Columnist Joe Delaney: Wayne Newton’s long, legendary career

Joe Delaney

Friday, Sept. 11, 1998 | 9:37 a.m.

WAYNE NEWTON STARTS a two-week stand in the MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre this evening. ... Newton in the 1970s and well into the 1980s had an impact on Las Vegas equal to Sinatra and the Rat Pack in the late 1950s and '60s. ... Newton and Elvis Presley were a powerful combination from 1970 until Elvis' death in August, 1977.

Newton holds all Las Vegas records for number of weeks played, number of hours on stage; five or more hours per night total, seven nights a week; and total crowd counts during his peak period. ... He divided his time between Howard Hughes' hotels, the Desert Inn, Frontier and Sands.

Following the death of Hughes' entertainment director, Walter Kane, Wayne headlined at Bally's, Caesars Palace and the LV Hilton. ... Today, his LV performing home is the MGM Grand, with Branson, Mo., sharing equal time when not touring or working other casino resorts.

The beginning

A child prodigy at age 6 in his natal city, Norfolk, Va., Wayne had his own radio show. ... When the family moved to Phoenix for better climate conditions, he was a hit on both local radio and television there as well. ... The next stop for Wayne and brother Jerry, working as the Newton Brothers, was LV and the Fremont hotel-casino lounge.

Master hotelier Ed Torres, now retired, was their first mentor. ... Torres, a perfectionist, a stern taskmaster, had them working in the Fremont lounge, six nights a week, six shows a night, 45 minutes on, 15 off. ... The duo soaked up the LV scene like twin sponges.

Torres was to Wayne Newton what the late band leader, Tommy Dorsey, was to Frank Sinatra, a primary learning experience. ... Wayne was an avid pupil, brother Jerry was not.

More mentors

Jackie Gleason gave the Newton Brothers their first national television date, which included an engagement in the lounge of the famed NYC nightclub, the Copa. ... It was there that well-on-his-way superstar Bobby Darin saw the duo. ... Darin was riding high on the charts with his recording of "Mack the Knife," still on jukeboxes.

Gleason was the second mentor and Darin the third to realize the immense potential in Wayne Newton. ... It was Darin who suggested the name change to Wayne Newton, rather than the Newton Brothers, which, eventually, led to Jerry going on his own.

More important, it was Darin who selflessly gave Wayne the song slated to be Bobby's follow-up release to "Mack the Knife" -- "Danke Schoen," Newton's first million-record seller. ... Darin produced the Newton recording session.

And two more

Darin died in December, 1973. ... Nearly 26 years later, Newton still acknowledges Bobby each night in his act, performing Darin's first hit, "Splish, Splash" as a tribute. ... Paul Anka and Tony Orlando are two other headliners who still pay homage to Darin onstage.

Jack Benny was the next mentor, giving Newton his first main showroom shot. ... Walter Kane, as Hughes' entertainment director, followed. ... From the start of the 1970s until Kane's death in 1982, Newton was a dominant force, 40 weeks or more a year, mostly at the Frontier, the largest of the Hughes hotels, equal at times to a second convention.

During this past quarter-century, Newton has been a target, put down as synonymous with Las Vegas glitz, a Las Vegas-only phenomenon. ... Not true. ... He has been an important factor, onstage and off, everywhere, in all media.

Our relationship

Newton and I have had our differences, major differences. ... We didn't communicate directly for 10 years or more at one point. ... We are good friends today. ... During that earlier interval, we may have disagreed, sometimes publicly, but neither one of us ever lost respect for the other. ... During the many good cause fund-raisers, Wayne never said, "No." ... We communicated through third persons.

My regard for him as a person and as a performer has always been the highest. ... One cannot ignore his intense desire to please as a performer, to succeed with his audience; the reason that his fan base is so large and continuing to grow. ... He is this half-century's Al Jolson.

In addition, no performer has given more to this community, of his time, his talent, and the use of his property and home for various good causes. ... He continues to do so. ... See you next Thursday.