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Hawaii Dave Donnelly |
1969: Tennessee to Tokyo
takes stopover in HonoluluPLAYWRIGHT Tennessee Williams passed through Honolulu yesterday en route to Tokyo via Japan Air Lines. The author of "Glass Menagerie" and "Streetcar Named Desire" had a flop last time out with a play called "In the Bar of a Tokyo Hotel." Looks like he's a bit late in conducting firsthand research. (June 20, 1969) ... Trumpeter Al Hirt, vacationing at the Kona Hilton, took in the hotel's luau show last week and received alohas from Honolulu entertainers Danny Kaleikini and Benny Kalama, both on the Big Island for sun, fun and golf. (June 20, 1969) ...
PLACES where you don't expect to see Thurberesque writing: In "Hawaii Historic Preservation Report 74-1, Archaeological and Historical Surveys of the Waimea to Kawaihae Road Corridor, Island of Hawaii, Department of Anthropology, Bernice P. Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii, published by the Department of Transportation, State of Hawaii, in Cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation and Department of Land & Natural Resources, State of Hawaii." (Take a deep breath.) The report with the monumental title contains the following phrase: "This site consists of a number of well-made, rectangular terraces situated on the grounds of Makiki Nursery, Kawaihae Branch. Further details were not gathered because of the presence of a number of canines, one of which seemed to have a definite taste for archaeologist's workpants, or perhaps even for archaeologists." (June 19, 1974) ...
IT'S fair to say that architect Desmond Brooks knows his wife, Pauline, very well. Currently Down Under on business, Brooks wanted to reach her, but when there was no answer at home, he had the overseas operator try the Outrigger Canoe Club. She wasn't there, so Brooks said, "She must be at Trappers." Sure enough, the operator located her at the Hyatt Regency club, but before turning her over to her husband, she inquired, "What is this, a bar?" It was quite a costly call, too, because all of Pauline's pals (including singer Jimmy Borges) wanted to get on the line and have a loooooooong-distance chat. (June 19, 1978) ...
SPEAKING of spectacular entrances, Keola and Kapono Beamer made their entrance at the Reef's Ocean Showroom in intriguing fashion. First you hear the pair's hit tune, "Honolulu City Lights," and see film footage of those lights captured by filmmaker Ian McLean. The Beamers appear on film as tiny specks in the distance, and when the camera zooms in on them, they pop out of slits on the screen and appear in person. (June 18, 1979) ...
ACCORDING to Nation's Restaurant News, former Dickens Pub owner Arie Bos is expected to take in $15 million from the restaurant and snack bars he's operating at the Knoxville World's Fair. Bos has been involved with 11 major fairs in the past 20 years, but this is by far the biggest. (June 18, 1982) ...
THERE'S been some speculation of late that Frank Fasi is gearing up to make one more stab at running for governor. It's the worst secret in town that he's always longed to hang his hat in Washington Place, but when he was elected mayor again the last time around, he seemed content with running Honolulu Hale. But now comes an indication that he may try again. Daughter Gina Fasi, who works for hizzoner at City Hall, has a bumper sticker on the back of her Honda that reads "Mayor Fasi for Governor." The mayor doesn't even have that sticker on his van, prompting one City Haller to suggest that perhaps Gina has eyes on Daddy's desk. (June 5, 1989) ...
WHEN Yuri Dubinin, Russian ambassador to the United States, was a guest at the Mauna Lani recently, he was greeted with Beluga caviar and champagne upon arrival, and several bottles of Stolichnaya vodka were kept on ice for him, just in case. (June 19, 1989) ...
GLAD to see Bobby Acoba back behind the plank at Nicholas Nickolas after a long illness. The sleight-of-hand artist never fails to mystify customers in between drinks. (June 16, 1993) ...
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Dave Donnelly has been writing on happenings in Hawaii for the Star-Bulletin since 1968. The Week That Was runs Sundays and recalls items from Dave's 30 years of columns. Contact Dave by e-mail: ddonnelly@starbulletin.com