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Hawaii
IT was to be a week of rest. No chance. In the Sweetow rests
in Waipi‘oone week I took off I met at the airport the widow and son of a dear friend whose ashes we were to fly into the Big Isle and scatter in Waipi'o Valley, his favorite spot on earth. The deceased was Mike Sweetow, who used to represent management in labor disputes, but was so fair and so nice that among those showing up at a memorial service for him at Murphy's were Tony Rutledge and Steve Murin, who frequently represented labor across the table from him. Sweetow ultimately left Hawaii for S.F. where he represented the Crowley Corp. in waterfront disputes. Feeling his own management was unfair with the workers, Mike resigned and became a mediator, a perfect job for a man who could see both sides of a disagreement. His widow, Beth, and son, Scott, flew in with his ashes and I joined them on the day-long jaunt to the Big Isle where we met up with Mike's former wife, Waimea resident Dr. Sheri Sweetow, who joined us in Waipi'o ...
Family at play
THE following day also kept me running. I met the Queen Elizabeth II, where friend Sheridan Morley, noted London critic and author, was enjoying a lecture cruise to Australia. I met him and his wife at the ship (along with City Councilwoman Rene Mansho, who greets as many ships as she can) and took them to dinner. Turns out Sherry's wife, Ruth Leon, is rivaling her husband on all fronts. While he was directing Corin Redgrave in a play in London, she was directing a work she wrote about George Gershwin called "American Rhapsody" at the Triad, an off-Broadway theater in New York. She's also editing a new magazine called "theatergoer," whose editor-in-chief is Madeleine Lloyd Webber. Inside the issue I saw (No. 3) was an article about cooking by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, Madeleine's husband, and an article about Stephen Sondheim by Sheridan Morley, Ruth's husband. Nothing like keeping it in the family. Still, a handsome, glossy magazine with real promise of flourishing ...WE joined the Morleys for lunch the day their ship was to sail, choosing Chai's Bistro, a spot with great food and a wonderful location just a block from the QEII. No sooner were they bid aloha than came a call from the Sweetows suggesting dinner that night at Chai's. The Brothers Cazimero were performing there that night and they were personal friends and great favorite's of Mike. So it was back to Chai's just hours after lunch where a couple of waiters eyed me with something akin to amusement. "I can't stay away from this place," I told them." ...
Four contacts and a funeral
ATTENDING a family funeral in L.A. meant that Luella Costales, development and marketing director of the Hawaii International Film Festival, got to see the Golden Globes show and meet some contacts for future HIFF festivities. HIFF honcho Chuck Boller was invited to go but couldn't make it, so Luella, who was in L.A. anyway, subbed for him. Besides seeing the awards she chatted with former HIFF juror Lisa Lu (from "The Joy Luck Club"), Billy Campbell from "Once and Again," and also talked with UH grad Sherwood Hu, a vet of HIFF, having showed his films "Warrior Lanling" and "Laniloa" there, plus Diane Baker, whose credits include "Hannibal," "Silence of the Lambs" and "Joy Luck Club." They'd all love to attend the next HIFF in November ...
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