Hawaii
1971: A stripper’s Christmas
card adds holiday sizzleTHE traffic jams caused by last-minute shoppers were something else, particularly around Ala Moana Center. But those wishing to travel to the neighbor islands shouldn't have any trouble. Hawaiian Airlines is putting on nearly 300 extra flights just to handle the demand. (Dec. 25, 1968) ... CMA veep Jim Murray was checking in at the Kahala Hilton, hoping for a few days away from the frantic show-biz swirl and everyone connected with it, when he looked up and saw old pal Jack Spina, manager of Pat Boone, checking in next to him. (Dec. 26, 1970) ... Sexiest Christmas card of the season award goes hands down (so to speak) to stripper Rendy Martin -- a blown-up picture of herself revealing full well the line of bikini she wears when she's wearing one -- which she isn't in this photo. (Dec. 27, 1971) ...
ANOTHER feather in Hans Strasser's Tyrolean cap. The Colony Surf GM, who is the newly named president of the Hawaii Hotel Association, was informed yesterday that the president of Austria was naming him Austrian consul for Hawaii, a newly created position. Strasser describes the appointment as a "super Christmas present." (Dec. 24, 1976) ... Arthur Murray's book, "How to Become a Good Dancer," first came out in 1938, and now it is out in paperback after just 38 years. Pocketbook has just published it, and a short segment on rock 'n' roll deserves to be quoted verbatim: "Rock 'n' Roll is the newest variation of Swing -- a bouncy, carefree dance usually associated in our minds with teenagers. Steps vary in different localities, but this is the basic Rock 'n' Roll pattern that is used in most parts of the country. 'Count slow, slow, quick, quick.'" Got it! (Dec. 24, 1976) ...
A COUPLE of interesting items from yesterday's amateur radio column by Katashi Nose in the Star-Bulletin, in case you overlooked it: "Pope Paul II has canonized Father Maximillian Kolbe, a Polish priest, as a saint. It marks the first time than an amateur radio operator has been recognized, although it wasn't for his ham activities." And a snappy one-liner: "King Hussein JY1 was in Honolulu for a few days the past week." (You can't find stuff like that just anywhere, you know.) (Dec. 23, 1982) ...
TRIPPING out: Bill Henderson is back from England where he stayed at Gidleigh Park, the highly lauded Devon hostelry owned and operated by his brother, Paul. The hotel recently was credited with "Winecellar of the Year" by Egon Ronay, the European restaurant critic. Bill says he witnessed "the second-greatest worldwide sports upset of the year" after the America's Cup, when England defeated New Zealand in an international rugby match. It was only the second time since 1905 the British beat the Kiwis. Henderson brought back a videotape of the game to play for his Hawaii Harlequin teammates from New Zealand so he can watch them squirm. (Dec. 27, 1983) ...
LET'S hear it for the hoopsters of little Chaminade, who knocked off a Top 20 team for the third time in as many years. Coach Merv Lopes is going to get a reputation as a giant-killer, and a lot of schools are going to be nervous about sending a team over here, however much of a recruiting tool it may be. Louisville coach Denny Crum, for one, will probably relish getting back to Kentucky. (Dec. 24, 1984) ...
SOME excitement at KITV just before the 10 p.m. newscast was to begin Sunday night. Someone noticed odd happenings in the parking lot -- a guy was attempting to hang himself. Newscaster Dalton Tanonaka and three crew members dashed out and cut the man down and got him to Queen's Hospital, where he's now recovering. No "film at 11." (Dec. 23, 1987) ... Peter Merriman, the former chef at the Gallery Restaurant of the Mauna Lani Bay Resort, has done what many hotel exec chefs before him have done: He's opened his own eatery. Merriman's in Kamuela, which served its first customers Monday, appears to be an instant success. Just try to get a booking during the holiday season. (Dec. 22, 1988) ...
"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