Donn Arden
Encyclopedia
Donn Arden was an American choreographer and producer.
.
By the age of 9 he was already making money with dancing, he was considered a good tap dancer.
Arden never married, he was always surrounded by beautiful women and by his own account couldn't be bothered, although he had been engaged in his younger years.
He lived in California
for most of his adult life.
, who later became a Broadway
director. Arden decided he was better suited to organize and direct dance shows rather than perform in them. Arden got his first break in Cleveland
, where he staged floor shows in clubs operated by racketeer Moe Dalitz
. "My success was due to…I hate to use the word 'mafia'," Arden once said. "Moe was a great guy to work for. He believed in spending money."
Arden's dance troupe headlined the Desert Inn's
opening in 1950. He later developed the Lido de Paris show (based on the show in the Lido in Paris
), which ran at the Stardust
from 1958 to 1991, and the Jubilee!
show at Bally's
.
Donn Arden was credited with developing the Las Vegas
showgirl
image — a statuesque dancer in sequins, feathers and wearing a tall headpiece.
There is currently a jubilee version of Jubilee! on show at the Jubilee Theatre in Bally's. It is expected to run at least till the end of 2010.
Biography
Born Arlyle Arden Peterson Arden to a railway executive and a housewife, he grew up in St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.
By the age of 9 he was already making money with dancing, he was considered a good tap dancer.
Arden never married, he was always surrounded by beautiful women and by his own account couldn't be bothered, although he had been engaged in his younger years.
He lived in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for most of his adult life.
Career
Arden studied dancing with Robert AltonRobert Alton
Robert Alton was an American dancer and choreographer, a major figure in dance choreography of Broadway and Hollywood musicals from the 1930s through to the early 1950s...
, who later became a Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
director. Arden decided he was better suited to organize and direct dance shows rather than perform in them. Arden got his first break in Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, where he staged floor shows in clubs operated by racketeer Moe Dalitz
Moe Dalitz
Morris Barney "Moe" Dalitz was a Jewish American bootlegger, racketeer, casino owner and philanthropist who was one of the major figures who helped shape Las Vegas, Nevada in the 20th century. He was often referred to as Mr...
. "My success was due to…I hate to use the word 'mafia'," Arden once said. "Moe was a great guy to work for. He believed in spending money."
Arden's dance troupe headlined the Desert Inn's
Desert Inn
The Desert Inn was a Paradise, Nevada, hotel/casino that operated from April 24, 1950, to August 28, 2000. Designed by noted New York architect Jac Lessman, it was the fifth resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip. The property included an 18-hole golf course. Locals nicknamed the resort "The D.I."...
opening in 1950. He later developed the Lido de Paris show (based on the show in the Lido in Paris
Le Lido
Le Lido is a cabaret and burlesque house on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, famous for its exotic shows, which rival those of Las Vegas and where Elvis Presley gave an impromptu concert...
), which ran at the Stardust
Stardust Resort & Casino
The Stardust Resort & Casino was a casino resort located on along the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada.The Stardust opened in 1958, although most of the modern casino complex was built in 1991. At its March 13, 2007 demolition it was the youngest undamaged high-rise building to ever be...
from 1958 to 1991, and the Jubilee!
Jubilee!
Jubilee! is a long-running Las Vegas Strip-based burlesque show. It opened in August 1981 and was originally produced by Donn Arden. As of 2006, this resident show at Bally's Las Vegas is the longest-running production show in Las Vegas. The Jubilee! showgirls are an icon of old Vegas. The show...
show at Bally's
Bally's Las Vegas
Bally's Las Vegas, formerly the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip. The Las Vegas resort is located within the unincorporated locale of Paradise, Nevada and is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp.. The hotel features 2,814 extra-sized...
.
Donn Arden was credited with developing the Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
showgirl
Showgirl
A showgirl is a dancer or performer in a stage entertainment show. Showgirl is also often used as a term for a promotional model in trade fairs and car shows, etc...
image — a statuesque dancer in sequins, feathers and wearing a tall headpiece.
There is currently a jubilee version of Jubilee! on show at the Jubilee Theatre in Bally's. It is expected to run at least till the end of 2010.
Noteworthy
- Actress and model Valerie PerrineValerie Perrine- Life and career :Perrine was born in Galveston, Texas, the daughter of Winifred , a dancer who appeared in Earl Carroll's Vanities, and Kenneth Perrine, a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army. Owing to her father's career, Perrine lived in many locations as the family moved to different...
started her career with Arden. He remembered her as "a secretary from Scottsdale with a lisp". - Actress Goldie HawnGoldie HawnGoldie Jeanne Hawn is an American actress, film director, producer, and occasional singer. Hawn is known for her roles in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, Private Benjamin, Foul Play, Overboard, Bird on a Wire, Death Becomes Her, The First Wives Club, and Cactus Flower, for which she won the 1969...
is reputed to have been part of his troupe at the Desert Inn but was fired by Arden after only a few weeks. He remembered her as "a skinny fruitcake". - Bob MackieBob MackieRobert Gordon Mackie is an American fashion designer, best known for his costuming for entertainment icons such as Judy Garland, Cher, Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, Tina Turner, and Mitzi Gaynor...
was one time costume designer for Donn Arden