Tips on Tables - By Robert W. Dana - March, 1953

Danny Thomas Mists Eyes Of Audience at Copacabana

Danny Thomas' performance in a two-hour dinner show on his return Thursday to Jules Podell's Copacabana in a night club classic that ranks with a memorable night in the theater. In his first New York appearance in two years he pulled out all the show stops to send customers into hysterical laughter.

Through extensive television and motion picture stardom, a widened scope makes admirable use of his splendid singing voice, while his dramatic sense of showmanship prompts him to go from the high hilarity of his famous ad-glibbing Lebanese lament to a tender audience-participating finale.

I can remember few such touching sights as the capacity Copa audience looking with the misty eyes as Danny and his pretty little television pal, Bunny Lewbel, visitor in the audience, sing the title song from "I'll See You in My Dreams," the film in which Thomas portrays the great lyric writer, Gus Kahn.

Flickering Matches.

Faithful to his instructions to sing along with him and light a match on the words, "They will light our way tonight," the customers presented an inspiring picture with their flickering matches in a darkened room.

Danny and members of Michael Durso's orchestra open the show with their allegiance to the management. This is part of his contract, he says. Later, repenting such homage, he goes into his familiar routine about the "stinkin' bosses."

He tells how it took him 13 years before he could announce a song from his own picture. Then he sings as he does in "The Jazz Singer." He tells how he starved in those 13 years but paid no taxes. Now the taxes eat him up.

Newcomer Sells Songs.

"After my alleged triumphs," he said,"I'm happy to say vanity has not caused me to have my nose bobbed." Dolores Hawkins, a newcomer, sells her song with fire in her New York debut at the Copa."Hallelujah," "I'll Walk Alone," "For You, My Love" and "Rockabye, My Baby" are well tailored to her ability.

Also featured in a new show are the Cerneys. An unusually hardworking pair, they concentrate on aerial work. The man seems to approach each number with the gestures of a bullfighter which is novel if a bit monotonous.