Columnist Joe Delaney: Gans latest in long line of impressionists

Joe Delaney

Friday, July 14, 2000 | 9:20 a.m.

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

Danny Gans, firmly ensconced in his Danny Gans Theatre at the Mirage, is the most successful impressionist in Las Vegas history ... His rise from opening act here for Bill Cosby, then Joan Rivers, to headlining at the Stratosphere and an incredible run at the Rio, before the Mirage, has been astronomical ... Gans opened the door for Bill Acosta and his "Lasting Impressions," a success in the Luxor Live Theater.

Rich Little and Frank Gorshin were the first LV impressionist headliners, back in the late 1960s and early 1970s ... Gorshin was first but Little did better and lasted longer ... Gorshin was deadly accurate but lacked warmth ... Little's hook was his presidential press conferences.

Dean Murphy never headlined but did well impersonating Franklin D. Roosevelt ... Vaughn Meader replicated John F. Kennedy on a "First Family" album that sold 4.5 million copies ... Kennedy's assassination ended Meader's career.

Even earlier

During the 1940s and 1950s all the comedians did impressions, most included Humphrey Bogart, Jimmy Cagney, Cary Grant and Edward G. Robinson ... The late Jackie Miles had a routine proving that catch phrases associated with the above stars were never said by them on the screen ... Miles also portrayed stars just using vowel sounds.

Don Rickles, who closed at the Desert Inn Thursday, still does a few impressions and one tribute, to James Cagney as George M. Cohan singing "Yankee Doodle Dandy" ... Jackie Gayle was noted for his Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula and a visual Charles Laughton face followed by, "If I could only do the voice."

The late Peter Lind Hayes, a longtime Las Vegan, had the most extensive and varied repertoire ... Sammy Davis Jr. was a master of the quick switch from voice to voice, an all-time top 10 as an impressionist.

Continuing on

Shecky Greene was famous for doing the greats of the past including Al Jolson, Sophie Tucker, Hugh Herbert and Harry Belafonte ... Shirley MacLaine saluted Bob Fosse, Michael Kidd and other choreographers as they might create routines for the song "Sweet Georgia Brown" ... The late George Kirby would imitate a 747 airplane plus singers, male and female.

Jackie Mason, accent and all, does well-known news commentator and writer William F. Buckley and a hilarious vocal and visual Ed Sullivan ... The late Lenny Bruce did film characters in vignettes; most notably in a prison break where his voices were those of Cagney, Pat O'Brien and Hume Cronyn.

Currently not working here: Babe Pier, an exceptional entertainer who has all of the staple subjects plus unusual voices such as Spencer Tracy and Louis Calhern; Steve Rossi, Marty Allen's erstwhile partner; and David Frye, who once accused Rich Little of "stealing" his Nixon carbon.

Currently appearing

Engelbert Humperdinck (LV Hilton) includes Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Jerry Lewis in most shows plus a very funny satire on Tom Jones and a classic Julio Iglesias ... Bob Anderson (Stardust), brilliant singing impressions and a classic saloon singer ... While at the Hilton, catch a set with the Scintas for a nonstop hour with great impressions.

For the price of a drink at the Lady Luck, catch "Stars of the Strip," comedy and impressions by Robbie Howard and the Walkers ... Andre-Philippe Gagnon (Venetian) does vocalists, old and new ... See you next Thursday.