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Wayne Newton performs as a photo of him as a young man flashes on the screen during the opening night performance Wednesday of “Once Before I Go” at the Tropicana. The show traces Netwon’s career and has him singing duets with the likes of Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin, who appear on video screens.
Published Tuesday, March 16, 2010 | 2:47 p.m.
Updated Tuesday, March 16, 2010 | 7:13 p.m.
Richard Schlesinger and members of the "CBS Sunday Morning" crew sort it all out at Excalibur.
A few months ago a production crew for "CBS Sunday Morning" was in town to report a profile segment on Wayne Newton. That was in early December.
To put it mildly, Newton's life has shifted immensely since early December.
Mr. Las Vegas has suffered family loss, family crisis, and fended off moving vans at Casa de Shenandoah seeking to claim his belongings to execute a court order won by his former pilot. The sight of moving vans in front of "The Ranch," even as they were legally permitted to be there, was jarring. I imagine at times Newton must feel like the Jackie Chan of Strip entertainers, karate-kicking back at individuals and episodes that have encircled his life.
The latest development, which overrides any other issue for the family, is that Newton's 33-year-old daughter Erin continues to make what those around her describe as a miraculous recovery from her HELLP syndrome-type condition she suffered during pregnancy a month ago. She has been alert and tending to her baby boy since awaking from a coma Feb. 22.
And all of this drama unfolded after the CBS crew left Vegas in the first week of December.
Nonetheless, the "Sunday Morning" piece well captured Newton's personality and disposition. (I was interviewed, too, and catch the profile piece linked here). The segment related an accurate canvassing of Newton's rise to stardom in Las Vegas, including an interview with him on Fremont Street in front of the Fremont Hotel, and an estimation by Newton that he's probably recited "Danke Schoen" 100,000 times onstage. It's a song he didn't particularly like in the first place. He was a country-western singer as a kid, but is still receiving royalty checks from Capitol Records for the song Bobby Darin handed him that changed his career.
Also telling was when correspondent Richard Schlesinger asked Newton how he came out of bankruptcy in the early 1990s. "I worked out of it," Newton flatly said. Newton's decades-long estrangement from his brother, Jerry, is mentioned, as is the infamous yarn about how Newton trekked to Burbank, California, to tell Johnny Carson that if he didn't stop with the Newton jokes in his monologue, Newton would knock Carson on his arse.
Newton hinting at retirement, too, made the final cut. He's not changed that tune since the show opened at the Trop in October. The crew also managed to capture rare footage of Newton driving his Rolls Royce on the Strip. This does not happen every day.
Newton's "Once Before I Go" production at Tropicana ends at the end of April. The hotel is undergoing a very obvious facelift, as construction crews have blocked off acreage on the casino floor to enact upgrades. Very loud upgrades, in some instances. Tiffany Theatre itself is due for an overhaul, in May, after Newton leaves. The other murmurs around the hotel are that Rick Thomas and his big-cat illusion show might well return to the Tropicana (he's at Sahara now) as Dirk Arthur departs. Maybe. It's all about change these days at the Trop.
Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at twitter.com/JohnnyKats.
Comment removed by moderator. Name-calling.
So glad to hear that Mr. Newton's daughter is recovering, and here baby is healthy as well. Mr. Newton best of luck to you old friend, and keep your winning personality, everything will work out in the end.
By the way, if anyone is able to catch the Vegas Visitor's Network Channel in their hotel room, they have an excellent bio on Mr. Wayne Newton. Also that's "her baby" up above sorry for the misspelling.
To Mr.Wayne Newton, This is the one time LIFE TRAGEDIES that comes not only to you but to everybody, As the saying goes LIFE IS LIKE A WHEEL,SOMETIMES YOUR UP AND SOMETIMES YOUR DOWN.Now your DOWN, I hope that you have stashed away plenty, otherwise I symphatize the struggling your going to do.I'm sad for what happen to you. To your daughter all I can say, BE STRONG and seek the LORD your PRAYING to, for spiritual support.
I am so very thankful to hear that Wayne's daughter,Erin is making a full recovery and the baby is doing well too!! That is just a miracle!!
Wayne, could not have made it through all of this if anything had happened to Erin.
I have been going to Las Vegas for 32 years and planned every trip around Wayne's shows.
He is a genuine man, and I wish him and all of his family the very best!!
He has given his whole life to entertaining millions of people, and what an entertainer he is.
There will never be another Wayne Newton!! He is the best!!
i hope everything works out w/ the family and all stay in good health; as far as waynes finances he should make an exerted effort to straighten it all out once and for all.
When will the public ever let the guy have a moments peace and privacy in his life. If he did as much in the fans lives as they do in his life the tables would be turned.
His shows have been shows that have not been the great room immediately but have been the lounges and then the stages and then the great rooms so why are the media always lurking to pounce on a person who has not gotten the golden spoon from the get go.
We all want to continue to hear the positive news about his family.
What I want to know is how all these wealthy people go bankrupt.
Comparitively speaking, I have very little, but I pay my bills and live within my means.
How do people with far more than me run out of money?
It's disappointing and suspect.
Hope the daughter and baby are doing good....
As for poor ole Wayne,, driving his Rolls around wanting to have people feel sorry for him..LMFAO..He dug his own grave so why should anyone but him take the fall... Like i saw posted,, how in the hell do you build a fortune and be broke..Stupid is as stupid does..Feel better now Wayne...
I love ya Wayne,you have done so much for the USO and the troops abroad. Plus he always salutes the veterans. But,if you get in a bind,the offer still stands for your Ferrari Daytona ;-)
I'm so happy to hear Wayne's daughter is making a good recovery. I wonder why no one has put the brakes on this guy's spending? I thought his wife was going to "help" him stay on the straight and narrow with his finances. How sad he had to make a deal with the devil (bruton something) knowing he'd never be able to pay him back. Well, Mr. Las Vegas seems to keep landing on his feet - let's see what he pulls out of his hat this time!
Dear Mr. Newton,
Thank you for all the wonderful deeds you have done over the years for our military and their families and you did it all without looking for any acknowledgement for it. I have admired you and your work since the first time I saw you perform on an episode of Bonanza when you were just a teenager.
I understand your belief in the value of family, your faith in God and your love of horses. Or as Ronald Reagan used to say 'There is nothing wrong with the inside of a man that the outside of a horse can't fix'.
Please hold on to your family and your faith during these trying times and do not let those that envy the success your decades of hard work has given you bring you down.
God Bless and Yours.
Simple: HEY WAYNE PAY YOUR BILLS