Impeccable impersonations featured in ‘Stars of the Strip’

Joe Delaney

Friday, Aug. 24, 2001 | 9:03 a.m.

"Stars of the Strip," a longrunning success in the Lady Luck showroom, co-stars Robbie Howard and the Walkers -- Bill, Greg and Kathy -- and features three exceptional, very versatile musicians. Howard and the Walkers are excellent impressionists offering a jam-packed hour-plus of music, comedy and carbons of top stars, past and present.

Showtimes are at 2 and 3:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, with enough changes that many customers -- particularly those with coupons that give them the show free with the purchase of a $5.95 drink -- get back in line and come in for the second show.

Louis Prima's "Jump, Jive an' Wail" received spirited treatment from the full ensemble and the goodly assemblage at the show caught this week. Howard introduced the Walkers, two brothers and a sister, who replicated the Chipmunks, followed by Kathy as Katherine Hepburn and Lily Tomlin as Ernestine, the telephone operator; followed by Bill as a dead-on Woody Allen and Greg as Rodney Dangerfield.

Musical director Pat Marlin, who also doubles on saxophone and piano, took center stage as Willie Nelson, later joined by Howard as Julio Iglesias, singing a parody on "To All the Girls I've Loved Before." Howard, as Iglesias, worked the audience giving the men instructions on how to properly handle a woman -- very funny, with strong audience interaction.

The Walkers returned with Bill as Rod Stewart and Greg doing Liberace. It was back to Howard for his KTEL music medley, which included accurate depictions of Roger Whittaker, Bobby Vinton, Kenny Rogers, Tom Jones, the Bee Gees, Engelbert Humperdinck, Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, the Righteous Brothers, Fats Domino, Roy Orbison, Freddy Fender, Barry Manilow, the Eagles and Redd Foxx.

Kathy, as Barbra Streisand, was a show-stopper. Bill sang and played keyboard as Elton John, then Greg came out as Elvis, after which Robbie got three men out of the audience to perform four of Elvis' mannerisms -- hilarious. It was back to Kathy as Cher, equal to her Streisand, with Bill as Sonny coming back from heaven to join her on "I've Got You, Babe" -- a nice touch.

Greg had a harmonica solo on "Peg of my Heart" and the ensemble concluded with a rousing gospel medley. David Poe on sax, clarinet and piano, and John Dlows on drums complete the cast.