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THE CHATTANOOGA POST, MONDAY, AUGUST 4, 1969. -a Donn Arden Brilliant Showman By MAX WOLKOFF Special to The Chattanooga Post LAS VEGAS, Nev. ?╟÷ Opulence ?╟÷ tempered with impeccable good taste?╟÷is perhaps the best way to describe what is meant by "The Arden Touch." In the world of night club fltertainment. the words ?√ßIII! of excellence which others strive for, but seldom achieve. Arden's association with the Desert Inn shows is in itself something of a show business saga?╟÷he has been directing all of the hostelry's stage productions for almost 18 years, since the very day it opened. But his finest achievement in Las Vegas will unquestionably be "Pzazz '70." This extraordinary attraction ?╟÷ certainly '&ie.^x.i%!.flsL elahorate_. extrava- By BERT BACHARACH NEVER KNOCK ASTROLOGY! Take the case of my wife, who doesn't ?╟÷ never did ?╟÷ gamble. She had read in my column that the lucky day for ?╟≤ Taureans was Friday, while the lucky number was six (6). So, leaving the Desert Inn last Friday (her lucky- day) she dropped a dollar on a six (her lucky number) ?╟÷ and that little old roulette wheel stopped on SIX! She grabbed her winnings and ran out to -Jhe waiting car, murmuring, ^How long has THIS been going on!" ... We were lucky, too, in catching the in- v i t a t i o n a 1 opening of the Desert Inn's new show, "P'ZAZZ '70." It's said to have cost $1 million with $250,- 000 being spent for costumes alone. It overshadows any spectacular of this type, and establishes FRANK SENNES and DONN ARDEN as the Flo Ziegfelds of our day. I was particularly impressed by the fact that the show included no nudity ?╟÷ which proved once again that girls are prettier with SOME clothes on! DESERT INN 735-1122 Maitre d' Pancho Alliati CRYSTAL ROOM - July 10-Indef. "Pzazz '70 & All That Jazz, Baby!" featuring a cast of 100; Carlton Hayes Ork. (8 P.M. and Midnite.) LADY LUCK LOUNGE "Tom Jones" Revue; Happy Jesters; Living Dolls; Desert Inn Strings; Willie & Alvie. (5 P.M. to 5 A.M.) SKY ROOM Murray Arnold; Jody's Quintet. (9 P.M. to 4 A.M.) "Pzazz 70 And All That Jazz, Baby!" is a glittering, jazzy knockout of a show bound to be on every "must see" list . . . Swinging ?╟÷ and it swings aplenty! ?╟÷ productionwise from Las Vegas and San Francisco, to Memphis, St. Louis, a heavenly Hollywood, and to New York, it reserves its most intoxicating, satirical "howdy" for prohibition daze Chicago, a hilarious potpourri of streetwalkers, a speakeasy "floor show," a mobster rub-out, and a realistic fire. "Pzazz '70 . . ." is 70 kinds of colorful, glanourous fun, replete with extravagant scenery, ravishing costumes, inventive special effects, and a huge, high-powered company of handsome singers and dancers . . . Between spectacles there are specialty acts including Will Jordan, the comedy impressionist who aptly mim- icks such off beat subjects as Sabu along with clever carbons of Jack E. (Continued on Page 24) FABULOUS LAS VEGAS lasVegas, Nevada yegas Visitor COY. W. 45,000) 1963 -'?√?*&?╜ i P. C. ?· Est. 1888 D.I. Dazzler 1 -it Since its opening night at the Desert Inn, "Pzazzj7CJj:' the night club worTrPTfTrst million dollar production, has been reaping the highest critical acclaim from the nation's top entertainment editors. "A dazzling show... a gigantic conception utilizing every inch of the Crystal DESERT INN (Continued from Page 20) Leonard, Bing Crosby, Ed Sullivan, etc., Marvin Roy, a sleight-of-hand magician who could be described as "well lit" for his amazing feats with electric lights, the exceptionally fleet- footed Little Steps, always favorites here, exciting singers Barry Monroe and Edward Whiting, and agile juggler Montego, the busiest guy in town tossing balls and spinning rings while balanced on a unicycle . . . It's 24 Room's giant stage - and everything moves all the time," said Dale Munroe of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. Bob Freund of the Ft. Lauderdale News wrote, "Las Vegas always tops itself, but it seems incredible to think that anything could be bigger, more dazzling, more truly super than 'Pzazz '70V , " 'Pzazz'70'," writes Joy Hamann of the Hollywood Reporter, "is the most opulent, dazzling, heady and tastefully done spectacular." > Howard Pearson of the Salt Lake Deseret News said, "Whatever doubts there might have been about Las Vegas being the musical entertainment capital of the world are dispelled by j 'Pzazz '70'." Bill Bruning of the Chattanooga Post summed it up by writing, " 'Pzazz '70' is a stage show only one word can thumbnail describe-fantastic!!" And the plaudits for the superspeetacular go on and on. Probably no other musical revue has ever garnered the raves that "Pzazz '70" has enjoyed. All in all "Pzazz'70" is a memorable look at America's great jazz eras with the driving beat of the '70s added to make it one of the greatest shows ever presented in the history of show business/ shame there isn't space to credit all the fine company, but featured standouts are Jacqueline Douguet, Nick Navarro, Bernard Charey, Michelle Monay, Sheila Sparr, Kiki Paige, Bobbi Hill, Jeanne Costa, Penny Pryor, Lillian D'Honeau, Gary Sneed, Jim Weiss, Gordon Cornish, and Loretta St. John . . . Lavish behind-the- scenes credits to Frank Sennes' production, Donn Arden's inspired staging and direction, Bill Campbell's opulently original ^ costume designs, and Jim Harbert's music and arrangements, played with enormous pzazz by Carlton Hayes and his Orchestra. (Mary Rettig)