Morey Amsterdam News

Patrons were treated to a classic trip down memory lane this week as four leading ladies of the legendary Persian Room New York came together for a book signing. Lainie Zazan, Michele Lee, Connie Stevens and Barbara Van Orden gathered at Barnes and Noble in California's The Grove to celebrate the release of Patty Farmer's new book "The Persian Room Presents." Anecdotes involving audience celebrity sightings included Barbara Streisand (by Stevens), Milton Berle (by Van Orden), Jack Jones and his thighs (by Lee) and a mob king who struck her while performing (by Kazan). See photos of the leading ladies at the event below!

Special guests Marge Champion, Barbara Van Orden and Tony Butala join author, Patty Farmer Wednesday, March 7 at 7:00 pm, for a Q&A and to sign copies of "The Persian Room Presents." A portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to Childhelp for the treatment and prevention of child abuse. The event will be held at Barnes & Noble (82nd & Broadway).

Special guests Marge Champion, Barbara Van Orden and Tony Butala join author, Patty Farmer Wednesday, March 7 at 7:00 pm, for a Q&A and to sign copies of "The Persian Room Presents." A portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to Childhelp for the treatment and prevention of child abuse. The event will be held at Barnes & Noble (82nd & Broadway).

It's Rudolph to the rescue when Happy, the Baby New Year, goes missing in RUDOLPH's SHINY NEW YEAR the classic Rankin/Bass stop-motion animated holiday special. Red Skelton narrates and voices Father Time, while Frank Gorshin and Morey Amsterdam also provide voices for characters, MONDAY, DECEMBER 26 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

It's Rudolph to the rescue when Happy, the Baby New Year, goes missing in RUDOLPH's SHINY NEW YEAR the classic Rankin/Bass stop-motion animated holiday special. Red Skelton narrates and voices Father Time, while Frank Gorshin and Morey Amsterdam also provide voices for characters, MONDAY, DECEMBER 26 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

After a an extended absence from the stage, due to the highly publicized accident that resulted in 18 surgeries, Ms. Barbara Van Orden brought her autobiographical cabaret act to Catalina's in Los Angeles this week. Ms. Van Orden began her singing career in the Catskill mountains at Grossinger's, where she opened for individuals such as Milton Berle, Don Rickles and Red Buttons. 'It was a great way to break into show biz,' says Barbara.

The Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois, north of Chicago, has an enormous subscription base, deep pockets, a talented and experienced in-house design team and a film property to adapt that touches on a number of important, stage-worthy themes (military patriotism, family, nostalgia, a timely re-visit to accusations of communism in America, parenthood, mid-century entertainment history and censorship, both military and network). And the show's lawyers have acquired the rights to a Hit Parade of jukebox-musical-worthy tunes. But is that enough to make a new stage musical out of the 1991 film 'For The Boys'?

After years of rehabilitation that resulted from a horrific accident, the woman who opened for entertainers like Sinatra, Berle and Rickles, BARBARA VAN ORDEN (wwwbarbaravanorden.com), returns to the stage.

Legendary stage, film and television star Dick Van Dyke brings Step In Time! A Musical Memoir to the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theatre @ the Geffen Playhouse opening December 16. He has much to say in our interview about his career and the people he's worked with.

Jennifer Nettles, of reigning CMA Vocal Group of the Year Sugarland, hosts 'CMA Country Christmas' with music, memories and stories of the season from some of the format's biggest stars. Artists who perform in the special and share with fans their favorite holiday traditions include Sheryl Crow, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Reba, LeAnn Rimes, Darius Rucker and Sugarland.

Mr. Magoo and Charles Dickens may have seemed like an odd match at the time but Americans of a certain age will remember that the pairing resulted in bit of pure magic. Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol was the first-ever animated Christmas special, and is now the subject of a splendid new book by Darrell Van Citters. Van Citters will be previewing an advance copy of the book at the up-coming Comic-Con International in San Diego, July 23-26. The book is set for publication this fall.

Ruth Webb, legendary theatrical talent agent, passed away on December 4, 2006