the hotel describes as a super-qplossal, eye-popping presentation. Among the nostalgic hits will be "Strike Up the Band," "Get Happy," "New York New York," "Kismet," "Love Me or Leave Me" and "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody." Arden has worked hard for the last 10 months to put "Hallelujah Hollywood" together. It's been no easy task, but he knows he has a winner, or as he puts it, "who's going to be foolish enough to topjhis?" In January 1973, after being asked by MGM to produce a ?√ß spectacle, Arden virtually moved into the studio's Culver City offices, and for months went through the wealth of great films, piecing together an overall concept for the show. And at. the same time, he was combing the country as well as Europe for new show girls ?╟÷ new faces to bring more glamor and excitement to the show. "I am a man who is known to do beautiful girl shows,' Arden points out, "This is an age where people want to be overwhelmed, and they expect it of me ?╟÷ I create monster shows" (in terms of size). ^ 'Hollywood's producer Donn Arden, 'I am a man who is known to do beautiful gii "Also, I'm known for my disasters ?╟÷ I'm, the Titan or blowing up the Hindenburjii wood' was just perfect for me because J|^_ shipwreck. 'So, during 'The -Pirate' section-, I have the front half of a pirate vessel on stage. I have the pirates raping and pillaging. Then the ship sinks and we go into a water ballet with a dolphin and girl-the dolphin plucking hef top off," The revue is divided into six sections; the introduction, "Kismet," "Meet Me in St. Louis," "The Pirate," "We Could Do It Better," and the finale. Each tribute to the MGM ..classics has its own flavor such as the Far East touch of "Kismet" or the comedic take-offs in "We Could; Do It Better" ?╟÷ anyone for Groucho, Chaplin, and Wallace;;'Beery and Marie Dressier? With the possible exception of turning Disneyland i 24-hour discotheque, and Bette Midler bumping and [ ' on top of the Matterhorn, "Hallelujah Hollywood" will certainly be the season's eye-popping presentation. The 700 cos- i tumes (200 in the introduction) are the work of costumers j Bob Mackie and Ray Aghayan. /