Thursday, January 20, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

NORM: Walk of Stars missteps `glaring'

Omission of Roy Horn, left, and Siegfried Fischbacher called "glaring mistake."

The Las Vegas Walk of Stars organizers stumbled a bit on Wednesday in announcing 100 future honorees.

Most notably absent from the news release were Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn, while Broadway icon Pearl Bailey was listed as Bailey Pearl.

The omission of Siegfried & Roy was a "glaring mistake," said Robert Alexander, president of the nonprofit Walk of Stars and the Motion Picture Hall of Fame Foundation.

"They were right at the top of the list" of nominees during the cut from 650, Alexander said by telephone. Expect howls, too, for the absence of Jack Entratter and Bill Miller, legendary entertainment directors.

Wayne Newton received the first star in October at the Frontier. Riviera headliners Liberace and Frank Marino get their stars Feb. 1, in ceremonies scheduled for 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively, in front of the Riv, which "jumped the gun a little," Alexander said.

After that the dedications could occur almost weekly during the centennial year, he added, with up to 3,000 stars going for $15,000 each. The stars are purchased by fan clubs, sponsors or the entertainers themselves.

The list of 100 includes:

• Rat Pack members Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop.

• Visionaries Howard Hughes, Kirk Kerkorian and Steve Wynn, along with Hughes' alter ego Robert Maheu.

• Singers Paul Anka, Ann-Margret, Bailey, Harry Belafonte, Tony Bennett, Ray Bolger, Charo, Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, Perry Como, Vic Damone, Dorothy Dandridge, Neil Diamond, Celine Dion, Marlene Dietrich, Fats Domino, Connie Francis, Judy Garland, Robert Goulet, Lena Horne, Elton John, Shirley Jones, Steve Lawrence and Edyie Gorme, Gladys Knight, Elvis Presley, Lou Rawls, Debbie Reynolds, Neil Sedaka, Barbra Streisand, Mel Torme, Jerry Vale, Sarah Vaughn, Bobby Vinton, and Joe Williams.

• Sports figures Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis, homegrown tennis star Andre Agassi, and UNLV basketball coaching legend Jerry Tarkanian.

• Comedians Jack Benny, Milton Berle, David Brenner, George Burns, Red Buttons, Sid Caesar, George Carlin, Johnny Carson, Bill Cosby, Rodney Dangerfield, Phyllis Diller, Jimmy Durante, Redd Foxx, Shecky Greene, Bob Newhart, Buddy Hackett, Bob Hope, Alan King, Jerry Lewis, Rich Little, Penn & Teller, Don Rickles, Joan Rivers, Rowan & Martin, Red Skelton, and Danny Thomas.

• Magicians Lance Burton and David Copperfield.

• Groups The 5th Dimension, The Beatles, The Scintas, The Temptations, the Maguire Sisters, the Mills Brothers, and the Mary Kay Trio.

• Lounge legends Louis Prima, Keely Smith and Sam Butera.

• Country stars Roy Clark and Kenny Rogers.

• Songwriter-producer Burt Bacharach, bandleaders Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Billy Eckstine, Duke Ellington, and Buddy Greco, actor Tony Curtis, journalist Hank Greenspun, vocal impressionist Danny Gans, and song and dance stars Donald O'Connor and Juliet Prowse.

• Also named was Chester Sims, in the pioneer and humanitarian category. He was co-owner of the Flamingo in 1955 and president of the gaming commission in 1955.

The Scene and Heard

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ruth Brown wraps up a run at the Bootlegger Bistro tonight before heading to New York City for a monthlong engagement at Le Jazz Au Bar. On her way there, she'll stop in Norfolk, Va., for the announcement that a blues festival is being named in her honor. Brown, who turned 77 on Jan. 12, was born in Portsmouth, Va., where her father was the church choir leader.

The Punch Line

"Talk show host Jerry Springer called the war in Iraq immoral. Springer made the remarks while breaking up a fight between a hooker and a deadbeat dad." -- Conan O'Brien.

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com.