Hawaii
1969: Iolani Palace
sees the light with
a colorful galaIOLANI Palace will glow brightly tonight when its new exterior lighting is turned on after sundown. Colorful ceremonies include an Air Force Band concert, songs by the Hawaiian Electric Glee Club and a special chant by Kaupena Wong. It was on these same grounds 83 years ago that the first electric lights in Honolulu were turned on. (Aug. 19, 1969) ...
SEN. Kenny Brown, running for another term from the 7th District, not only occupies the seat held by his uncle, Frances H. Ii Brown, in the old Territorial Senate, but also chairs the committee on agriculture as did his Uncle Francis. (Aug. 20, 1970) ... Bank of Honolulu prexy Frank Cooper was routinely going over a computer readout of overdraft accounts last week when he came across a familiar name -- his WIFE'S. She's off in Washington vacationing with all the little Coopers and apparently hadn't thought to cover recent checks she'd written. That's got to be a bit of a jolt. (Aug. 20, 1973) ...
THERE hasn't been a "show business" death in history to compare to the impact of that of Elvis Presley. The reaction to the deaths of James Dean and Rudolph Valentino pale by comparison. All of Elvis' records have been snapped up, and the RCA pressing plant in Hollywood must be working overtime to come out with more. Former isle disc jockey Tom Rounds, whose company, Watermark Inc., created the 13-hour "Elvis Presley Story" for radio, reports he received more than 100 calls from radio stations around the country on the day of Elvis' death, asking permission to replay the radio biography. North Shore resident Jerry Hopkins, who wrote the show, and deejay Ron Jacobs, who produced it, are heading for the Watermark studios to add an epilogue to the series, and stations around the country, including KKUA, will be airing it as a salute to the "King" on the Labor Day weekend. (Aug. 18, 1977) ...
AUTHOR James Michener had his own "fame is fleeting" experience while here. When checking into the Hawaiian Regent, the author of "Hawaii" and numerous other books was asked at the desk, "Is this your first trip to Hawaii?" ... While here, Michener filmed one of those American Express Card commercials ("Don't leave home without it") at a luau held at the Kamokila Campbell estate. This bit of miscellaneous info may come as a surprise to old Michener pal Barney Davis. When the two lunched at Fisherman's Wharf recently, Davis picked up the tab with HIS credit card. (Aug. 18, 1981) ...
THE current issue of Sports Illustrated has named Hawaii's own Lenn Sakata as "Player of the Week," but he's probably not too thrilled about it. In making its award, S.I. said, "The Baltimore utility infielder, who'd never had a hit against Chicago, ended his 0-for-66 slump with a 2-for-12 performance that improved his career average against the Sox to .026." (Aug. 23, 1984)
FORMER Star-Bulletin photog Bob Young has been taking pictures in Korea and Japan and writes, "It's truly a pleasure to photograph scenes without having to crop out graffiti. (Mayor) Fasi should find out how the Japanese and Koreans manage to control that." Like most visitors to Japan, Young was aghast at the prices -- he cited as an example that a ticket to see the musical "42nd Street" cost $170. (Aug. 22, 1986) ...
DEPENDING on how you feel about barbershop quartets, the Waikiki Shell is the place to be or the place to be far away from tomorrow night. A two-chorus barbershop choir -- the Sounds of Aloha and the Bay Area Metro -- will sing a medley of songs by George M. Cohan during the Honolulu Symphony's "Red, White and Blue Extravaganza." But before the concert, there'll be eight barbershop quartets singing in various places in the Shell, beginning at 5:35 p.m. The finale will have all eight quartets singing "Coney Island Baby," followed with both choruses joining them in singing "Battle Hymn of the Republic." No, I won't be there. (Aug. 23, 1991) ...
"The Week That Was" recalls events culled from Dave Donnelly's three-dot columns over the past 30 years. Donnelly continues to write his Hawaii column Tuesdays through Fridays in the Star-Bulletin.
Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings
in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968.
The Week That Was recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns.Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com