Abrupt end to ‘Folies’ out of balance with show’s iconic past

Leila Navidi

The curtain closes for the final time on Folies Bergere at the Tiffany Theatre inside the Tropicana in Las Vegas.

By Jerry Fink

Tuesday, March 31, 2009 | 2:42 p.m.

Folies Bergere Finale

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"Les Folies Bergere" alumni remember the show that held its final performance Saturday night at the Tiffany Theatre inside the Tropicana.

Folies Bergere finale

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There is harmony all around us, in nature and mathematics and in the biorhythms of life.

Symmetry is an important element of our well-being — it gives us a sense of balance and security.

When something is out of sync it creates a certain amount of anxiety and confusion and perhaps anger or disappointment, which is the case of the ending of the iconic Las Vegas topless revue “Les Folies Bergere.”

“Folies” premiered on Dec. 24, 1959, becoming synonymous with the Tropicana, which opened in April, 1957 and is now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The new owners of the venerable resort (who also own the show) decided to pull the plug on the revue – ending it nine months shy of it’s 50th anniversary.

Fifty years has a certain symmetrical ring to it – the Golden Anniversary. Forty-nine years and three months is asymmetrical, out of harmony with a musical that was good for Las Vegas and entertained millions of fans for almost half a century.

Almost.

But not quite.

The longest running show in the nation will now go down in history as having almost reached the half century mark, unable to gain the financial support of new owners trying to grapple with a relentless recession that has forced many resorts to the edge of bankruptcy.

To some it’s a slight, if not a downright insult to a show that brought in millions of dollars to the resort’s bottom line.

Too bad they couldn’t have come up with the bucks to keep the show going until the Golden Anniversary, surely one that would have garnered international attention, millions of dollars in free publicity that could have done wonders for the decaying image of the property that now offers only afternoon magician Dirk Arthur as its entertainment – the “Bodies” and “Titanic” exhibits have moved up the street to the Luxor.

Almost 1,000 fans who were either in the show or associated with it during its almost 50-year run attended the final, gala performance Saturday.

Twins Teri Thorndike and Sheri Mirault, 61, natives of Houston, joined the show in 1970, stayed for two years and left to perform in other shows and then rejoined the cast from 1979-’90.

When Teri auditioned for the show the producers were so impressed that said if she had a sister like her, bring her to town. She did and the two followed the same career path.

Teri says maybe it was time for “Folies” to close.

“People don’t appreciate what we used to have,” says Teri, who is now a retail store manager at the Monte Carlo and manager of the Lance Burton store as well. “It’s time to change – but I would like to have seen some type of show stay around, an updated version.”

Sheri, who works as an usher in the Criss Angel show, is a little bothered by the demise.

“I think they’re making a mistake,” she says. “They should at least let them do another version, but update it. Give them some money, bring the girls back.”

Marjorie Fields, 80, joined “Folies” in 1960 as a showgirl and remained for four years.

“It’s sad that they’re closing the show,” says Fields, who later married Jackie Fields, the late great Olympic boxer and former part owner of the Tropicana. “It’s such a historical part of Las Vegas.

She has great memories of her tenure.

“I joined the show right after it opened,” Fields says. “Some of the (French) girls didn’t like being here and so they let them go back home and began replacing them with American girls. I was here in the heyday.”

It was a time when the showgirls were expected to hang around in the lounge after a show and maybe go to dinner in the Gourmet Room with a fan.

“(Mobster) Johnny Roselli was always trying to date me, but I tried to avoid him. I was afraid of him,” Fields said. “But one night he said to me, 'Come on Big Red (her nickname), let’s shoot some craps.’ I wanted to win some money so I shot craps with him. And then he bought me a charm bracelet and handed me the key to his room and said 'Go up and wait for me.’ I said 'I

would love to but I have to get home. It’s almost sun up and I have to get her ready to go to school.’”

Rosie Brown, a native of England, was with the show full-time from 1993 to 2002 and part-time in 2005-06. Her picture has been on billboards and in brochures advertising “Folies”

since 2001.

“I was devastated when I first heard the show was closing,” said Brown, who is assistant manager of the Bevertainment program at the Rio. “There is so much history here. It was going to turn 50. I know the show costs a lot of money, but I wish they could have kept it going.”

Ira David Sternberg was director of public relations at the Tropicana from 1986-’87. He worked closely with the show cast, which he describes as a family that stuck together. He was sad to see the end.

“I think it could have lasted longer,” said Sternberg, now vice president of communications for the Las Vegas Hilton. “It was a testament to a particular time in Las Vegas history and it retained the essence of the history. The show evolved over the years, but the essential core of the show is the essential core of Las Vegas history.”

Sternberg’s biggest regret at the closing of the show?

It didn’t make it to 50.

“Obviously I’m not in charge, but it’s too bad they didn’t wait until the end of the year and they could have really made a spectacular ending of an era,” he said. “Ending it at 49 just doesn’t quite get it.”

Jerry Jackson’s, the shows longtime director and choreographer, was a little miffed but still proud of his accomplishments.

“I have no idea why they didn’t keep the show going until the 50th,” says the 73-year-old native of Oklahoma. “It was the hotel’s decision. You never know what the underlying workings are. I could say some things that would properly be improper, but true.

“But on the positive side, tonight was such a rush to have all the alumnae here for the final show. It was a great way to go out.”

Now that the show is over, he says he will retire, if people will let him. Not that he isn’t physically able to work.

“I can still do the splits without warming up,” he says. “I have always done the splits.”

Which brings harmony to his life.