Entertainment
Shooting for the stars – Larry Weiss brought Hollywood stars to BGSU – BG Independent News
By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Larry Weiss has a scrapbook showing his family dating Hollywood stars like Bob Hope, Red Skelton and Rich Little. Of course, it was a different time, when big-name entertainers signed up to rock a packed auditorium at Bowling Green State University for just $25,000.
Weiss, now retired from his position as BGSU vice president for university relations and government affairs, recently shared his celebrity contacts at a Bowling Green Kiwanis Club meeting.
In 1975, BGSU held its first Parents’ Day. It was a success, with families joining their students for an afternoon football game. But BGSU president at the time, Hollis Moore, felt something was missing. There was no activity to keep parents on campus the evening after the game.
So Weiss came up with the great idea of bringing in artists for a show in the evening. Moore bought it.
It’s a good idea. Go ahead, said Weiss, Moore told him.
What initially looked like a fantastic idea, later turned into a horrifying task.
I had no experience in the entertainment industry, Weiss recalls.
But for 16 years, he’s brought stars to the BGSU campus — exciting parents and students.
Weiss wanted to start big. He therefore targeted comedian Bob Hope.
It was wishing for the stars right there, he said.
The veteran comedian agreed to do the first Parent’s Day show in 1976 for a whopping $25,000. The performance was a big hit for BGSU — and a learning experience for Weiss.
The logistics of working with stars were all new to Weiss. The Bob Hopes people wanted college to take him to Bowling Green.
Yeah, like I just had my own plane to send, Weiss recalls.
He approached Marathon for the use of their aircraft, but company officials declined since their main competitor, Texaco, was Hopes’ sponsor. Eventually, other plans were made, and Hope landed at Wood County Airport with his golf clubs.
Weiss still remembers Hope using the Anderson Arena men’s locker room as his pre-show locker room.
There were many pleasant smells, he said with a smile.
As Hope combed her hair, he looked at himself in a mirror and sang, Oh, beautiful doll.
It was a sold-out crowd at Anderson Arena, with a capacity of less than 5,000 seated, but 6,364 people in attendance.
We had the place packed. I’m glad the fire marshal wasn’t there that night.
Weiss learned another lesson that night when the floodlights quickly went out, leaving the arena in darkness.
Hope played along, saying Looks like the college didn’t pay its electric bill.
The house lights were turned on and the Hopes show went on smoothly.
In 1977, Weiss arranged for the parents to be entertained by Doc Severinsen, frontman for the Johnny Carson Show. Again, there were a few hiccups in the plan. While checking in on travel arrangements, Weiss was informed that Severinsen would be heading to Nashville and heading to Bowling Green.
It struck Weiss that the Severinsens team thought the show was in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
I’m going to be sitting here with 5,000 people and no performers, he thought. And Bowling Green, Kentucky, will wonder what Doc Severinsen is doing here.
But the flights were changed and the show went off without a hitch.
The following year, the lesson learned was particularly harsh.
Weiss scheduled comedian-actor Gabe Kaplan to perform. Kaplan played the teacher of a rowdy remedial class on the hit sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter.
When the show was announced, the university began receiving calls from parents concerned about the raunchy humor Kaplan was known for. Weiss reached out and was assured by the Kaplans team that the show would be family friendly.
On the day of the show, Weiss recalled receiving a phone call from his wife, Fran, suggesting he sit down. She informed her husband that Kaplan had missed his flight from Las Vegas. There were no cell phones in 1978, so Weiss had no way of checking whether Kaplan had found another theft.
As the BGSU students showed off their skills on stage, Weiss finally got a call that Kaplan had landed at Wood County Airport.
But Weiss’ relief quickly turned to terror when Kaplan asked the BGSU students if they wanted to have fun. The show took on a whole new direction, which delighted some students but horrified their parents.
It was one of the dirtiest, grossest shows you’ve ever heard, Weiss recalls.
On Monday morning, the university president called Weiss into his office.
Well, Larry, it better not happen again, Moore said.
So the following year, Weiss brought in impeccable comedian Red Skelton.
He was a class act, Weiss said.
Skelton came to town on Wednesday for the Saturday night show. He spent time walking around campus, visiting a class in a lecture hall, and talking with students for 45 minutes.
He asked Weiss to take him to Kmart. Buyers recognized him immediately, going to the photo department to buy cameras to take pictures of Skelton and asking him to sign dollar bills. Weiss asked if he grew tired of being recognized everywhere he went.
Larry, I’ll tell you when you’re tired. When people stopped asking you to sign autographs, Weiss said Skelton told him.
Skelton also had the odd request to be taken to a store that sells snowblowers. So Weiss took him to the old book store, where Skelton bought his wife a snowblower to use when he was out of town.
Skelton, beloved by many for his characters like Clem Kadiddlehopper and Freddie the Freeloader, spoke to Weiss about his previous years experience with Kaplan.
You know Larry, I never thought you had to be dirty to be funny, Weiss recalls.
Next in 1980 was impressionist and comedian Rich Little, who delighted audiences with routines like the Carter-Reagan debates. The show was sold out.
Then in 1981, it was the pianist and actor Victor Borge. He was a great guy. Borge only played Bosendorfer pianos and demanded that one be shipped from Cleveland for the show.
And in 1982, actress Susan Anton entertained on Parents’ Day. Weiss recalled that Bowling Green native figure skater and gold medalist Scott Hamilton was recently asked if his short stature was still limiting. He said, I guess I can never date Susan Anton, who was almost 6 feet tall.
When Anton took the stage, Hamilton was in the crowd. She called him on stage and the two did a slow dance. He was about to his belt buckle, Weiss said.
Later that evening, Anton and Hamilton went to a local bar and served drinks, he added.
Other stars who graced the BGSU stage during Weiss’ tenure included comedian-actor David Brenner, comedian-actor Robert Klein, pop vocal trio The Lettermen and singer Marie Osmond.
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