Wayne Newton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wayne Newton
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Newton in 2001
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| Born |
Carson Wayne Newton
April 3, 1942 Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
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| Other names | Mr. Las Vegas, The Midnight Idol, Mr. Entertainment, Mr. New Vegas |
| Years active | 1959–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Elaine Okamura
(m. 1968; div. 1985)Kathleen McCrone
(m. 1994) |
| Children | 2 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Jazz, pop, lounge |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, actor |
| Instruments |
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Carson Wayne Newton (born April 3, 1942), also known as Mr. Las Vegas, is an American singer and actor. He was one of the most popular singers in the United States during the mid-to-late 1900s. Newton is still one of the most famous entertainers in Las Vegas and has performed there since 1963. People also call him "The Midnight Idol" and "Mr. Entertainment."
When he was a teenager, Newton first performed in Las Vegas in the late 1950s. He learned a lot from famous artists like Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, and Elvis Presley. In 1963, he became a main performer, called a headliner, at the Flamingo hotel in Las Vegas. Soon, he was one of the city's most loved performers. The Washington Post newspaper called Newton "America's number one night club act." At his most popular, he was even more famous in Las Vegas than Sinatra and Presley. Newton has earned more money than any other entertainer in Las Vegas history. He has also appeared in many movies and TV shows.
Some of his well-known songs include "Danke Schoen" (1963), "Summer Wind" (1965), "Red Roses for a Blue Lady" (1965), "Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast" (1972), and "Years" (1980). "Danke Schoen" is his most famous song and was used in the 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
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Early Life and First Shows
Wayne Newton was born Carson Wayne Newton on April 3, 1942, in Virginia. His father, Patrick Newton, was an auto mechanic, and his mother was Evelyn Marie Smith. He has English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and German family roots. He also believes he has some Native American heritage.
When he was six years old, Newton started learning to play the piano, guitar, and steel guitar. He performed on a local radio show, singing country music, before school. On weekends, he performed in a traveling show of the Grand Ole Opry.
When he was a child, his family moved to Ohio. He began singing in local clubs and fairs with his older brother, Jerry. Because Wayne had bad asthma, his family moved to Phoenix in 1952. Soon after, the brothers won a local TV talent show called Lew King Rangers. The TV station owner gave them their own show, Rascals in Rhythm. The brothers performed for President Dwight D. Eisenhower and tried out for another TV show, but didn't get picked.
In 1958, when Newton was 15, a booking agent saw him and his brother on their TV show. The agent invited them to audition in Las Vegas. They were so good that they got a two-week contract to perform at the Flamingo hotel. On their last night, they were offered a one-year contract! To follow his music dream, Newton left high school.
When he was 18, Newton wanted to join the U.S. military. But because of his asthma, he couldn't join unless there was a major emergency. Instead, he volunteered to perform shows for troops overseas.
Becoming a Star Entertainer
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Starting His Career
Wayne Newton and his brother performed at The Flamingo for five years. They did six shows, six days a week! Newton says his early success came from knowing what the audience wanted to hear. In 1962, Newton sang "Danny Boy" for TV star Jackie Gleason. Gleason was so impressed that he told Newton to appear on his show first. On September 29, 1962, the brothers performed on The Jackie Gleason Show. Newton appeared on Gleason's show 12 times over the next two years, which was his first time on national TV.
In the early 1960s, Newton also acted and sang as "Andy" on the TV western series Bonanza. While filming Bonanza, Newton met Elvis Presley, and they became good friends.
In 1962, Jackie Gleason also helped Newton get a show at the Copacabana club. There, Newton met Bobby Darin. Darin liked Newton's singing and agreed to produce his records. By 1963, Newton had a contract with Capitol Records. His first album came out that year. Darin even gave Newton his song "Danke Schoen" to sing. "Danke Schoen" became a big hit, reaching No. 13 on the music charts.
Many other famous entertainers, like Lucille Ball, Danny Thomas, George Burns, and Jack Benny, also helped Newton. For example, after Benny saw Newton perform in Australia, he hired him to open his shows in Las Vegas. Newton performed on The Jack Benny Program for five years. After that, Newton asked for, and got, his own main show at the Flamingo in 1963. In 1965, Newton appeared on The Lucy Show. He sang to animals as a country boy. CBS offered him his own TV show based on this character. But Lucille Ball told him to turn it down, saying, "unless you want to be this country boy the rest of your life, turn this series down..."
Newton was known for his unique high-pitched voice. It stayed with him for most of his career, though it became a bit lower in the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1970s, Newton started focusing mainly on performing in Las Vegas.
Mr. Las Vegas Takes the Stage
After Elvis Presley passed away and many older stars became less active, Newton became the biggest entertainer in Las Vegas. In the 1970s, he performed mostly at the Desert Inn, The Frontier, and Sands Hotel and Casino. Newton holds the record for the most people who came to see his shows during his most popular time.
Esquire magazine called Newton "the biggest moneymaker in the history of Vegas." They said, "Nobody has drawn like that week in, week out. Not Elvis, not Sinatra." Newton's shows were very popular because they were long, often lasting up to three hours. This was different from many other main performers at the time, who had shorter shows.
In 1972, his song "Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast" sold over one million copies. It was given a gold disc. The song reached No. 4 in the United States and No. 1 in Australia and Canada.
In 1983, Wayne Newton performed at the Independence Day celebration in Washington, D.C.. He was a friend and supporter of President Ronald Reagan.
In 1992, Newton had a song called "The Letter" that reached No. 1 on the Cashbox Pop and Country charts.
During the 1990s, Newton started performing at other big casinos like Bally's, Caesars Palace, and MGM Grand Las Vegas. In 1994, Newton performed his 25,000th solo show in Las Vegas. In 1999, he signed a 10-year deal with the Stardust. He would perform there 40 weeks a year, six shows a week, in a showroom named after him. This was the first deal of its kind. His last show at the Stardust was on April 20, 2005.
Later Career and Today
In the 2000s, Newton continued to perform in Las Vegas. He also became more known as the face of Las Vegas.
In 2005, Newton hosted a reality TV show called The Entertainer on E! channel. The winner got to perform in his show and have their own show for a year. In 2007, Newton sang "Viva Las Vegas" at the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas.
Newton was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars in 2007. He was the third person to be voted off. He also appeared as a guest on The Price Is Right.
Starting in 2009, Newton performed his show "Once Before I Go" at the Tropicana. In 2010, Newton took a five-year break to spend time with his family. In 2016, Newton returned to the stage at Bally's Hotel. His new show, "Up Close & Personal," included singing, playing some of the 13 instruments he taught himself, and showing clips from his movies and TV shows.
After performing over 30,000 shows on the Las Vegas Strip, Newton celebrated his 60th year on stage in 2019. He had a show called "Mr. Las Vegas" at Caesars Palace. Newton said, "It's hard for me to articulate...I was here when Caesars (Palace) was built. This hotel for me has always represented the flagship of the Strip."
In 2020, Newton appeared in TV commercials for Caesars Entertainment. He helped promote the reopening of their resorts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the 2022 NFL draft in Las Vegas, Newton announced a pick for the Las Vegas Raiders football team.
Wayne Newton's Personal Life
On June 1, 1968, Newton married Elaine Okamura. They had one daughter, Erin, born in 1976, and later divorced in 1985. On April 9, 1994, Newton married Kathleen McCrone, a lawyer. They have one daughter, born in 2002.
A street near Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas is named Wayne Newton Boulevard. In 2000, Newton was chosen for the Gaming Hall of Fame. In 2010, he spoke to the Virginia House of Delegates. He asked them to recognize the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia, as he believes his father and grandfather had Patawomeck ancestry.
His Love for Arabian Horses
Newton has said, "My two loves in life...were music and horses." His Arabian horse breeding program is at his Casa de Shenandoah ranch. It's called Aramus Arabians. They have raised six generations of horses, with over 700 foals born. As of 2014, 96 of his horses have won championships.
Newton first experienced horses at his uncle's farm. He bought his first horse when he was in sixth grade by selling his bicycle and his parents' camera. He started with other horse breeds, but then "fell in love" with Arabian horses after owning a champion stallion named Aramus. He named his ranch after this horse. In 1969, he bought a stallion named Naborr for $150,000, which was the most ever paid for an Arabian horse at auction at that time.
Newton received the Arabian Horse Breeders' Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. He is still very involved in caring for his horses. He plans their breeding and helps his staff during foaling season. He won the Arabian Professional and Amateur Horseman's Association Breeder of the Year award in 1996.
Helping Others: Charitable Work
Newton was part of a song called "You Can't Say Love Enough" (1996). This song, which also featured Dolly Parton, helped raise money for diabetes research. The Wayne Newton Research Grant was also created by the American Diabetes Association.
In 2001, Newton took over from Bob Hope as chairman of the United Service Organizations Celebrity Circle. This group provides entertainment to members of the United States Armed Forces and their families. In 2008, Newton received a Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service. This award honors leaders who help their communities.
Financial Matters
From 1980 to 1982, Newton was part owner of the Aladdin Hotel. This led to some legal issues.
In 1992, Newton filed for bankruptcy. This was to help manage his debts, which grew while he was suing a TV network. By 1999, he was doing well financially again.
In 2009, officials at an airport in Michigan said Newton owed them money for parking fees. They said he left a plane there for over three years. The plane has since been moved to his estate.
Newton was also involved in a lawsuit about turning his home into a museum. A developer said they bought his home and paid him $19.5 million. The plan was for Newton to move out so the property could become a museum. But the developer said Newton didn't move out and stopped construction.
In 2012, a judge approved the sale of Wayne Newton's home, Casa de Shenandoah. In 2015, Newton reached an agreement with the businessman who owned most of the company that bought his home. Newton and his family moved back into the property. In September 2015, after a museum was built to hold his items, it opened for public tours. The museum closed in 2018 for renovations.
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See also
In Spanish: Wayne Newton para niños
