Hide Article Text (OCR)
THE STAR Sunday. February 7. *2fll Anthony is riding the crest of popularity with his SuperstarsBy MARLENE COOK • I really don't want to be known as the King of (lone*.” said Al Anthony, producer of the* Super star shows at Drury Lane South and Water Tow er theaters, even though his shows are filled with i inpersooa t ors I'd like to do some original things, but this show is making money People want to he entertained They need fun and laughter with familiar things to take their minds off the trouble of ever yday existence Anthony's everyday existence is somewhat dif ferent than his parents meant it to tie He was raised in a strict Baptist home in Waukegan where movies and dancing were not looked upon kindlv Both he and his brother Dick were given piano and organ lessons so they could play at the••hi leeBWE PI-AYED religious music at the Pacific (arden and ('alvarv missions, hut I alwavspre ferrtd popular music When I was at Bethel col lege in Minnesota. I played lor religious con certs When they called for an encore* after one of the concerts in a church. I let go with some swinging hoogie The* people |ust stared al me and offered mild applause when I finished I got kicked out ol school and my brother i Dick Anthev ny. who has gone* on to he a very successful (his pel recording artist i took over the* keyboards Anthony was the*n free* to form his own band which became known as Al Anthony and the Alibis They played pop and jan kxmges from coast to coast including the Brass Kail and Blue Note in (hicaaoThen I decided to go to Califeimia because that's where it was going to tie I landed a job playing with the Harry’ Jame*s orchestra and was fe-atuml keyboard artist on his tour of navalbases After a move to Palm Springs. Anthony en tered a contest spemsored by Dot Records to find Palm Springs Favorite Entertainer and won The prize was a recording contract that resulted in the album Two Kinds of Love ”IN THOSE da vs. an artist contracted for onerecord al a time and could go from one label to another Anthony moved to Liberty Records, where he played keyboards on the first stereo recording on that label Swinging Hi Fi l^ter he signed w ith Columbia to do another recording. I I awe You So Much It Hurts. which turned out to he a hit for him With that recognition, offers to do films came from W arner Brothers and Anthony was seen in Bourbon Street. 77 Sunset Strip and Cheyenne He did guest spots on variety shows with interv iews by Ed Sullivan, (ieorge Jessel. John ny Carson and Dick Clark Anthony came home i Waukegan • to a “local hoy makes good” celebration in 1963 and was presented the key to the city by the mayor That was a thrill. he said hut now. to come home and have two major shows running at the same time in the city is a real high for me ”Anthony began producing shows in Palm Springs 10 years ago lie is still the entertainment director for the Hilton Riviera hotel there lie recalled some of his early experiences MY MOST embarrassing moment was when I was doing a big (iershwin production at the Variety theater in Los Angeles Jerry Lewis introduced me and then there was a big fanfare I began to pJay. but nothing happened The organ had not been plugged in So Bob Hope made jokes about it while we waited for the organ to warm up That wasn't bad enough! As I took my bow and left the stage. I tripped over the cord and fell on my face Hope, who is Anthony's neighbor in Palm Springs, still talks about the incident and how sorry he felt for him Another time. I was doing the history of mu sic and wanted to be creative about the staging So. while I sang' Home on the Range.'' we had a guy ride a horse In front of the stage Well, some^ body forget to put rubber on the shoes and the horse slipped on the marble floor and fell Here was this horse lying spread^agle on the floor with the cast try ing to get him up and the audi ence yelling Call the* Humane society Four thousand pexiple watched that fiasco Anthony closes all of his shows with a flock of
Newspaper Details
Midlothian Star Herald
Midlothian, Illinois, US
Sun, Feb 07, 1982
Page 22
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
WA, USA 06 Dec 2017
Other Publications Near Midlothian, Illinois
Midlothian Bremen Messenger
Midlothian Bremen Township News Record
Midlothian PennySaver
Midlothian Star
Midlothian Star Tribune
