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Hawaii Dave Donnelly |
Big Isle party will
honor WWII heroAre you familiar with the book and movie, "Soldier of Orange"? It's the true story of Erik Hazelhoff, who escaped his native Holland in 1939, ahead of Hitler, and went to London. He returned repeatedly by boat to organize the underground network that oversaw the effective Dutch resistance. It earned him Holland's equivalent of the Medal of Honor and knighthood from the Queen. His life is the storyline of "Soldier of Orange" and was the beginning for a man whom author Len Deighton ("The Ipcress Files") said had "lived a hundred lives." Well, not too many people know that the valiant Hazelhoff now lives in the sleepy village of Ahualoa on the Big Island. An autobiography of Hazelhoff called "Pursuit of Life" is just out, and it goes into his becoming a British secret service agent and a distinguished pilot of the RAF. In the ensuing years, Hazelhoff went from Hollywood actor to insurgent off New Guinea, director of the CIA's Radio Free Europe and NBC V.P. A small number of the Hazelhoff autobiography has arrived on the Big Island and he and wife Karin will celebrate its Hawaii launch Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at Patti Cook's Waimea shop, Cook's Discoveries. ...
Not so Serene
WINNER of the Governor's Hookela Award for service to Hawaii's retail industry was Sharon Serene, who owns her own ad agency. When accepting the award at the Retail Merchants of Hawaii's awards luncheon, Serene was, typically, at no loss for words. She thanked her husband for 25 years of being awakened at 3 a.m. to listen for her latest promotional idea or ad copy that she "had to run by somebody." (A lot of guys I know would have done some running of their own after a bit of this.) Serene named all her staff and clients by name and, in accepting her award of a koa box, got in another client mention: "Was this made by Martin & MacArthur?" ...IT seemed right that the Kaneohe band Neken advanced to the finals of Vans Triple Crown Battle of the Bands at the Hard Rock Cafe. Neken's drummer, Wayne Santos, is the grandson of former KPOI Boy Jack Kellner, who was somewhat less successful in his drumming. Two of the biggest clients Kellner was the voice talent for -- Robert Hall Clothes and Lucky Lager -- both went out of business. Kellner is currently living in retirement with wife Tomiko in Sonoma, Calif. ...
ALSO in California is former This Week Magazines publisher Ron Cruger. He's beginning to think of his Carmel mountain ranch home as "publisher central" for publishers visiting from Hawaii. First, there was Ted Sturdivant, and now former Waikiki Beach Press publisher Bill Paul dropped by for a visit. ...
Go for Broke da mouth
TWO local chefs, Roy Yamaguchi of Roy's and Hiroshi Fukui of L'Uraku, have been asked to "broke da mouth" for the Go For Broke's "Evening of Aloha" Nov. 8 at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach. They'll be serving some 650 people that night, former Miss Universe Brook Mahealani Lee will be mistress of ceremonies and entertainment will be provided by uke whiz Jake Shimabukuro and Polynesian dance troupe Keali'i O Nalani. ...
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
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
