SHOW BIZ
Sinatra enthusiast toasts anniversary his way

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Tense moments for Elvis Wade, the Presley look- and sound-alike, who performed Saturday night at the Waikiki Shell. At the Michael W. Perry-Larry Price anniversary show earlier that day at the Sheraton Waikiki's Hawai'i Ballroom, Wade was involved in a skit with Karen Keawehawai'i; he removed his glasses (which he needs for seeing) and she "held" them in her purse — but scooted to the Turtle Bay Hilton before she was found. Hours later, she delivered the errant specs so he could see his audience. ...

ITEMIZATIONS: Don Ho continues to support emerging talent, the latest being Los Angeles classical prodigy Tim Callobre, 9, who plays a mean piano and guitar — plus sax and drums. The lad joined Ho at the Sunset Strip Key Club and at the Coach House in Orange County. At the Key Club, pop artist Shag created a Ho poster. ...

Paul Bloch, veteran Rogers and Cowan p.r. whiz, is at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental, sharing word that frequent visitor Jeff Wald will produce Sylvester Stallone's next movie, "T.U. Notorious," which deals with the deaths of hip-hoppers Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G., launching this fall. Bloch also has signed on Andrea Galvin (who operates her Aloha Agency here) as his Hawai'i contact. ...

Blaise J. Noto, a Hollywood marketing and publicity veteran, has brought his Blaise Noto & Associates company to Kihei, Maui, hoping to tune in to entertainment, film, TV and other arts-culture events. Among his Hollywood campaigns: "Forrest Gump," "Braveheart" and "Titanic." ...

Mary Benham, co-chairwoman (with Linda Letta) of the Hawai'i Theatre's docent program, recently conducted a special tour for godson Scott Herbertson. Since he was assistant set designer for the Jim Carrey film, "The Majestic," the tour of the historic Hawai'i held special meaning. Herbertson attended Punahou through eighth grade, then moved to Colorado. He just completed work on Tom Hanks' children's film, "The Polar Express," and is associated with the producers of "Seabiscuit" on a proposed film about Lincoln in the White House, for which he is designing a re-creation of the landmark. ...

BITS 'N' PIECES: Sonny Kamahele, who has been performing 20 years with The Islanders at the Halekulani's House Without a Key, retires Aug. 26. The serenades under the kiawe tree just won't be the same. ...

Last Friday and Saturday nights, Bali-by-the-Sea at the Hilton Hawaiian Village was veiled as the Maile Restaurant of the old Kahala Hilton — with "alumni," patrons and staff assembling for good times. Chef Martin Wyss was in the kitchen, preparing signature dishes (including his medallion trio and roast duck, and celery-seed dressing for the salad), with wife Jeanie working the floor, alongside current manager Alicia Antonio (and the last Maile manager before the restaurant shut down and the hotel became the Kahala Mandarin Oriental) and earlier Maile manager Charlie Goodness (now a Big Islander who is food-and-drink director for the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and the Hapuna Prince). Kit Samson played piano (he was the mainstay at the Kahala's Maile Lounge). ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.