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Hawaii
SOME artists only achieve the fame due them after their death. One good example is the late Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole. His moving rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," coupled with Iz lives on in song
"What a Wonderful World," has put him yet again into the national spotlight after his death. It first was featured in the closing credits of the film, "Meet Joe Black," and again in the closing scene of the TV series, "Party of Five." Now it appears again in another closing scene in the new WB Network series, "Young Americans." The music played as the youthful main characters pondered life in a tranquil lakeside setting, much as Iz used to do at the beach at Makaha ...
FORMER Advertiser three-dot columnist Tom Horton became a good friend after giving up the newspaper gig to become a restaurateur. His Stinson Beach Grill just got a rousing good review in the Marin Independent-Journal and in another paper he failed to identify. After getting together with him during my recent visit to San Francisco, Horton sent along the reviews and wrote, "Great seeing you -- long time since I had a decent six-hour lunch." With us before we entered the Cuban cigar stage of the lunch was Mike Fogerty, new owner of the Buchanan Grill in the Marina. The lunch, Horton reports, paid off: "I bought Fogerty lunch and the next day he hired my daughter! I'm taking him to dinner in the hope he'll hire my wife." Leave it to Horton to develop a sense of humor after leaving the columning game ...
Such a pair
THE Disney people are in the process of making yet another feature-length cartoon in the wake of many successes in the genre. This time around, there are several local connections. The leads for the film, "Lino & Stitch," are being voiced by two localites, Tia Carrere (currently in "The Relic Hunter") and Jason Scott Lee, who's playing the King of Siam in "The King and I" in London with Elaine Paige. Local casting agent Anna Fishburn selected three others to voice parts in the movie, Ray Bumatai, Rodney Villanueva and the very busy Elissa Dulce, who is not only playing Stacy Kamano's mom in "Baywatch Hawaii," but is recreating her role of a Chinese mother in Kumu Kahua's revival of "The Joy Luck Club," opening Thursday ...AFTER their successful performance in "Huliau 2000" at the Hawaii Theater, Michael Pili Pang took his hula halau back to Waimea on the Big Isle. They'll have little rest there, however, as Halau Hula Ka No'eau will be packing their costumes, leis and drums to head for Maui and a performance at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on July 28. This is all in preparation for a mainland tour in the fall ... Communications-Pacific's Russell Pang read here about Brian Blevins of Vorizon seeing Jimmy Borges and Betty Loo Taylor doing jazz in Vancouver, and says he also dropped by where they were playing but missed Blevins by one day. Tony Smart of the Parker Ranch Smarts was enjoying the music, however ...
Growing up
MANY are now top execs or even retired, but back when they belonged to the Waikiki JC's in the '60s, they called themselves the "Jolly Boys." They got the name because they seemed to believe more in partying than taking the JC movement seriously. So watch for the gray hair when they hold a reunion Thursday at Murphy's. Call Jolly Boy Ray Sweeney at 533-0033 for more details. And hope you don't catch him napping ...
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: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com