Columnist Joe Delaney: Luft, Rickles are a dynamic duo at Stardust

Joe Delaney

Friday, Sept. 14, 2001 | 9:09 a.m.

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

The first time we reviewed Lorna Luft was in the late 1970s or early 1980s in the Sands Copa Room ... I wrote that she had an excellent voice but that her onstage persona was less than impressive ... The Luft that headlined twice, just before the Desert Inn Crystal Room closed last year, was most impressive in every respect; a concert-quality performing artist.

At the Desert Inn, she paid tribute to her beloved mother, the late Judy Garland, with "Songs My Mother Taught Me" ... Performing with Don Rickles in the Stardust's Wayne Newton Theatre through Saturday, their second weekend together, you will be enjoying the best of Luft, as well as heartfelt renditions of some of the songs her mother taught her.

In the years between the Sands then and the Stardust now, she has toured in such great Broadway musicals as "Guys and Dolls," "Girl Crazy," "Mame" and "Grease," and appeared in such hallowed venues as Carnegie Hall and London's Royal Albert Hall and Palladium.

Luft's autobiography, "Me and My Shadow: A Family Memoir," was a long tenant on the New York Times' best-seller list ... The TV movie version of the book aired on ABC in February and earned 13 Emmy nominations.

The combination of Rickles and Luft is one of the best entertainment values in town this week.

Weekend wrap-up

John Davidson, appearing at the Suncoast Saturday and Sunday, was a LV Hilton showroom headliner in the 1980s ... The ever-youthful singer-performer has had a distinguished career in all of the entertainment areas ... He has been too long away ... The same can be said for the Beach Boys, tonight and Saturday in the Stratosphere's new 3,000-seat Outdoor Events Center.

Note to readers: The Beach Boys' performances at the Stratosphere have been rescheduled for November. John Davidson's performance at the LV Hilton has been canceled.

Rita Rudner's Friday performances will be at 9 p.m., and it's 7 and 9 p.m. on Saturdays, effective this weekend ... Ticket prices remain at $46, except for the Saturday 7 p.m. shows, which have a $39.95 tab ... Congrats to Harrah's stars Clint Holmes and Mac King, who have had their respective engagements extended through January 2006.

Note to readers: Clint Holmes has canceled his Friday performances, but will be back on Saturday.

Comedian/ventriloquist Ronn Lucas will perform at 3 p.m. through Oct. 7 (Rio) ... Michele LaFong (Bourbon Street at 8 p.m.) is another ventro-comic who also does excellent impressions.

Las Vegas Little Theatre's production of "The Middle Ages," a comedy, continues weekends through Sept. 23 ... The Nevada Ballet Theatre presents a "Handel Celebration," Saturday at 8 p.m. (Sammy Davis Jr. Festival Plaza) ... Los Mocosos, a Latin hip-hop funk group, performs Saturday at 8 p.m. (County Government Center Amphitheater).

Jarrett & Raja's Classical Magic in a "Symphony of Sorcery and Sound" is the 8 p.m. attraction (Summerlin Library Theatre) ... The Sons and Daughters of Erin's Annual Picnic starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, at Sunset Park, Area D ... There are Mexican Independence Day events all over town.

Note to readers: Mandalay Bay has canceled four Mexican Independence Day events this weekend.

The San Gennaro Feast and LV Street Fair continues through Sunday, Valley View and Flamingo across from the Gold Coast ... Condolences to erstwhile columnist and TV personality Don Usherson on the loss of his mother, Helaine, an exceptional lady ... See you next Thursday.