Danny Gans

By Leila Navidi · March 22, 2009 · 7:20 p.m.

Danny Gans over the years.

Longtime pal recalls Danny Gans: LAS VEGAS AT LARGE:; Wednesday, December 23, 2009; By John Katsilometes; In 2009 entertainment manager Chip Lightman saw the act he helped bring to Las Vegas, “Donny & Marie Osmond,” vault to the top of Strip entertainment at the Flamingo Las Vegas as one of the city’s top-selling productions, and he helped broker the deal that brought Garth Brooks to Wynn Las Vegas.

Danny Gans shown performing on March 20.

Police release incident report, 911 call in Danny Gans death: Thursday, June 25, 2009; By Marshall Allen; Julia Gans, the wife of Las Vegas entertainer Danny Gans, awoke early on the morning of May 1 to realize that her husband was no longer snoring, according to an incident report released this morning from the Henderson Police Department. At about 6 p.m. the night before she had asked her son to get the entertainer for dinner, but he heard his father snoring and decided not to wake him up. Four hours later she went to the master bedroom and found Gans asleep in bed on his back with his feet slightly elevated, the report indicated.

Encore headliner Danny Gans died May 1, 2009.

Danny Gans report raises questions from pain specialists: Danny Gans: Experts: Coroner's scenario plausible but too vague to gauge role of prescription painkillers in Gans' death; Thursday, June 11, 2009; By Marshall Allen; The explanation for what killed Danny Gans raises more questions than it answers, medical experts said Wednesday, opening the door to speculation about the entertainer with a squeaky-clean image. The lack of details by the coroner is allowing questions of drug abuse to be raised. And four independent medical experts interviewed by the Sun question the coroner’s explanation of Gans’ death.

Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy discusses the cause of death Tuesday afternoon of Las Vegas entertainer Danny Gans.

Coroner: Gans' death was accidental; health problems a factor: Tuesday, June 9, 2009; By Mary Manning; Las Vegas entertainer Danny Gans' death was an accident and underlying health problems were a factor, the Clark County coroner said Tuesday. Chronic pain syndrome treated by a pain medication contributed to the death of Daniel Davies Gans. High blood pressure also was a factor, as well as a red blood cell disorder. Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy said Gans had a toxic reaction to hydromorphone, which is a common pain medication such as Dilaudid, in addition to other physical causes, he said. Murphy would not release the amount of the drug found in Gans' blood.

No coroner finding yet in Danny Gans death: the strip:; Thursday, June 4, 2009; Associated Press; The Clark County coroner says it could be two or three more weeks before he releases his report on the sudden death of Las Vegas entertainer Danny Gans.

Elaine Wynn speaks at a memorial for Danny Gans on Thursday, May 21, 2009.

Encore Theater packed one last time for Gans: the strip: Friends, family mourn entertainer at memorial service; Thursday, May 21, 2009; By Jerry Fink; As in life, in death Danny Gans filled the showroom. More than 1,000 fans, friends and family members said goodbye to the much adored impressionist Wednesday afternoon at the Encore Theater – which had been his home for barely four months when he died at his house unexpectedly on May 1 of unknown causes. In true Las Vegas style, it was a 90-minute memorial production filled with music and laughter and tears and reminiscing. Gans, 52, spent 15 years on the road before settling in Las Vegas in 1996.

Danny Gans interview to air on TV: Tuesday, May 12, 2009; By Jerry Fink; An interview with Danny Gans conducted seven years ago by local talk entertainer Tony Sacca will air at 5 p.m. Sunday on KTNV-TV Channel 13 in Las Vegas.

Danny Gans — 1956-2009: SUN EDITORIAL: The longtime Las Vegas headliner, star of the Encore theater, dies suddenly at home; Saturday, May 2, 2009; Danny Gans came to Las Vegas thinking it would be just another stop in his career as an entertainer, a field he chose after a foot injury wrecked his prospects of becoming a professional baseball player.

Entertainment community remembers a friend: REMEMBRANCE:; Saturday, May 2, 2009; Vegas' entertainers remember Danny Gans.

Singer, impressionist and comedian Danny Gans, shown performing at the Encore Theatre on March 20, died suddenly Friday at his home in Henderson.

Danny Gans: A star of our own: IN MEMORY: No other current entertainer was identified as closely with Las Vegas as Danny Gans; Saturday, May 2, 2009; By John Katsilometes; Terry Fator had a great seat Friday afternoon in what was once the Danny Gans Theatre at The Mirage: middle section, second row, third from the aisle. But the stage sat still as Fator, seated nearly alone in a darkened theater that today is named for him, absorbed the news that the man who inspired him to move to Vegas had died.

Band member: Gans in 'top form' at final show Wednesday: Saxophonist says Gans had recent cold, but had recovered; Friday, May 1, 2009; By Jerry Fink; Danny Gans’ final performance was one of his best. “He did as good a show as he’s ever done,” says Fred Champoux, a saxophonist in Gans’ band for the past nine years.

Death of headliner Danny Gans creates gap at Encore: Friday, May 1, 2009; By Steve Green; The sudden death of Encore headliner Danny Gans today reminded some of the 2003 tiger attack that ended the Siegfried & Roy show at the Mirage.

Danny Gans relaxes earlier this year in his dressing room at the Encore Theatre. Gans, a Las Vegas headliner since 1996, signed on to perform there at Steve Wynn's urging.

Las Vegas headliner Danny Gans dies: the strip: Wynn remembers Gans as 'talented and loving friend'; Friday, May 1, 2009; By Sun Staff; Las Vegas Strip performer Danny Gans died Friday morning at age 52. Wynn Resorts spokeswoman Jennifer Dunne said Gans died at his Henderson home. She called the death sudden. The Clark County Coroner's Office Friday afternoon said the cause and manner of death are pending.

Danny Gans: Here, he’s Mr. Close Enough: Review: Likable entertainer Danny Gans makes up for weaknesses with quantity; Monday, March 23, 2009; By Joe Brown; Mention Gans anywhere else in the country and you’ll likely be answered with a puzzled look. How did this genial guy, a singing impressionist, become arguably an entertainment brand name in Las Vegas?

Danny Gans relaxes Friday in his dressing room at the Encore Theatre. Gans, a Las Vegas headliner since 1996, signed on to perform there at Steve Wynn's urging.

Gans shapes encore show for Wynn: headliner:; Friday, January 30, 2009; By Jerry Fink; Danny Gans has been riding a wave of success since his Las Vegas debut at the Stratosphere when it opened in May 1996.

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Danny Gans

Occupation: Impressionist/singer/comedian
Also known as: The Man of Many Voices
Venue: Encore Theatre in Encore Las Vegas.
Official Web page: www.dannygans.com
Early life: Originally wanted to play baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers and did play briefly in the minor leagues. But an injury led him to change careers and become an entertainer. He began performing at corporate functions and by 1995 had his own Broadway show.
Career in Las Vegas: From 1996 to present
Las Vegas venues: Stratosphere Hotel, Rio Las Vegas, The Mirage and Encore Las Vegas. He performed from 2000 to 2009 at the Mirage in his own 1,250-seat theater. He began performing at the Encore Feb. 10, 2009.
Retrospective: Vegas.com.

Audio Clips:

Russ Fons, Las Vegas Broadcast Center Bureau Chief, interviews Danny Gans in 1996
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Gans talks about leaving the Mirage for Encore and working for Steve Wynn. (Jan. 2009)
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Gans talks about how the show's format allows for flexibility. (Jan. 2009)
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Danny Gans on how the economy is affecting the show. (Jan. 2009)
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Danny Gans’ friends and family maintained that the late entertainer had little use personally for prescription drugs, though his death in May was from an overdose of Dilaudid, (the generic is Hydromorphone) a painkiller. The source of the drug that killed Gans has not been identified.

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Robin Leach's Las Vegas Celebrity Watch

Strip celebrities share their fondest memories of the late Danny Gans

Steve Wynn speaks at a memorial for Danny Gans on Thursday, May 21, 2009. Wynn was instrumental in furthering Gans' career and made him the headliner in the theater of his latest project, Encore, shortly before Gans died.

Updated May 26, 2009 (2:44 p.m.)

"I feel lucky to have been old enough to truly appreciate my dad’s talent. He was the best in the world at what he did, and there will never be another like him,” said his son Andrew, 19.

The Kats Report

As Danny Gans is remembered, we're reminded to grasp the moment

Singer, impressionist and comedian Danny Gans, shown performing at the Encore Theater on March 20, died suddenly at his home in Henderson.

Updated May 21, 2009 (11:31 a.m.) 3

A song released long ago by Paul McCartney, "This One," holds special meaning today as friends, family and colleagues recall Danny Gans.

Elsewhere

Danny Gans: Vegas’s man of many voices falls silent

Updated May 20, 2009 (7:00 p.m.) 3

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/us/21land.html

The Kats Report

Danny Gans was a gifted, unique figure in Las Vegas entertainment history

Updated May 6, 2009 (3:59 p.m.) 13

Few of his fellow entertainers will claim to know Danny Gans well, but there's no question he made his mark as one of the city's very best entertainers.

Robin Leach's Las Vegas Celebrity Watch

Danny Gans, headliner at the Encore, dies at age 52

Updated May 2, 2009 (12:07 p.m.)

It has been confirmed that entertainer Danny Gans died early this morning here in Las Vegas. The staff at the Wynn and Encore resort hotels is in shock.

The Kats Report

A saga unleashed: Alicia Jacobs defends Star treatment at Danny Gans show

Alicia Jacobs with one of her dogs, Sparkle, on the Channel 3 set.

Updated February 13, 2009 (3:01 p.m.) 5

Did Alicia Jacobs mistreat her new puppy, Star, by bringing it to the Danny Gans show on Friday night? Bonnie Hunt says yes. An animal behavior expert says no.

The Kats Report

No Mirage: Gans makes Strip return at Encore

Danny Gans exhumes the role of Forrest Gump.

Updated February 10, 2009 (1:37 p.m.) 3

Danny Gans' opened his new show at the Encore Theater during a benefit performance last night.

Robin Leach's Las Vegas Celebrity Watch

Danny Gans reveals secrets of his new residency at Encore

Updated February 6, 2009 (12:07 p.m.) 1

When entertainer Danny Gans says “curtain up” tonight for his gala premiere at the new theater in Steve Wynn’s the Encore, it marks the ultimate homecoming.