‘Titanic’ fiddler
signs autographsTHIS "Titanic" craze is getting out of hand. Forget the Oscars and the myriad of joking references made by people in other award categories ("I have this sinking feeling..." etc.), now network magazine news shows are resurrecting the tragedy of the actual sinking with reports that the iceberg may not have been at fault so much as bad rivets. So much for those who found the movie riveting ... The "Titanic" spell was even cast over L.A. violist Keith Greene, who was here at Orvis Auditorium recently with the Debussy Trio for a chamber music concert. During a morning demo for kids at Kamiloiki Elementary School in Hawaii Kai, he became famous when the children learned he played in the backup orchestra for the film. Out came CDs from backpacks and random scraps of paper seeking his autograph, just as if he were Leonardo DiCaprio. (Incidentally, anyone seen Leo recently? There was a rumor he was in the islands.) Greene was also in the orchestra that played for the Academy Awards show. Unlike a lot of starving artists, Greene and the harpist and flutist who make up the Trio earn a good living playing for commercials, TV and film ...
YOU also may have heard of pianist Randy Price who attempted to set a record for nonstop piano playing. People kept requesting "My Heart Will Go On" from "Titanic." Said Price, "I played it 40 times in 50 hours. There has got to be a psychosis assigned to it." ... And Heidi Hanson perked up when she heard a female voice on the public address system at Borders state, "Will the young man looking for 'A Night to Remember' please come to the front desk?" She half expected to see a large group of guys lining up until she realized it was probably a "Titanic" enthusiast being summoned to get a copy of the earlier film version of the tragedy ...
Beetles, Cobras & Mustangs
WHEN the Volkswagen Beetle was introduced to the U.S. market nearly a half-century ago (in 1950), it had a 25 horsepower engine. Now the New Beetle has arrived in Hawaii, packed with a 4-cylinder engine that can hit 115 horsepower. Windward auto dealer Mike McKenna describes it as driving and handling like a bug, but with a V-8 engine ... McKenna currently is hosting old pal Carroll Shelby at the Mustang Madness Auto Show Sunday at Windward Ford. Shelby is something of an outdoors renaissance man, having been a race car driver (winning at Le Mans in 1959), cattle rancher, big game hunter, sports car manufacturer, airline pilot and millionaire businessman. Shelby produced the Shelby Ford Mustangs, the GT40 and the Daytona Coupe, but his finest hour may have been when he came out with the Cobra sports car. There was one here, driven by Honolulu Ford's venerable Eddie O'Toole, who could lay rubber down the Ala Wai with the best of 'em. But the Cobra was stolen and savaged for parts at Kaena Point ...
No magic at Post Office
WHEN the brotherhood of Hawaii magicians held its statewide convention at the Ilikai, not even magic could get a letter here on time to congratulate Jimmy Hoshida on his 50 years in the industry, but through the magic of fax, David Copperfield was able to applaud Hoshida's milestone. He also took the opportunity to congratulate Hoshida's granddaughter, Kristi, who won the junior division of the Society of Magicians competition last year. You can be certain the Hoshidas will appear when Copperfield performs his "Dreams and Nightmares" show here in May at the Blaisdell Concert Hall ...
Contact Dave by e-mail: donnelly@kestrok.com.