Columnist Joe Delaney: Tracing the history of Jerry Lewis’ Calif.-based telethon

Joe Delaney

Thursday, Sept. 2, 1999 | 9:40 a.m.

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

For nearly three decades Labor Day weekend and the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon have been synonymous. ... This year's telethon starts at 8 p.m. Sunday locally on KLAS Channel 8 and concludes at 4 p.m. on Monday. ... It was in the early 1970s that Lewis moved the telethon to Las Vegas in the Sahara Space Center, the origination point until it was moved to Los Angeles in 1996.

New York City was its home base from 1966 until the move to Las Vegas. ... A national Easter Seals telethon the year before the move, from the Sahara Space Center, with Bob Newhart and Monte Hall as co-hosts and an awesome array of star power, was an artistic success and technical disaster that contributed to Jerry's decision to move operations to Las Vegas.

Realizing that Las Vegas did not have the trained manpower with technical know-how, Lewis first made sure he had the proper equipment and personnel available. ... It was the difference between success and failure.

Anent Jerry Lewis

This columnist has the greatest respect for Lewis, personally, and for his telethon accomplishments through the years. ... Jerry has always assembled a great team, but he has been the sine qua non -- that without which -- the telethon could not have happened as it has so consistently. ... Despite his weakened physical condition, this year's MDA telethon should reach the highest total yet. ... Tune in and please contribute.

Re: Easter Seals

The last Easter Seals telethon in Las Vegas was local the next year in the Tropicana Hotel Tiffany Theatre. ... It opened with performances by Don Rickles, Rich Little, Louis Prima, Keely Smith and Sam Butera, and Bobby Vinton. ... Frank Sinatra came over with a full orchestra from Caesars Palace between shows and said he would return for an hour at 2:30 a.m.

True to his word, Sinatra was back with his musicians and two checks for $10,000 each, one from Caesars Palace, the other from him. ... The 20 hours ended with Jim Nabors and a chorus singing "How Great Thou Art."

Telethons back then were "people-thons"; today they are corporation-thons and organization-thons that are really underwriting the costs for identification with a vital and worthwhile cause and the goodwill engendered. ... As long as it gets the job done.

Weekend show rundown

It's Andrew "Dice" Clay, Saturday and Sunday (Bally's); Donna Summer, through Sunday (Caesars Palace); Tony Danza and John Pinette, through Sunday (Desert Inn); Patsy Cline Tribute (Gold Coast); Alice Cooper Friday and Duran Duran Saturday (Hard Rock Hotel); and Burning Spear Friday plus Dr. Funkenstein at 11 p.m. Friday, Christina Aguilera Saturday and a Blues Festival on Sunday at the House of Blues.

LeAnn Rimes is at the LV Hilton through Sunday. ... The Bolshoi Classical Collection, Friday through Sunday, plus Bill Acosta (Luxor); Rodney Dangerfield (MGM Grand); Siegfried & Roy (Mirage); Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Righteous Brothers (Orleans); Danny Gans (Rio); and Kevin James, Saturday and Sunday (Riviera) round out the holiday weekend list.

For the capacity crowd of visitors in town for Labor Day weekend the No. 1 destination will have to be the new Paris Las Vegas hotel; from all reports, a sure winner.

Thursday addenda

Peggy Ryan and her TNT Dancers will be performing in Los Angeles for the fifth year at the annual reunion of the "Jivin' Jacks And Jills" on Sept. 26. ... Originally a reunion of dancers who appeared in the early musicals at Universal and MGM studios, it now includes many of the stars of those musicals including Ryan's longtime partner, Donald O'Connor.

Jeff Wayne, column favorite, headlining this week in the Riviera Comedy Club, has assembled a home video entitled "Rejected" which includes two music videos, a stand-up set, a TV pilot plus two short subjects and a promotional piece for Wayne's "Big Daddy's Barbecue," originally directed by Ted "The Love Boat" Lange. ... Very funny; check it out.

Ratt and Great White perform tonight at 8 o'clock in Buffalo Bill's Star of the Desert Arena. ... Wild Mango, a musical septet, blends diverse musical backgrounds 8 p.m. Friday at Reed Whipple Center.

More addenda

Joe Behar's Community Drama Workshop presents its annual "Great Pretenders" show, free at 2 p.m. Saturday (Gold Coast Dance Hall). ... Seniors should check out all the special events at the various Station Casinos. ... See you Friday.

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