Emme’s role not
far from realityMY dashing correspondent was just that, dashing from Point "A" to Point "B" in a New York taxi when she called on her cellular phone. Emme Tomimbang was in the Big Apple to attend the huge initial screening of the huge "Godzilla" movie which audiences will probably lap up as much as the critics will hate it. Part of the film, you may recall, was made in Hawaii (impersonating Panama) and Emme had a "blink-your-eye" part in it as a reporter hounding Matthew Broderick. She's also good pals with Christopher Lee, the Iolani grad who's president of Tri-Star, which released the summer blockbuster ...
AS long as she was on the phone, Emme passed along regards from Dean Pitchford, who recalled that I directing him in a production of "Waiting for Godot" more than 30 years ago. He played the boy who announces Godot hasn't arrived as yet. Dean's now one up on Godot. Since that auspicious production, Pitchford has gone on to win one or more Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and just about every other award an artist can achieve today. Next up on Pitchford's schedule is a Broadway production of "Footloose," for which he wrote both the screenplay and music in the film version. It will open a trial run in Washington, D.C., and is slated for an October opening on Broadway. (I told him way back when that he'd go places.) ...
ALSO at the "Godzilla" premiere was Shep Gordon, the Maui-based entrepreneur who with Tom Moffatt brought the Rolling Stones to Aloha Stadium. He was stopping over on his way to the Cannes Film Festival ... And also passing along regards from Manhattan was Ray Bickson, G.M. of the Mark Hotel, and the son of Joan and the late Bic Bickson ...
THE long-shuttered Doug's Place on Nuuanu will be reopening soon under the watchful eye of owner Hank Tafaasau. He plans to hang his own art work in the bar and have a musical showcase for young musicians at night, a far cry from the noisy, pool-tabled ambience of old ...
FORMER Aloha Airlines president Ed Swofford has become an octogenarian, but is hardly retiring in any sense of the word. He's just been re-elected to the board of directors of the 8,500 member Royal Aloha Vacation Club, a time share group ... Don Young of Kapalua Land Company has been re-elected president of the Hawaii Resort Developers Conference on Lanai. One attendee, Red Morris, says he never believed it was possible to get lost on Lanai, but he did. A new employee of the Manele Bay Hotel, when asked to transport Morris and his party to the Conference Center, got a bit confused and took them to the Golf Course Club House, three miles up the hill. But they managed to get things sorted out and made it to a reception on time ...
Going for the gold
PUNAHOU sophomore Theresa Engle is a determined 16 year old, and she's going for the gold. For her Gold Award Project, highest achievement earned in the Girl Scouts, she's in charge of tomorrow's third annual Volunteer Fest at Pearlridge Center. Her goal is to recruit at least 500 new volunteers for 26 non-profit agencies that desperately need help, such as the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, American Cancer Society, Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, Bishop Museum and Hawaii International Film Festival. She has large footsteps to fill. The Fair's youth founders and organizers were honored last year with two national awards, the J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award and the Colgate Youth for America Award, for their efforts. Talk about incentive! ...WELL, I'm off on vacation, and will return June 12 ...
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
His columns run Monday through Friday.Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.