By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

PERSONALITIES: When Dalton Tanonaka brought his retro act, Flashback, to a gig at the Tropicana in Las Vegas, a star from the past joined the band: Liz Damon, formerly of the Orient Express, who updated her "1900 Yesterday" hit. "Liz actually started to cry, saying she hadn't performed it in years," said Tanonaka. Bobby Gonzales, an ex-Krush member, guested on bass.

All this was part of a Hawai'i '72 reunion gig, with the Society of Seven and Mel Cabang entertaining the previous night and the SOS' Gary Bautista singing a '70s hit, "Walk Away". ...

Brooke Burns, formerly of "Baywatch Hawai'i" and now co-starring in Fox's "North Shore," caught up with old friends Kim Taylor Reece, the artist, and his wife, Kanoe, with dinner at Lei Lei's Bar and Grill, after her shooting schedule at Turtle Bay Resort.

Burns is loving her new look — as a brunette. ...

Playwright Mark Medoff, who had hoped to be in town last week to co-direct his "Gunfighter" play opening May 19 at Manoa Valley Theatre, had to delay his arrival till this past Sunday, because his newest Broadway property, "Prymate," opened at the Longacre Theatre Wednesday. Joyce Maltby is guest director, carrying on.

While here, Medoff also will do a residency with Mid-Pacific Institute and Iolani School drama students. ...

ITEMIZATIONS: Frequent Hawai'i visitor Charlotte Kandel, former head of worldwide publicity for Warner Bros., had a special guest in tow as she and husband Stanley toured O'ahu and Kaua'i. Charlotte's aunt Sheila from Brighton, England, has been on her first trip here, taking in Pearl Harbor, the Honolulu Academy of Arts and Shangri-La; enjoying her first margarita and Mexican food at Compadres' Cinco de Mayo festivities; dining at The Willows to experience Hawaiiana; and soaking up the oceanside splendor that is Michel's.

Pal Lisa Josephsohn was tour guide and got a kick out of hearing Jeff Peterson's classical guitar at Michel's. Peterson worked the "Rock Legends" gig at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, getting in some great licks with the Honolulu Symphony. ...

Maui chef James McDonald of Pacific 'O and I'o restaurants in Lahaina recently participated in the 23rd Annual "Celebrities Cook for the Moores UCSD Cancer Center" in San Diego — and turned hero.

"I saved a little old lady's life at the event," he reports. "This sweet 80-something-year-old woman standing near my station was choking (not on my food, of course!). Neither her granddaughter nor her companion knew what to do. Did you know that one of the papers I wrote when I was a student at Maui Community College was on the proper application of the Heimlich maneuver? Well, I finally got the chance to use it. Successful on the first try. And yes, I was gentle." All right! ...

And that's Show Biz. ...

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