Opening acts for Elvis 1957: and you thought Kahane was bad!

[poormadpeter2]

A Variety review of Elvis's LA shows in 1957 gives an insight into what the first half of the show looked like.

I have managed to find footage of a couple of the acts, but alas have had no luck with the others. Perhaps someone else here might have more luck and knowledge of them. I'm sure the kids really loved Joe Termini!!

..

..

Sadly I can find no video footage of the Burns Twins and Evelyn, a trio of tap dancers. But here is a pic of the handsome twins.

burns twins.jpg

I also can't find footage of the emcee and juggler, Howard Hardin, but here he is with Elvis from Scotty's website.

57backstagekq9hp2.jpg

That leaves an impressionist called Paul Desmond (who unfortunately has the same name as a famous jazz musician!) and The Jordanaires, and I think everyone knows how they sound! The review naming the musicians is on the left-hand column.

variety 1957.jpg

[drjohncarpenter]

Management always made sure the headliner was the only compelling act on the bill, although the Jordanaires were usually well-received.

On another topic I ran down the opening acts on the August-September 1957 tour. They were still better than Jackie Kahane.

Don't you love "In Person - ELVIS PRESLEY and his Big All-Star Show"?

Yes, excepting the wonderful Jordanaires, check out the "Big All-Stars":

Howard Hardin (master of ceremonies, impressionist and juggler, from Spokane)
The Burns Twins & Evelyn (vaudeville tap dance trio, Jimmy and Eddie Burns and Jimmy's wife Evelyn)
Joe Termini (comedian, "the Somnolent Melodist," played violin and banjo)
Billy Wells and the Four Fays (acrobats)
Paul Desmond (comedian)
The Jordanaires


















Only the finest in entertainment from Tom Parker!

[poormadpeter2]

Management always made sure the headliner was the only compelling act on the bill, although the Jordanaires were usually well-received.

On another topic I ran down the opening acts on the August-September 1957 tour. They were still better than Jackie Kahane.

Don't you love "In Person - ELVIS PRESLEY and his Big All-Star Show"?

Yes, excepting the wonderful Jordanaires, check out the "Big All-Stars":

Howard Hardin (master of ceremonies, impressionist and juggler, from Spokane)
The Burns Twins & Evelyn (vaudeville tap dance trio, Jimmy and Eddie Burns and Jimmy's wife Evelyn)
Joe Termini (comedian, "the Somnolent Melodist," played violin and banjo)
Billy Wells and the Four Fays (acrobats)
Paul Desmond (comedian)
The Jordanaires


















Only the finest in entertainment from Tom Parker!

It appears from Variety that the impressions were left to Desmond rather than Hardin.

It's also interesting to note that one of the Four Fays was Toni Basil's mother. The video I provided of them probably comes from the same Ed Sullivan show as The Beatles appeared on in February 1964 (they also appeared on the show in 1962).

And it seems that Toni Basil herself was the "girl with the red dress on" in What'd I Say in Viva Las Vegas. I had no idea idea she was approaching forty when she released Mickey in the 1980s. So, her mother worked with both Elvis and the Beatles and then Basil worked with Elvis as well. That's some group of connections!

..

This is Basil's recollection of working with Elvis from Facebook

Over the Months of rehearsing with Anne-Margret and Elvis Presley, David Winters and I became close friends with them . David the choreographer and I worked on many musical numbers for this film. Here’s "What'd I Say?" where I got to be the girl with the "Red Dress On". The great George Sydney directed this film. Lance Lagualt is playing gutar in Elvis band he was Elvis's right hand man and was always his dance-in. in all of Elvis's films. David, Lance and I would put the choreography together and then teach it to Elvis and Anne separately before we brought them together . Here are the names of as many dancers as I can recognize: Teri Garr, Pete Menefee, Sharon Garret Brooks, Ralph Garret, Lorine Yarnell, Lance LeGault, Raul Ciro, Joy Ciro, Steve Ciro, Sonja Haney, Erwin Marcus, Harod Sanders, Roberta Tennis Doitch, Jimmy Hibbard, Carol Birner, Drew John, Jim Bates, Marianna Paccora, Rikki Lugo, and Walter Painter.

[Mister Moon]

Thanks, PMP2. Great stuff.

On another topic I ran down...

Yeah, it was a pretty cool topic.

Here's the link :

Spokane, Washington - August 30, 1957
https://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=79958

[sundial77]

Toni Basil as in 'Mickey'?

[drjohncarpenter]

Toni Basil as in 'Mickey'?

Yup, she was 37 when it was released:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toni_Basil#Music_career

[sundial77]

Toni Basil as in 'Mickey'?

Yup, she was 37 when it was released:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toni_Basil#Music_career

Fantastic. I never knew she had done all that. I thought she'd, er, just recorded and released 'Mickey '. Just goes to show, you never know what you'll learn here at FECC! But now I'll never be able to view Viva Las Vegas again without hearing that bloody song of hers.

[midnightx]

Management always made sure the headliner was the only compelling act on the bill, although the Jordanaires were usually well-received.

On another topic I ran down the opening acts on the August-September 1957 tour. They were still better than Jackie Kahane.

Kahane was always great, but no opening act ever topped Bodie Mountain Express in diapers, New Year's Eve 1975. That was a pinnacle moment in entertainment.

[drjohncarpenter]

Management always made sure the headliner was the only compelling act on the bill, although the Jordanaires were usually well-received.

On another topic I ran down the opening acts on the August-September 1957 tour. They were still better than Jackie Kahane.

Kahane was always great, but no opening act ever topped Bodie Mountain Express in diapers, New Year's Eve 1975. That was a pinnacle moment in entertainment.

It was something.


1975 New Year's Eve Mysteries --> Resolved?
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=90231