Columnist Joe Delaney: Conversation with impressionist Little reveals a lot

Joe Delaney

Friday, July 31, 1998 | 10:31 a.m.

RICH LITTLE, appearing in concert Saturday in Harrah's showroom, is celebrating 25 years as LV's most consistent impressionist showroom headliner. ... Little also appears regularly at the Orleans hotel. ... The problem: "The Orleans has a warm, friendly showroom, but so many successful acts, it's hard to play there very many weeks a year.

"On the other hand," he continues, "you have to go out on the road or the rest of the country tends to forget you. I live in Las Vegas and love living here but prefer dividing time between Vegas and the road. I play a lot of conventions, industrial shows, riverboats and Indian casinos.

"I play Reno and Atlantic City and just came back from a fine engagement at the Green Room in London's Cafe Royale, very posh. I also performed at a Variety Club gala there, honoring Julie Andrews. Look for her to come back strong in 1999."

The beginning

Little was born in Ottawa, Canada. ... Along with Paul Anka, he played the small Ottawa clubs for miniscule money. ... Rich's first impression was in grade school. ... One of his teachers had a speech impediment. ... Little answered questions using the voice of the teacher, who then complimented him on his good diction.

The late Jimmy Stewart was his first celebrity carbon. ... Stewart and Little later became great friends. ... In a classic Dean Martin TV show, Rich "taught" Stewart how to do his Jimmy Stewart better. ... A James Mason take-off was Little's TV breakthrough.

Singer Mel Torme discovered Rich in 1964, working in Canada, and convinced him to come to Los Angeles where Torme was musical consultant on the Judy Garland TV show. ... Garland didn't want to use an impressionist but Mel prevailed. ... Judy's on-camera reactions were captured.

TV was vital

"Actually, Judy's reactions made my James Mason that much more effective. Television has been good for me. 'Kopykats,' a 1970s series videotaped in London, was another big boost, working with Frank Gorshin, Shecky Greene, the late Sammy Davis Jr. and especially George Kirby (also gone) who adopted me back then, a most talented and kind man.

"In the 1980s, Bally's Celebrity Room was the locale for two of my three 'Great Pretenders' shows for HBO. The third show was taped at the Hilton. ... I did two more for HBO in which I played all the parts, depicting well-known famous personalities, 'Robin Hood' and 'A Christmas Carol,' which I will do onstage in Atlantic City this December.

"I'll do "Christmas Carol' onstage as if it were in a radio studio, with sound effects. I've done this before and it works. The presidential press conference is my strongest onstage segment."

The competition

Re other impressionists: "Frank Gorshin, so accurate and precise, was actually the first Las Vegas impressionist headliner, but he didn't sustain for long. Back in the 1950s, most comedians did impressions, usually Jimmy Cagney, Humprey Bogart and Cary Grant. Don Rickles still does a few, including Cagney as George M. Cohan in 'Yankee Doodle Dandy.' " Don's at the Desert Inn this weekend.

"Sammy Davis Jr. was one of the great impressionists. Shecky Greene was incredible. Bob Anderson is excellent but limited in scale and not well known enough outside of Las Vegas, a shame.

"Danny Gans is outstanding, especially his singing impressions. He has the youth, the moves, the appearance, the complete package. Gans will have to do television or films and spend some time on the road to realize his full potential. It's a matter of time."

Afterthoughts

Adds Little: "Don't overlook Debbie Reynolds, she's great. Marilyn Michaels was very good on 'Kopykats.' Locally, Kathy Walker, of The Walkers, is vastly underrated. We have a CD together, doing various duos, for future release and I am working on a script to take my 'Presidents Press Conference' to Broadway next year."

As each president has been elected, starting with Richard M. Nixon in 1969, Little has sent the winner a telegram reading, "Congratulations -- and welcome to my act." ... For 25 years, Little has never said "No" to any good local cause. ... I thought you might like to know him a little better. ... See you next Thursday.