SOUTHEAST VIEW
COMIC PAYS TRIBUTE TO IDOL
By Ginger Mikkelsen
Southeast View
Comedian Sandy Hackett spends six nights a week playing a man he's admired for a lifetime. The genesis of "The Tribute to Frank, Sammy, Joey & Dean" began with a suggestion Joey Bishop made years ago.
"I grew up with Joey Bishop and he was kind of Uncle Joey," Hackett said. "A couple of years before when they did that HBO movie on the Rat Pack, Joey called me and said, 'Nephew, look, HBO is doing a movie about the Rat Pack and I think you would be great to play me.' I said, I'd love to play you, what a tremendous honor. Thank you very much, who do I call.' And he said, 'I don't know. No one consulted
me.' That was the first thing that was wrong - here you've got a surviving member and no one even bothered to call him."
Hackett looked into the part, but never got it.
"I was never even in the running for that," he said.
Hackett began performing Bishop at corporate gigs, and eventually he developed enough material to put on a show of his own. With the help of producer Dick Feeney the producer for "Viva Las Vegas" at the Stratosphere and "Bottoms up" at the Flamingo, Hackett launched the show at the Greek Isles Hotel and Casino.
"Joey contributed to this script. My dad (legendary comedian Buddy Hackett) contributed to this script. There are elements of the script we stay very close to and then there is a section that's free for all. We have some very good ad-libbing. We've had some wonderful moments. And we allow that."
Hackett drew bits from Bishop's recorded performances and the performers memory. But much of the flavor of his performance is drawn from a life-long one-on-one connection with the comedian.
"Joey taught me to box," Hackett recalled. 'I'd go over to his house and he'd have the garage door up and he'd have this punching bag up, you know the little speed bag. And he taught me foot work and stuff. Then one day we put on the gloves to spar. He said, 'This means you're going to get hit.' He hit me one shot and I said, 'You know uncle, that's enough with the boxing.' He popped me a good one."
Greek Isles owner John Marks is thrilled to have the show in his showroom.
"I am absolutely ecstatic," he said. "Not only are they great performers, they are wonderful as musicians. They put their heart and soul into the show and they spend time with the customers. They exude the personality of what Vegas used to be. It was a place you wanted to rub elbows with the stars and feel like you're a part of something very unique. I think our hotel has a boutique atmosphere that allows them to really do a show one-on-one with the customers. Our room is perfect for this, 500 seats for a show like this, it's just a great feeling."
Though Hackett is the show's creator, he's quick to point out the other performers are where the real talent lies. Henry Prego plays Frank, Sammy is played by Louie Velez, and Dean is Rick Michel.
In addition to the four mainstay performers, the show features a live band, and Hackett added Stacey Bostick playing Marilyn Monroe in a surprise cameo role. Bostick comes out and picks a birthday boy from the audience who she then fawns over as she sings Monroe's classic breathy passionate "Happy Birthday."
While Bostick gets the audience heated up, Hackett insists the Rat Pack is already on fire.
"The Rat Pack seems to have heated up from the HBO movie and 'Oceans 11,''"Hackett said.
Marks is convinced the show is hot.
"I've got to tell you, I don't remember Joey Bishop this good," the hotel owner said with a wink to Hackett. "Sandy adds a tremendous personality to the show." |
