Friday, April 17, 1998 | 10:46 a.m.
STEVE & EYDIE ARE back in one of their favorite LV bailiwicks, the Caesars Palace Circus Maximus, tonight through Sunday. ... Mr. & Mrs. Steve Lawrence rate a number of pleasant pages in my personal memory book. ... Nat Simon wrote the music for the song, "Poinciana," in 1943. ... Teenager Steve Lawrence recorded it for the King label in the mid-1950s, his debut. ... The label carried the legend, "Son of a Cantor."
Nat Tannen ran the King Records office in mid-Manhattan. ... It was Nat who first forecast a rosy future for this son of a cantor. ... Our next awareness was of Lawrence as one of the four singers on the Steve Allen NBC-TV "Tonight" show, must viewing for me.
Andy Williams and Pat Kirby were the other two vocalists. ... Bill (Jose Jiminez) Dana, Don Knotts, Louis Nye and Tom Poston were the comedy regulars. ... This was the best of all the "Tonight" shows.
Anent Eydie
Audio Fidelity Records was a client and the late Sidney Frey had his eye on Eydie Gorme as a recording artist for his label. ... I agreed but felt that Eydie would be better off with a pop company rather than a high fidelity album label for collectors. ... In the mid-1940s, out of the service, I was with Decca Records, now MCA, and later that decade set up Coral as a subsidiary label for Decca.
Eydie Gorme was signed to record for Coral and Frey was furious, feeling I had something to do with Coral's signing her. ... It did turn out to be the best company for her at the time.
Frey went to his reward much too early, still believing that I was responsible for Eydie going elsewhere. ... I wasn't. ... You might say that, inadvertently, Eydie did cost me a client. ... She didn't. ... I was in Las Vegas the day Steve & Eydie got married, Dec. 29, 1957.
The nuptials
Lawrence was just back from the service and Eydie was opening for the late Joe E. Lewis at the original El Rancho. ... Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were married there earlier that day and served as the duo's witnesses. ... Our friendship dates back to the early 1970s here in Las Vegas. ... Steve & Eydie are simply the best music and comedy team ever.
Another memory: They were performing at Caesars Palace and had never played to an empty seat. ... After their opening segment together, Steve would go off while Eydie did her solo turn. ... He would walk through the audience, checking the sound and the demographics. ... This midnight show had 400 empty seats, one-third of the showroom total.
The midnight showroom price had been raised by 50 percent. ... Steve was in the late Billy Weinberger's office early the next morning. ... Billy explained that the show's gross total remained the same at the new price.
The rejoinder
Steve's reply was, "Fine, but what about 400 less people passing through the casino to the showroom and again, hopefully happy, after the show? ... That night the price went back to what it was and once again all the seats were filled. ... This was another time and Las Vegas was another place. ... It's sad that some things can't stay the same but that's progress in the new numbers- driven corporate world.
Steve Lawrence has the best comedy sense and timing of any singing performer; he's funny. ... Together, Steve & Eydie are one of the best comedy teams as well. ... The late Dean Martin was a great fan of Steve's sense of humor. ... He called him "Steve & Eydie."
This was the standard Dino greeting whenever he saw Steve. ... One night, this carried over onto the TV show when he introduced the duo as "Steve & Eydie ... and Eydie."
Friday addenda
Weekend best bet: "Tap Dogs," tonight through Sunday, with 3 p.m. matinees Saturday and Sunday (MGM Grand Theatre). ... Recommended: Willie Chambers of the Chambers Brothers, free shows at 7 & 9 p.m. Saturday (Palace Station). ... Likewise, pianist Frank Leone, now at Nicky Blair's, Mondays through Thursdays. ... Dance fans: Don't miss Si Zentner and his award-winning Big Band Saturday (Stardust Ballroom). ... See you next Thursday.
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