Columnist Joe Delaney: ‘Folies,’ Hackett, Greco set for Casino Legends Hall of Fame

Joe Delaney

Thursday, Dec. 9, 1999 | 9:43 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at joe@vegas.com or 259-4066.

The National Finals Rodeo continues through Sunday, concluding with an 11:45 a.m. performance at the Thomas & Mack Center. ... Ricky & the Redstreaks, starting at 11 p.m. nightly through Sunday in the Stardust convention center, offer the best post-rodeo action with performers, participants and technical personnel hanging out until the wee small hours.

Saturday's big to-do is the 40th anniversary celebration of the "Folies Bergere" at 8:15 p.m. in the Tropicana's Tiffany Theatre. ... Today at 2 p.m., Buddy Hackett and Buddy Greco will be inducted into the Casino Legends Hall of Fame at the Tropicana along with "Folies" alumni, showgirl Felicia Atkins and choreographer Vassili Sulich.

Sulich is being honored as a "Visionary" for his role in founding Nevada Dance Theatre, now Nevada Ballet Theatre, and serving for years as artistic director. ... NBT's annual classic, "The Nutcracker" opens Dec. 16, UNLV's Judy Bayley Theatre.

More on 'Folies'

Another alumnus, producer Maynard Sloate, will be on hand for the "Folies" festivities. ... Sloate was responsible for producing shows in the Tropicana Blue Room, 1965-1971, making it one of the hottest small showrooms in town. ... Sloate also produced the 1968 and 1971 editions of the "Folies Bergere" before moving to the Union Plaza as producer of successful Broadway shows well into the 1980s.

CineVegas continues through Saturday at Paris Las Vegas. ... More than 80 films will be shown with screenings at both Paris Las Vegas and the Gold Coast Twin theaters. ... Call for details.

Comedian Bruce Mickelson, formerly starring in "Viva Las Vegas" (Stratosphere), is meriting rave reviews portraying the late Jackie Gleason in "The Great Gleason Show" at the Grand Casino in Biloxi, Miss. ... Dick Feeney, "Viva Las Vegas" producer, is doing double duty there.

Star-policy rundown

It's Charlie Daniels (Bally's); Clay Walker (Bellagio); Clint Black (Caesars); Maureena Danicar (D.I.); Monty Roberts (Excalibur); Brooks & Dunn (House of Blues); Martina McBride & Bruce Engvall (LV Hilton); Carrot Top (MGM Grand); Alabama (Mirage); Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Waylon Jennings (Orleans); Danny Gans (Rio) and Andre-Phillippe Gagnon (Venetian).

Buddy Greco, Lezlie Anders, their big band and special guests play for good listening and dancing, Fridays only (Flamingo Hilton showroom). ... Tracy Lawrence performs, Friday only (the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel).

In listing Wayne Newton's recent awards, we inadvertently omitted his American Legion Award, along with Sen. John Glenn and Supreme Court Justice William H. Renquist, plus the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, together with first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. ... Steve Connolly's Elvis Tribute (Bally's) now includes Christmas favorites.

What a week!

In addition to all the other happenings scheduled this week, ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd played Mandalay Bay's Events Center Tuesday and LV was the origination point for the "Billboard Music Awards," live on Fox-TV from the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Wednesday with an incredible assemblage of this year's best-selling record stars.

A day in the life

Last Sunday morning attorney George Foley and I visited with Dee McGarry, whose late husband, Bill, and his brother, Chow, were LV's best publicans with their Quorum Club, 1960s-1980s. ... The Delaneys have a pomegranate tree. ... We give Dee pomegranates; she gives us delicious pomegranate jelly. ... The next stop was the Sons and Daughters of Erin's annual Christmas dinner for senior citizens at St. Anne's Church Recreation Center.

The evening's treat was Leslie Nielsen's brilliant one-man play, as attorney Clarence Darrow, in UNLV's Ham Hall. ... This is the version written for and performed by the late Henry Fonda; Nielsen owns the rights.

Congratulations, Myron G. Martin and all concerned at UNLV's Performing Arts Center for its wonderful Season of the Millennium. ... We were there on Oct. 16, 1976, for the Tokyo Symphony, Ham Hall's first Master Series concert. ... Nielsen's "Clarence Darrow" ranks as one of Ham Hall's finest evenings.

Thursday addendum

"Doo Whop Ditty" is an original musical featuring the vocal group Track 4, containing a Christmas message. ... It will be performed Wed-Dec. 19 in the Riviera's Royale Pavilion with proceeds going to M.A.S.H. Village, locally. ... See you Friday.

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