UNLV Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame pegs McGuire

Thursday, Sept. 29, 2005 | 8:57 a.m.

What: Phyllis McGuire's induction into UNLV's Nevada Entertainer/ Artist Hall of Fame.

When: 6:30 tonight.

Where: Artemus Ham Hall.

Tickets: $25 general admission, $10 seniors and free to all UNLV students.

Information: 895-2787.

Entertainer Phyllis McGuire will become the third person inducted into UNLV's Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame in a ceremony at 6:30 tonight at the Artemus Ham Hall. "I feel honored," McGuire said. "But I feel shy about it -- I do whatever I do with every ounce of enthusiasm that I have, and I love to entertain."

Previous inductees include the late George Sidney, the first person honored by the fledgling Hall of Fame in 2003, and actor/artist Tony Curtis.

Sidney was a three-time Academy Award-winning Hollywood legend who directed such films as "Show Boat," "Kiss Me Kate," "Viva Las Vegas" and "Annie Get Your Gun." His award was given posthumously.

Curtis starred in more than 100 motion pictures, among them such classics as "Some Like It Hot" and "The Defiant Ones."

The Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame, part of the College of Fine Arts, was founded to honor residents of Southern Nevada who have made a significant impact on the arts, including visual and performing arts and architecture.

The recipient is given the Sidney Award, named for the film director.

The 74-year-old McGuire, who spends much of her time these days involved in community and philanthropic causes, was the lead singer of the famed McGuire Sisters.

During the '50's and '60s she, Christine and Dorothy became widely popular performing such hits as "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight," "Sincerely," "Picnic," "Something's Gotta Give," "He," "Sugartime," "May You Always" and "Just for Old Time's Sake."

The trio began singing in a small church in Middletown, Ohio, where their mother was an ordained minister and the girls were very young. Phyllis McGuire was 4.

Their career began in earnest in 1952 when they joined the hit TV show "Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts," a gig that lasted six years.

The popular trio went their separate ways in 1968 and Phyllis created her own nightclub act, appeared in movies and summer stock, and performed with such legends as Johnny Carson, Bob Hope, Danny Thomas, Milton Berle and Sammy Davis Jr.

In 2000, McGuire helped launch the Celebrity Speaker Series at UNLV and assisted in bringing such artists as Curtis, Sidney, Matt Damon and "CSI" creator and producer Anthony Zuiker, and others to campus to speak with students about their experiences in the entertainment industry.

"We are honored to recognize legendary entertainer and philanthropist Phyllis McGuire as the 2005 inductee into the Nevada Entertainer/Artist Hall of Fame," UNLV President Carol Harter said in a statement. "Her remarkable career, dedication to the arts community, business savvy and generosity make her the ideal recipient of this honor. We are proud to call Ms. McGuire a friend of UNLV and the College of Fine Arts."

Through Friday about 100 gowns created for McGuire by such designers as Coco Chanel from the '50s up to the present are on display at UNLV's Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery.

McGuire says society columnist and author Dominick Dunne soon might begin writing a book about her colorful life, which has included relationships with such well-known figures as Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana and Las Vegan Bob Stupak.

In his book "Fatal Charms & Other Tales of Today & Mansions of Limbo" (Ballantine Books; 1999) he included a chapter about McGuire -- "High Roller: The Phyllis McGuire Story."

"We are great friends," McGuire said. "He may change his mind about writing the book, but if he does it I'm going to tell the truth -- it's just part of history."