Friday, Dec. 14, 2001 | 4:24 a.m.
Tie a yellow ribbon around Tony Orlando -- he's coming home.
The pop singer was a regular in Las Vegas during the '70s and '80s, but his appearances tapered off when he had his own theater in Branson, Mo., during most of the '90s.
Orlando gave up his theater two years ago and spends most of his time touring and working on other projects, including Broadway shows and recording CDs. He recently completed the film "Waking up in Reno," in which he co-stars with Billy Bob Thornton. The film will be released early next year.
Orlando also has completed the CD "Caribbean Jewel," which he described as music about Puerto Rico. And he finished a book about his life, which will be released in the spring. The book has not yet been titled.
During a recent telephone interview from his home in Branson, Orlando said he hopes to re-establish a significant presence in Las Vegas. He performs his Christmas show at The Orleans Thursday through Dec. 23.
Las Vegas Sun: Your plans are to have more performance dates in Las Vegas?
Tony Orlando: There's no set deal, but yeah, I'm working on spending a lot more time in Vegas. A couple of hotels are talking with us. It wouldn't be fair to them to reveal who they are, but you will be seeing more of me than you have before, that's for sure.
Sun: What's it going to be like to play Las Vegas after performing in the Ozark Mountains for so long?
TO: Actually, I've been back and forth out of Vegas quite a bit. I played the Riviera four times this year, and before that I was at Harrah's. I worked Harrah's twice a year. But I would love to come back to Vegas (more often), where it all began for me. In the early '70s I was performing at two hotels, 20 weeks a year in each -- the Hilton and the Riviera.
Sun: So you haven't given up your Vegas roots?
TO: No. My mother has lived there since 1976. I'm delighted every time I go back. There's no place like that town. Every time I go back we have great houses, great receptions. And it's interesting, I have a large local following, as well as tourists.
Sun: What do you think of the changes that have taken place in Las Vegas since you first performed here?
TO: You know, I'm one of those people who likes the change. I think the change has been for the better. I'm fortunate. I continue to work in Vegas, so it hasn't changed at lot for me at all.
In one respect Las Vegas doesn't change. When you hit the stage, you don't know that across the street is the Bellagio and down the street is the Eiffel Tower and New York-New York. Onstage, there is no difference between now and 1972 ... You give to the audience the same act of giving you did in Vegas 30 years ago.
Sun: You're 57 years old. Do you have the same enthusiasm you did when you were first starting out?
TO: I have more enthusiasm now. I'm enjoying it more. In the early '70s I was just starting out in Vegas. I was learning my craft. It was all new to me. This is my 40th year in show business. My first hit record, "Halfway to Paradise," was 1961. I was 16 years old. You pray that you have some longevity in this business of ours. My whole objective was to not only live as long as George Burns, but to be in show business as long as George Burns.
Sun: A lot of the younger performers don't seem to have your attitude about performing.
TO: I came from a school of entertainment in a town where entertainers didn't know what it was to shuck (give less than a full performance) a show. Sammy (Davis Jr.) and Frank Sinatra and Dean (Martin) and Jerry (Lewis), those guys didn't know what it was to shuck a show. Every show they did was as if it would be the last show they'd ever do in their life. That's the way I approach it.
You know that feeling on Christmas morning when you give somebody a present and you see the excitment on their face? The real gift for us, as entertainers, is when you give someone a gift (of entertainment) and they love it -- then the gift is given back to you.
Give them the best you can give them. Make sure they are totally entertained. Wrap that package up, and when they open it you should see a smile on their face and as they walk out of the theater with that buzz, that wonderful buzz when the audience has been hit just right and you can hear them going, "Yes, I came and I got all the value for my money."
Sun: Speaking of Christmas, what can we expect to see in your show?
TO: Actually, I had written a play for theater. It had kind of a Broadway feel to it, called "Santa and Me." I'm going to be doing a hunk out of that show. There's an incredible guy in the show (Dave Thompson) -- I dare you to tell me he's not Santa. He will be making his stage debut. We do some wonderful sketches together, some great comedy. We create a little bit of Christmas magic for the people.
I don't want to give it away, but some magical things happen.
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