Carson Wayne Newton (born April 3, 1942) is an American singer and actor. One of the most popular singers in the nation from the mid-to-late 20th-century, Newton remains one of the best-known entertainers in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. He is known by the nicknames The Midnight Idol, Mr. Las Vegas and Mr. Entertainment.
As a teenager, Newton first performed in Las Vegas in the late 1950s and was mentored by some of the nation's biggest artists including
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
,
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American musician and actor. He performed jazz, Pop music, pop, rock and roll, Folk music, folk, Swing music, swing, and country music.
He started his car ...
and
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
. In 1963, he achieved
headliner status at the
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of Wader, wading bird in the Family (biology), family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas ...
, a casino hotel in Las Vegas, and soon became one of the city's most popular performers. ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' describes Newton as "America's number one night club act" and at his peak being more prominent in Las Vegas than both Sinatra and Presley. Throughout his career, Newton has appeared in a number of movies and television shows.
His well known songs include "
Danke Schoen
"Danke Schoen" ( , ) is a pop song of German origin. Bert Kaempfert, who composed the melody, recorded it as an instrumental, in 1959 and later in 1962, under the title "Candlelight Cafe". Kurt Schwabach wrote the German lyrics. The song gained int ...
" (1963), "
Summer Wind
Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, w ...
" (1965), "
Red Roses for a Blue Lady
"Red Roses for a Blue Lady" is a 1948 popular song by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett (alias Roy Brodsky). It has been recorded by a number of performers. Actor-singer John Laurenz (1909–1958) was the first to record the song for Mercury Records ...
" (1965), "
Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast" (1972) and "
Years
A year or annus is the orbital period of a planetary body, for example, the Earth, moving in its orbit around the Sun. Due to the Earth's axial tilt, the course of a year sees the passing of the seasons, marked by change in weather, the hour ...
" (1980). "Danke Schoen" is Newton's
signature song
A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a Handwriting, handwritten (and often Stylization, stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and ...
and was notably used in the 1986 movie ''
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' is a 1986 American teen comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by John Hughes and co-produced by Tom Jacobson. The film stars Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, and Alan Ruck with supporting roles by Jennifer Grey ...
''.
Early years
Newton was born Carson Wayne Newton
in either
Roanoke or
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, Virginia to Patrick Newton (1915-1990), an auto mechanic, and his wife, Evelyn Marie "Smith" (née Plasters; 1921–1985). He is of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and German ancestry. He believes he has some Native American ancestry (specifically, that his mother had some distant
Cherokee
The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...
and his father
Powhatan
The Powhatan people (; also spelled Powatan) may refer to any of the indigenous Algonquian people that are traditionally from eastern Virginia. All of the Powhatan groups descend from the Powhatan Confederacy. In some instances, The Powhatan ...
heritage), but is not claimed or recognized by any tribe. His father served in the
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Newton spent his early years in
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,982. The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce combines the city of Fredericksburg wi ...
, learning the piano, guitar, and steel guitar at age six. He performed in a local music show, playing steel guitar and signing country music, before school.
While he was a child, his family moved to near
Newark, Ohio
Newark ( ) is a city serving as the county seat of Licking County, Ohio, United States, east of Columbus, at the junction of the forks of the Licking River. The population was 49,934 at the 2020 census, which makes it the 15th largest city in ...
. He began singing in local clubs, theaters, and fairs with his older brother,
Jerry
Jerry may refer to:
Animals
* Jerry (Grand National winner), racehorse, winner of the 1840 Grand National
* Jerry (St Leger winner), racehorse, winner of 1824 St Leger Stakes
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Jerry'' (film), a 2006 Indian fil ...
. Due to Newton's severe asthma, his family moved to
Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
in 1952, at his doctor's suggestion.
Soon after arriving in Phoenix, the brothers performed in a local television talent show ''Lew King Rangers'' and won.
A a result, the owner of
KOOL-TV
KSAZ-TV (channel 10) is a television station in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, broadcasting the Fox network. It is owned and operated by the network's Fox Television Stations division alongside MyNetworkTV station KUTP (channel 45). Bot ...
, Tom Chauncey, who also televised the talent show, gave the brothers their own television show, ''Rascals in Rhythm'' and served as a mentor to them.
The brothers, as the Rascals in Rhythm, appeared with the
Grand Ole Opry
The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a weekly American country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, founded on November 28, 1925, by George D. Hay as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM. Currently owned and operated by Opry Entertainment (a divis ...
roadshows and on
ABC-TV's ''
Ozark Jubilee
''Ozark Jubilee'' is a 1950s United States network television program that featured country music's top stars of the day. It was produced in Springfield, Missouri. The weekly live stage show premiered on ABC-TV on January 22, 1955, was renamed ' ...
''; and performed in front of then-president
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
and auditioned unsuccessfully for
Ted Mack's ''
Original Amateur Hour
''The Original Amateur Hour'' is an American radio and television program. The show was a continuation of ''Major Bowes Amateur Hour'' which had been a radio staple from 1934 to 1945. Major Edward Bowes, the originator of the program and its mast ...
''.
In the spring of 1958, near the end of his junior year of high school, a Las Vegas booking agent saw the two Newton brothers performing on their local TV show and took them back for an audition. Impressed with their audition, the booking agent signed Newton, then-age 15, and his brother, as part of a two-week contract to perform in Las Vegas at the
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of Wader, wading bird in the Family (biology), family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas ...
.
On closing night, Newton, and his brother, were offered a one-year contract to continue performing in Las Vegas. To pursue his music career, Newton left
North High School just before finishing his junior year.
At age 18, Newton intended to join the US military, but because of his asthma, he was given a
1-Y rejection meaning he was only qualified to serve during the event of a major emergency.
Instead, Newton volunteered his time performing shows for troops overseas.
Career as an entertainer
Early career
Wayne Newton, and his brother, performed at The Flamingo for five years doing six shows for six days a week. Newton credits his ability to base his performances on what the crowd wanted to hear for his early success in Las Vegas.
On September 29, 1962, the brothers first performed on ''
The Jackie Gleason Show
''The Jackie Gleason Show'' is the name of a series of American network television shows that starred Jackie Gleason, which ran from 1952 to 1970, in various forms.
''Cavalcade of Stars''
Gleason's first variety series, which aired on the DuMon ...
''. Newton would perform on Gleason's show 12 times over the following two years. In the early to mid-1960s, Newton also acted and sang as "Andy", the baby-faced Ponderosa ranchhand, on the classic western TV series, ''
Bonanza
''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...
''.
Newton first met
Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American musician and actor. He performed jazz, Pop music, pop, rock and roll, Folk music, folk, Swing music, swing, and country music.
He started his car ...
, at the
Copacabana in 1962.
Darin, who was impressed by Newton, agreed to produce Newton's records.
By 1963, Newton had been signed to
Capitol Records
Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...
, and his first album was released on the label.
Newton's hit song "
Danke Schoen
"Danke Schoen" ( , ) is a pop song of German origin. Bert Kaempfert, who composed the melody, recorded it as an instrumental, in 1959 and later in 1962, under the title "Candlelight Cafe". Kurt Schwabach wrote the German lyrics. The song gained int ...
" was originally written for Darin to sing.
However, Darin was intent on Newton having a hit song of his own and gave it to him.
"Danke Schoen" went on to reach No. 13 on the Hot 100.
Many other prominent entertainment icons such as
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golden ...
,
Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas (born Amos Muzyad Yaqoob Kairouz; January 6, 1912 – February 6, 1991) was an American actor, singer, nightclub comedian, producer, and philanthropist. He created and starred in one of the most successful and long-running si ...
,
George Burns
George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film and television. His arched eyebr ...
, and
Jack Benny
Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success playing violin on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with ...
lent Newton their support. For example, Benny hired Newton as an opening act for his comedy show in Las Vegas. Newton performed as an opening act for five years. After his job with Benny ended, Newton was offered a job to open for another comic at the
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of Wader, wading bird in the Family (biology), family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas ...
, but Newton asked for, and was given, a headline act in 1963.
Newton was known for his distinctive high-pitched voice, which stayed with him for most of his career, although his voice did lower somewhat in the 1970s and 1980s. It was in the 1970s that Newton began focusing on primarily performing in Las Vegas.
Mr. Las Vegas
![Wayne Newton and Ronald Reagan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Wayne_Newton_and_Ronald_Reagan.png)
Following the death of
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
and the aging of many members of the
Rat Pack
The Rat Pack was an informal group of entertainers, the second iteration of which ultimately made films and appeared together in Las Vegas casino venues. They originated in the late 1940s and early 1950s as a group of A-list show business frie ...
, Newton emerged as the biggest entertainer in Las Vegas.
In the 1970s, Newton performed primarily at the
Desert Inn
The Desert Inn, also known as the D.I., was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, which operated from April 24, 1950, to August 28, 2000. Designed by architect Hugh Taylor and interior design by Jac Lessman, it was the ...
,
The Frontier and
Sands Hotel and Casino
The Sands Hotel and Casino was a historic American hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, United States, that operated from 1952 to 1996. Designed by architect Wayne McAllister, with a prominent high sign, the Sands was the sevent ...
.
Newton holds the record for total crowd counts during his peak.
In 1972 his recording of "
Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast" sold more than one million copies and was awarded a
gold disc
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the
R.I.A.A.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
in July 1972.
The song peaked at No. 4 in the United States and No. 1 in Australia and Canada, while the album of the same name peaked at No. 25 on the album charts.
From 1980 through 1982,
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and frie ...
and
The Grass Roots
The Grass Roots are an American rock band that charted frequently between 1965 and 1975. The band was originally the creation of Lou Adler and songwriting duo P. F. Sloan and Steve Barri. In their career, they achieved two gold albums, two ...
performed Independence Day concerts on the
National Mall
The National Mall is a Landscape architecture, landscaped park near the Downtown, Washington, D.C., downtown area of Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. It contains and borders a number of museums of the Smithsonian Institut ...
in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, attracting large crowds.
[(1) ]
(2) However, in April 1983,
James G. Watt
James Gaius Watt (born January 31, 1938) is a public servant who served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior from 1981 to 1983. He has been described as "anti-environmentalist", and was one of Ronald Reagan's most controversial cabinet appointment ...
,
President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
's
Secretary of the Interior Secretary of the Interior may refer to:
* Secretary of the Interior (Mexico)
* Interior Secretary of Pakistan
* Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (Philippines)
* United States Secretary of the Interior
See also
*Interior ministry ...
, banned Independence Day concerts on the Mall by such groups. Watt said that "
rock band
A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guita ...
s" that had performed on the Mall on Independence Day in 1981 and 1982 had encouraged drug use and alcoholism and had attracted "the wrong element", who would
mug
A mug is a type of cup typically used for drinking hot drinks, such as coffee, hot chocolate, or tea. Mugs usually have handles and hold a larger amount of fluid than other types of cup. Typically, a mug holds approximately of liquid. A mug i ...
individuals and families attending any similar events in the future.
[ Watt then announced that Newton, a friend and supporter of President Reagan and a contributor to Republican Party political campaigns, would perform at the Mall's 1983 Independence Day celebration.][ Newton entered the Independence Day stage on the Mall on July 4, 1983, to mostly cheering members of the audience, but some members ]booed
Booing is an act of publicly showing displeasure for someone or something, such as an entertainer or an athlete, by loudly yelling "Boo!" and sustaining the "oo" sound by holding it out. People may also make hand signs such as the thumbs down sig ...
.
On May 23, 1989, Newton's live stage show was broadcast as a pay-per-view
Pay-per-view (PPV) is a type of pay television or webcast service that enables a viewer to pay to watch individual events via private telecast.
Events can be purchased through a multichannel television platform using their electronic program guid ...
event called '' Wayne Newton Live in Concert''. Newton did not perform his trademark songs "Danke Schoen
"Danke Schoen" ( , ) is a pop song of German origin. Bert Kaempfert, who composed the melody, recorded it as an instrumental, in 1959 and later in 1962, under the title "Candlelight Cafe". Kurt Schwabach wrote the German lyrics. The song gained int ...
" or "Red Roses for a Blue Lady
"Red Roses for a Blue Lady" is a 1948 popular song by Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett (alias Roy Brodsky). It has been recorded by a number of performers. Actor-singer John Laurenz (1909–1958) was the first to record the song for Mercury Records ...
". However, he closed the show with a special finale of "MacArthur Park
MacArthur Park (originally Westlake Park) is a park dating back to the late 19th century in the Westlake, Los Angeles, Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles. In the early 1940s, it was renamed after General Douglas MacArthur, and later designated ...
", which culminated with an onstage rainfall.
On December 12, 1992, Newton hit #1 on the '' Cashbox'' Pop and Country charts with an Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
-inspired song, " The Letter". Controversy swirled around this chart feat, as "The Letter" did not chart at all on ''Billboard'''s authoritative Hot 100 chart, Adult Contemporary chart or "Bubbling Under" chart. It did not make the ''Radio & Records
''Radio & Records'' (''R&R'') was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It started as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006 and became a relaunched sister ...
'' chart either. This marked the first and only time in history that a record hit #1 on the ''Cashbox'' Top 100 chart, yet failed to chart on ''Billboards Hot 100.
During the 1990s, Newton began performing at other casinos, as their headliner, including Bally's, Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel is situated on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip between Bellagio and The Mirage. It is one of Las Vegas's largest and best known landmarks.
Caesars P ...
and MGM Grand Las Vegas
The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with 6,852 rooms. It is also the third-largest hotel complex in the world by number of rooms ...
. Newton performed his 25,000th solo show in Las Vegas in 1994. In 1999, Newton signed a 10-year deal with the Stardust, calling for Newton to perform there 40 weeks out of the year for six shows a week (in a showroom named after him). The "headliner-in-residence" deal was the first of its kind. In 2005, in preparation for the eventual demolition of the Stardust Casino, the deal was amicably terminated. His last show at the Stardust was on April 20, 2005. In his final performance at the Stardust, Newton sang nearly his entire repertoire and songs of other Vegas mainstays as well. During the summer of 2005, Newton began a 30-show stint that summer at the Las Vegas Hilton
The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is a hotel, casino, and timeshare resort in Winchester, Nevada. Located near the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip, it is owned by Westgate Resorts. It opened in 1969 as the International Hotel, and was ...
.
Later and current career
Going into the 2000s, Newton continued to perform shows in Las Vegas, but also took a larger role serving as the face of Las Vegas.
In January 2005, Newton started a reality television show on E! called ''The Entertainer''. The winner got a spot in his act, plus a headlining act of their own for a year. During player introductions at the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, Newton sang Presley's "Viva Las Vegas."
Newton was featured on the 2007 fall season of ''Dancing with the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
'' partnered with two-time champion Cheryl Burke
Cheryl Burke (born May 3, 1984) is an American dancer, model, and television host. She is best known for being a professional dancer on ABC's '' Dancing with the Stars''. She was the first female professional to win the show and the first prof ...
. He became the third contestant to be eliminated from the contest. During the taping (which takes place at CBS Television City
Television City, alternatively CBS Television City, is an American television studio complex located in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles at 7800 Beverly Boulevard, at the corner of Fairfax Avenue. Designed by architect William Pereira and Ch ...
), he also became the first guest on ''The Price Is Right
''The Price Is Right'' is a television game show franchise created by Bob Stewart, originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman; currently it is produced and owned by Fremantle. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also inc ...
'', which tapes on the same lot, under host Drew Carey
Drew Allison Carey (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actor and game show host. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, he gained stardom in his own sitcom, ''The Drew Carey Show'', an ...
, who began adding guests to the show, especially to present prizes. Newton appeared after a trip to Las Vegas was shown.
Beginning October 14, 2009, Newton began performing his then newest show "Once Before I Go" at the Tropicana Tropicana may refer to:
Companies
*Tropicana Entertainment, a former casino company that owned several Tropicana-branded casinos
*Tropicana Products, a Chicago-based food company known for orange juice
Hotels and nightclubs
*Tropicana Casino & Re ...
in Las Vegas. In 2010, Newton took a 5-year hiatus to spend time with his family and prepare his voice for later shows in Las Vegas. In 2016, Newton returned to the stage at Bally's Hotel in the form of a lounge show called "Up Close & Personal", a combination of live singing, playing some of the 13 self-taught instruments (having learned in the past to give his voice a rest when performing six shows a night at the Fremont Hotel), and showing movie and TV clips, of himself, on screen.
After performing more than 30,000 shows on the Las Vegas strip
The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of ...
, Newton celebrated his 60th year on stage with a show entitled "Mr. Las Vegas" at Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino in Paradise, Nevada, United States. The hotel is situated on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip between Bellagio and The Mirage. It is one of Las Vegas's largest and best known landmarks.
Caesars P ...
that ran from January through May in 2019. Referring to his 60th year on stage, Newton said "It's hard for me to articulate, much less think about it...I was here when Caesars (Palace) was built. This hotel for me has always represented the flagship of the Strip."
In June 2020, Newton was seen on television commercials in North America as a spokesperson for Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment, Inc., formerly Eldorado Resorts, Inc., is an American hotel and casino entertainment company founded and based in Reno, Nevada that operates more than 50 properties. Eldorado Resorts acquired Caesars Entertainment Corpora ...
to promote the reopening of Caesars Entertainment resorts during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
During the 2022 NFL Draft
The 2022 NFL Draft was the 87th edition of the National Football League's annual draft and was held from April 28–30, 2022, at the Caesars Forum on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The first round was held on Thursday, April 28, and w ...
, which was held in Las Vegas, Newton announced, alongside Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen (born March 26, 1960) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons, primarily with the Los Angeles Raiders. Considered one of the greatest goal line and short-y ...
, the Las Vegas Raider's third round pick selection of Dylan Parham from Memphis University.
Personal life
On June 1, 1968, Newton married Elaine Okamura; they divorced in 1985. They have one child, Erin Newton, born July 25, 1976. On April 9, 1994, Newton married Kathleen McCrone, a lawyer from North Olmsted, Ohio
North Olmsted is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 32,442. North Olmsted is a west side suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, and is the 8th most populated city within Cuyahoga County.
History
...
. The couple have one daughter, Lauren Ashley Newton, who was born on April 29, 2002.
A street near the Harry Reid International Airport
Harry Reid International Airport is an international airport in Paradise, Nevada, and is the main government airport for public use in the Las Vegas Valley, a metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Nevada, about south of Downtown Las Vegas. ...
is named Wayne Newton Boulevard. Newton was elected to the Gaming Hall of Fame
The Gaming Hall of Fame was established in 1989 to recognize individuals who have played a significant role in the gaming-entertainment industry.
The Gaming Hall of Fame Charity Gala is an annual event organized by the American Gaming Associatio ...
in 2000. In 2010, Newton testified in front of the Rules Committee of the Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the two parts of the Virginia General Assembly, the other being the Senate of Virginia. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbe ...
where he appealed for the state to recognize the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia
The Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia is a state-recognized tribe in Virginia and a nonprofit organization of individuals who identify as descendants of the Patawomeck people.
The Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia is not federally recognize ...
. Newton believes his father and grandfather have Patawomeck ancestry.
Arabian horse breeding
Newton has stated, "My two loves in life, from the time I can remember, were music and horses, and I couldn't decide which I loved more." His Arabian horse
The Arabian or Arab horse ( ar, الحصان العربي , DIN 31635, DMG ''ḥiṣān ʿarabī'') is a horse breed, breed of horse that originated on the Arabian Peninsula. With a distinctive head shape and high tail carriage, the Arabian is ...
breeding program, located at his Casa de Shenandoah ranch, is called Aramus Arabians, and has produced six generations of horses, breeding over 700 foal
A foal is an equine up to one year old; this term is used mainly for horses, but can be used for donkeys. More specific terms are colt for a male foal and filly for a female foal, and are used until the horse is three or four. When the foal i ...
s, with 96 champions . Newton's first experience with horses was at his uncle's farm, where he visited frequently. He bought his first horse when he sold his bicycle and his parents' movie camera to buy a foal when he was a sixth-grader. Originally owning Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...
s and American Quarter Horses
The American Quarter Horse, or Quarter Horse, is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name is derived from its ability to outrun other horse breeds in races of a quarter mile or less; some have been clocked at s ...
, he "fell in love" with the Arabian breed via his ownership of the Champion stallion Aramus, after whom he named his horse ranch.[ He first came to the attention of Arabian breeders in 1969 when he partnered with Tom Chauncey, an Arabian breeder and television station owner, to purchase the stallion Naborr from the estate of Anne McCormick.][ They paid $150,000, which at the time was the highest price ever paid for an Arabian horse at auction.] Shortly thereafter, Newton formed a partnership with other Arabian breeders to purchase Aramus, who was a son of Naborr. He became the sole owner of Aramus in 1972.[
Newton was given the Arabian Horse Breeders' Alliance (AHBA) Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 during the first Arabian Breeder's World Cup in Las Vegas.] He continues to be directly involved in management of his horses, planning the breeding program for his horses, determining which to keep and which to sell, and even assisting his ranch staff during foaling season. He was awarded the Arabian Professional and Amateur Horseman's Association Breeder of the Year award in 1996.[
]
Charitable causes
Newton was featured in the production of "You Can't Say Love Enough" (1996), an all-star single, also featuring Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
, Heidi Newfield
Heidi Kay Newfield (born October 4, 1970) is an American country music artist. She was lead singer, rhythm guitarist and harmonica player for the group Trick Pony, alongside Keith Burns and Ira Dean from 1996 until 2006, when she left in pursuit ...
and several other artist-celebrities; this production served to raise funds for diabetes research. Concurrently, the Wayne Newton Research Grant awarded by the American Diabetes Association was created. It has been awarded to several researchers including Jose F. Caro
José F. Caro, M.D. (born Granada, Spain, 1948) is an American physician, scientist, and educator most notable for his research in obesity and diabetes. The Institute for Scientific Information listed him the third most cited investigator in the wo ...
and Peter J. Roach.
In 2001, Newton succeeded Bob Hope
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with 5 ...
as chairman of the United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
Celebrity Circle, a nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment to members of the United States Armed Forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
and their families. Newton was the grand marshal of the 80th Annual Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester, Virginia
Winchester is the most north western independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Frederick County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Winchester wit ...
from May 1–7, 2007. He canceled a sold-out show to join the Festival. In 2008, Newton received a Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service
Woodrow Wilson Awards are given out in multiple countries each year by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution to individuals in both the public sphere and business who have shown an outstanding commitm ...
. The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (or Wilson Center) is a quasi-government entity and think tank which conducts research to inform public policy. Located in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washi ...
, a national memorial to President Wilson, commemorates "the ideals and concerns of Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
." The award honors leaders who have given back to their communities.
Finances and legal problems
From 1980 to 1982, Newton was part owner of the Aladdin Hotel
Planet Hollywood Las Vegas (formerly the Aladdin) is a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment. The property was previously the site of an earlier resort known as the Aladdin, ...
, in a partnership that led to a number of lawsuits and a failed attempt by Newton to purchase the entire hotel in 1983.
In 1992, Newton filed for Chapter 11
Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Title 11 of the United States Code) permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Such reorganization, known as Chapter 11 bankruptcy, is available to every business, wheth ...
bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
to reorganize an estimated $20 million in debts, much of which was accumulated while suing NBC for libel; he claimed the network had reported that he partnered with the Mafia
"Mafia" is an informal term that is used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original “Mafia”, the Sicilian Mafia and Italian Mafia. The central activity of such an organization would be the arbitration of d ...
to buy the Aladdin. His bankruptcy declaration included a $341,000 Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting U.S. federal taxes and administering the Internal Revenue Code, the main body of the federal statutory ta ...
tax lien
A tax lien is a lien which is imposed upon a property by law in order to secure the payment of taxes. A tax lien may be imposed for the purpose of collecting delinquent taxes which are owed on real property or personal property, or it may be im ...
. By 1999, he was financially well off again.
In August 2005, the IRS filed a lawsuit against Newton alleging that he and his wife owed more than $1.8 million in taxes and penalties. One of Newton's tax lawyers disputed that, saying, "We believe the IRS owes him money."
In late 2009, officials at Oakland County International Airport
Oakland County International Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located in Waterford Township, Oakland County, Michigan, United States. The airport is located approximately one mile from the center of Waterford Township and Oakland ...
in Waterford, Michigan, claimed Newton owed the airport more than $60,000 for unpaid parking fees, which they claimed he owed after having abandoned a $2 million Fokker F28
The Fokker F28 Fellowship is a twin-engined, short-range jet airliner designed and built by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.
Following the Fokker F27 Friendship, an early and commercially successful turboprop-powered regional airliner, Fokke ...
plane there more than three years before. The plane was originally flown in for renovations in 2005. After they were completed in 2007, the plane was moved to an outside parking area. The monthly parking fees were $5,000. An aircraft of this type needs to have its engines run at least once a month to retain its airworthiness. The plane has since been disassembled, transported, and reassembled on his estate grounds.
In February 2010, Bruton Smith
Ollen Bruton Smith (March 3, 1927 – June 22, 2022) was a promoter and owner/CEO of NASCAR track owner Speedway Motorsports, Inc. He was inducted into NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2016 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2007. He was bill ...
sued Newton, claiming he was delinquent on a loan he had personally guaranteed, then bought from Bank of America
The Bank of America Corporation (often abbreviated BofA or BoA) is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered at the Bank of America Corporate Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The bank w ...
. Smith sought foreclosure
Foreclosure is a legal process in which a lender attempts to recover the balance of a loan from a borrower who has stopped making payments to the lender by forcing the sale of the asset used as the collateral for the loan.
Formally, a mortg ...
of Newton's Las Vegas ranch Casa de Shenandoah. That same month, Clark County sheriff's deputies were refused entry to Newton's ranch. The officers attempted to serve civil papers and seize property as part of a $501,388 judgment against Newton awarded to Monty Ward, his former personal pilot, but security personnel employed by Newton refused to accept the papers. Ward, who filed suit in 2006, won the judgment for past-due wages in January 2009.
Newton was enmeshed in another lawsuit over a stalled project to convert his 40-acre home into a museum. In this lawsuit, a developer claimed he purchased Newton's home and paid the singer $19.5 million, with the understanding that Newton would move out and allow the property to be converted into a museum. The developer claimed that he had invested $50 million on the project, but that Newton had failed to move out and had deliberately thwarted construction efforts, including by sexually harassing construction workers. The case was set to go to trial in May 2013.
On December 17, 2012, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Bruce Markell approved the sale of Wayne Newton's estate, Casa de Shenandoah, to be listed for sale by Nathan and Associates, a Las Vegas brokerage firm. Bankruptcy papers placed the value of the property at $50.8 million. The property remained on the market, until 2015, when Newton reached an accord with Lacy Harber, the businessman who owned 70% of the corporation that had purchased Casa de Shenandoah to turn it into a museum. Newton and his family moved back into the property, and in September 2015, after construction of a museum to house memorabilia, it was opened for public tours. On April 26, 2018, the property hosted its last public event before closing indefinitely for renovations.
Discography
Albums
* ''Danke Schoen'' (Capitol
A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity.
Specific capitols include:
* United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
* Numerous ...
, 1963)
* ''Sings Hit Songs'' (Capitol, 1964)
* ''In Person!'' (Capitol, 1964)
* ''Red Roses for a Blue Lady'' (Capitol, 1965)
* ''Summer Wind'' (Capitol, 1965)
* ''The Old Rugged Cross'' (Capitol, 1966)
* ''Now!'' (Capitol, 1966)
* ''Songs for a Merry Christmas'' (Capitol, 1966)
* ''It's Only the Good Times'' (Capitol, 1967)
* ''Song of the Year – Wayne Newton Style'' (Capitol, 1967)
* ''Michelle'' (Capitol, 1967)
* ''Wow!: Live Hollywood Concert'' (Capitol, 1968)
* ''God Is Alive'' (Capitol, 1968)
* ''The Greatest!'' (Capitol, 1968)
* ''Somewhere My Love'' (Capitol, 1968)
* ''"Dreams of the Everyday Housewife" and "Town & Country"'' (MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
, 1968)
* ''One More Time'' (MGM, 1968)
* ''Walking on New Grass'' (MGM, 1968)
* ''Wayne Newton's Songs of Faith'' (MGM, 1968)
* ''Christmas Isn't Christmas Without You'' (MGM, 1968)
* ''Live at the Frontier, Las Vegas'' (MGM, 1969)
* ''Everything's in Love Today'' (MGM, 1969)
* ''The Long and Winding Road'' (Capitol, 1970)
* ''Merry Christmas to You'' (Capitol, 1970)
* ''How I Got This Way'' (Capitol, 1971)
* ''Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast'' (Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
, 1972)
* ''Can't You Hear the Song?'' (Chelsea, 1972)
* ''Only Believe'' (Word
A word is a basic element of language that carries an semantics, objective or pragmatics, practical semantics, meaning, can be used on its own, and is uninterruptible. Despite the fact that language speakers often have an intuitive grasp of w ...
, 1972)
* ''While We're Still Young'' (Chelsea, 1973)
* ''Pour Me a Little More Wine'' (Chelsea, 1973)
* ''Just a Closer Walk'' (Word, 1973)
* ''Everybody Knows'' (RCA Camden
The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...
, 1974)
* ''The Best of Wayne Newton Live'' (Chelsea, 1974)
* ''The Midnight Idol'' (Chelsea, 1975)
* ''Tomorrow'' (Chelsea, 1976)
* ''Christmas Everywhere'' (Chelsea, 1976)
* ''Change of Heart'' (20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
, 1978)
* ''Wayne Newton Live!'' ( Musicor, 1978)
* ''She Believes in Me'' (Aries II, 1979)
* ''Night Eagle I'' (Aries II, 1979)
* ''Coming Home'' (Curb
A curb (North American English), or kerb (Commonwealth English except Canada; see spelling differences), is the edge where a raised sidewalk or road median/central reservation meets a street or other roadway.
History
Although curbs have ...
, 1989)
* ''The Best Of Wayne Newton Now'' (Curb
A curb (North American English), or kerb (Commonwealth English except Canada; see spelling differences), is the edge where a raised sidewalk or road median/central reservation meets a street or other roadway.
History
Although curbs have ...
, 1990)
* ''Moods & Moments'' (Curb, 1992)
Singles
Filmography
Film
*''80 Steps to Jonah
''80 Steps to Jonah'' is a 1969 American drama film directed by Gerd Oswald, written by Frederick Louis Fox, and starring Wayne Newton, Jo Van Fleet, Keenan Wynn, Diana Ewing, Mickey Rooney and Sal Mineo. It was released by Warner Bros. in Dece ...
'' (1969) - Mark Jonah Winters
*''North and South North and South may refer to:
Literature
* ''North and South'' (Gaskell novel), an 1854 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell
* ''North and South'' (trilogy), a series of novels by John Jakes (1982–1987)
** ''North and South'' (Jakes novel), first novel ...
'' (1986) - Captain Thomas Turner
*''Ferris Bueller's Day Off
''Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' is a 1986 American teen comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by John Hughes and co-produced by Tom Jacobson. The film stars Matthew Broderick, Mia Sara, and Alan Ruck with supporting roles by Jennifer Grey ...
'' (1986) (voice, archival)
*''Licence to Kill
''Licence to Kill'' is a 1989 spy film, the sixteenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the second and final film to star Timothy Dalton as the MI6 agent James Bond. It sees Bond suspended from MI6 as he pursues t ...
'' (1989) - Professor Joe Butcher
*''The Adventures of Ford Fairlane
''The Adventures of Ford Fairlane'' is a 1990 American action comedy mystery film directed by Renny Harlin and written by David Arnott, James Cappe, and Daniel Waters based on a story by Arnott and Cappe. The film stars comedian Andrew Dice Cl ...
'' (1990) - Julian Grendel
*''The Dark Backward
''The Dark Backward'' (also known as ''The Man with Three Arms'') is a 1991 American satirical comedy film written and directed by Adam Rifkin, and starring Judd Nelson, Bill Paxton, Wayne Newton, and Lara Flynn Boyle. The film features special m ...
'' (1991) - Jackie Chrome
*''Best of the Best 2
''Best of the Best II'' is a 1993 martial arts film directed by Robert Radler, and starring Eric Roberts and Phillip Rhee. It is the first sequel to the 1989 film ''Best of the Best''. The plot follows four of the characters from the original ...
'' (1993) - Weldon
*''Night of the Running Man
''Night of the Running Man'' is a 1995 American crime thriller film directed by Mark L. Lester and written by Lee Wells, who adapted it from his novel of the same name. It stars Andrew McCarthy and Scott Glenn. The film debuted on HBO before bei ...
'' (1995) - August Gurino
*''Vegas Vacation
''Vegas Vacation'' is a 1997 American comedy film directed by Stephen Kessler in his feature directorial debut. It is the fourth installment in '' National Lampoon''’s ''Vacation'' film series, and was written by Elisa Bell, based on a story by ...
'' (1997) - Wayne Newton
*''Elvis meet Nixon'' (1997) - Himself
*''Ocean's Eleven
''Ocean's Eleven'' is a 2001 American heist comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh from a screenplay by Ted Griffin. The first installment in the ''Ocean's'' film trilogy, it is a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film of the same name. The fil ...
'' (2001) - Boxing Spectator (cameo)
*''Who's Your Daddy?
Who's Your Daddy? is an alternate capitalization of "Who's your daddy?", a phrase expressing dominance, especially of a sexual nature.
Who's Your Daddy? may also refer to:
Music
* "Who's Your Daddy?" (Daddy Yankee song)
* "Who's Your Daddy? ...
'' (2004) - Peter Mack
*''Elvis Has Left the Building
"Elvis has left the building" is a phrase that was often used by public address announcers at the conclusion of Elvis Presley concerts in order to disperse audiences who lingered in hopes of an encore. It has since become a catchphrase and punchli ...
'' (2004) - Himself (cameo, uncredited)
*''Smokin' Aces
''Smokin' Aces'' is a 2006 American action comedy film written and directed by Joe Carnahan. The film centers on the chase for Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant Robert 'Buddy Aces' Israel (Jeremy Piven), on whom a one-million-dollar bounty ...
'' (2006) - Wayne Newton (cameo)
*''The Hangover
''The Hangover'' is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips, co-produced with Daniel Goldberg, and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It is the first installment in ''The Hangover'' trilogy. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed ...
'' (2009) - Himself (cameo)
*''Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil
''Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil'' (also known as ''Hoodwinked 2'') is a 2011 3D computer-animated spy comedy film and the sequel to 2005's ''Hoodwinked!'', directed by Mike Disa in his theatrical feature directorial debut. The film was also wr ...
'' (2011) - Jimmy 10-Strings (voice)
*''40 West'' (2011) - Sankey (cameo)
*''Getting Back to Zero'' (2013) - Bruce
*'' Sharknado: The 4th Awakens'' (2016) - Himself
*''Puppy Love'' (2021) - Marshall
Television
*'' American Bandstand
''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...
'' (June 20, 1964) - Sings ''"Only You"''
*''The Jack Benny Program
''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th century American comedy. He played one role throughout his radio and televis ...
'' (December 4, 1964) - Sings two songs and plays multiple instruments
*''The Ed Sullivan Show
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...
'' (May 3, 1965) - Sings ''"Hello Dolly"''
*''The Ed Sullivan Show
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...
'' (October 10, 1965) Sings ''"Remember When"''
*''The Lucy Show
''The Lucy Show'' is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1962 to 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to ''I Love Lucy''. A significant change in cast and premise for the fourth season (1965–1966) divides the program into two distinct ...
'' (December 27, 1965) - Sings 4 songs in the half-hour episode: " Side By Side", " Bessie The Heifer", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You
"You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You" is a popular song written by Russ Morgan, Larry Stock, and James Cavanaugh and published in 1944.
The song was first recorded by Morgan and was a hit for him in 1946, reaching the No. 14 spot in the charts ...
", and Danke Schoen
"Danke Schoen" ( , ) is a pop song of German origin. Bert Kaempfert, who composed the melody, recorded it as an instrumental, in 1959 and later in 1962, under the title "Candlelight Cafe". Kurt Schwabach wrote the German lyrics. The song gained int ...
*''Bonanza
''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...
'' (1966) - Plays the character "Andy Walker" in two episodes of the TV series
*''The Ed Sullivan Show
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...
'' (April 13, 1966) - Sings ''"April Showers"''
*''The Danny Kaye Show
''The Danny Kaye Show'' was an American variety show, hosted by the stage and screen star Danny Kaye, which aired on Wednesday nights from September 25, 1963, to June 7, 1967, on the CBS television network. Directed by Robert Scheerer, it premier ...
'' (December 22, 1966) - Guest stars on Danny's Christmas show
*''Here's Lucy
''Here's Lucy'' is an American sitcom starring Lucille Ball. The series co-starred her long-time comedy partner Gale Gordon and her real-life children Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. It was broadcast on CBS from 1968 to 1974. It was Ball's thir ...
'' (Season 1, Episode 9, November 25, 1968) - "Lucy sells Craig to Wayne Newton"
*''Here's Lucy
''Here's Lucy'' is an American sitcom starring Lucille Ball. The series co-starred her long-time comedy partner Gale Gordon and her real-life children Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. It was broadcast on CBS from 1968 to 1974. It was Ball's thir ...
'' (Season 2, Episode 22, February 16, 1970) - "Lucy and Wayne Newton"
*''Vega$
''Vegas'' (stylized as ''Vega$'') is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 20, 1978, to June 3, 1981, with the pilot episode airing April 25, 1978. ''Vegas'' was produced by Aaron Spelling and created by Mich ...
'' ("The Classic Connection", 1979)- Appears as Justin Marsh, a race car driver mixed up in crime and friend of Dan Tanna
*''Vega$
''Vegas'' (stylized as ''Vega$'') is an American crime drama television series that aired on ABC from September 20, 1978, to June 3, 1981, with the pilot episode airing April 25, 1978. ''Vegas'' was produced by Aaron Spelling and created by Mich ...
'' ("Dead Ringer", 1981) - Appears as himself and hires Dan Tanna after receiving threatening phone calls that accuse him of being an imposter
*''Pimp My Ride
''Pimp My Ride'' is an American television series produced by MTV and hosted by rapper Xzibit, which ran for six seasons on MTV from 2004 to 2007. In each episode, a car in poor condition is both restored and customized. The work on the show w ...
'' ("Robert's Chevrolet Van", 1984) - Appears as himself on the MTV reality show
*''North and South North and South may refer to:
Literature
* ''North and South'' (Gaskell novel), an 1854 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell
* ''North and South'' (trilogy), a series of novels by John Jakes (1982–1987)
** ''North and South'' (Jakes novel), first novel ...
, Book II'' (1986) - Appears as CSA Capt. Thomas Turner
*''Full House
''Full House'' is an American television sitcom created by Jeff Franklin for ABC. The show is about widowed father Danny Tanner who enlists his brother-in-law Jesse Katsopolis and childhood best friend Joey Gladstone to help raise his three dau ...
'' (" Viva Las Joey", 1990) - Appears as himself
*''Roseanne
''Roseanne'' is an American sitcom television series created by Matt Williams and Roseanne Barr which aired on ABC from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May 22, 2018. The show stars Barr as Roseann ...
'' ("Vegas, Vegas", 1991) - Appears as himself
*''L.A. Law
''L.A. Law'' is an American legal drama television series that ran for eight seasons on NBC, from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994.
Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, it centers on the partners, associates and staff of a Los ...
'' (1991) - Plays the role of the opposing counsel
*'' Perfect Strangers'' ("Wayne Man", 1992) - Appears as himself; plot of the episode is for Balki to get tickets to Newton's sold-out concert
*''Tales from the Crypt
Tales from the Crypt may refer to:
* ''Tales from the Crypt'' (album), by American rapper C-Bo
* ''Tales from the Crypt'' (comics), published by EC Comics during the 1950s
** ''Tales from the Crypt'' (film), a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Ric ...
'' ("The Pit", 1994) - Plays the role of fight promoter, Wink Barnum
*''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' is an American television sitcom created by Andy and Susan Borowitz for NBC. It aired from September 10, 1990, to May 20, 1996. The series stars Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself, a street-smart t ...
'' ("Viva Lost Wages", 1995) - Plays the role of the manager of a Las Vegas casino
*'' Ally McBeal'' ("They Eat Horses, Don't They?", 1998)
*'' The Pretender'' ("Cold Dick", 2000) - Appears as himself
*''My Wife and Kids
''My Wife and Kids'' is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from March 28, 2001, to May 17, 2005. The series was produced by Touchstone Television. It starred Damon Wayans as Michael Kyle, the patriarch of an African-American family. Wayans and ve ...
'' ("Fantasy Camp", 2004) - Appears as himself
*'' 7th Heaven'' ("Wayne's World", 2004) - Appears as himself
*''Kingdom Hospital
''Kingdom Hospital'' (sometimes known as ''Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital'') is a thirteen-episode television series based on Lars von Trier's '' The Kingdom'' (Danish title: ''Riget''), developed by horror writer Stephen King in 2004 for Ameri ...
'' ("On the Third Day", 2004) - Plays the role of maintenance man, Jack Handlemann
*''Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
'' ("Pros and Cons", 2003; "Meatball Montecito", 2006) - Appears as himself
*''The Entertainer'' (2005) - Newton hosts the reality competition series hosted that aired on the E! network
*''Dancing with the Stars
''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...
'' (Season 5, 2007) - Appears as a contestant
*''The Price is Right
''The Price Is Right'' is a television game show franchise created by Bob Stewart, originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman; currently it is produced and owned by Fremantle. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also inc ...
'' (Season 36, 2007) - Makes a guest appearance and participates for a contestant to win a trip to Las Vegas
*''Celebrity Family Feud
''Celebrity Family Feud'' is a broadcast network spin-off of the syndicated American game show ''Family Feud''. Like the primetime ''All-Star Specials'' aired during the late 1970s and early 1980s by the show's then-network home ABC, the episode ...
'' (Season 1, 2008) - Appears as a contestant
*''The Amazing Race
''The Amazing Race'' is an adventure reality game show franchise in which teams of two people race around the world in competition with other teams. The ''Race'' is split into legs, with teams tasked to deduce clues, navigate themselves in forei ...
'' ("Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound", 2009) - Appears as himself
*''The Apprentice
''The Apprentice'' is a Reality competition, reality talent game show franchise originally aired in 2004 in the United States.
Created by U.S.-based British producer Mark Burnett, the show depicts contestants from around the country with variou ...
'' ("One Of Us Will Win, But Not By Much", 2013)
*''Who Wants to be a Millionaire
''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' (often informally called ''Millionaire'') is an international television game show franchise of British origin, created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill and Steven Knight. In its format, currently owned and ...
'' (Season 15, 2015; Season 16, 2018) - Appeared as a celebrity guest and raised $10,000 for charity, in his case the USO
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
*'' 46th Academy of Country Music Awards'' (2011) - Appeared as a member of Toby Keith's entourage as Keith performed the song Red Solo Cup
"Red Solo Cup" is a song written by Brett Warren, Brad Warren, Brett Beavers, and Jim Beavers and recorded by American country music singer Toby Keith. It was released on October 10, 2011 as the second single from Keith’s 2011 album ''Clancy's ...
*''The Bachelorette A bachelorette is an unmarried woman. Bachelorette may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Bachelorette'', a reality television dating show part of ''The Bachelor'' franchise with numerous versions:
** ''The Bachelorette'' (American TV ser ...
'' ("Week 5", 2018) - Guest appearance where he teaches ''Bachlorette'' contestants how to write a song and perform live in Las Vegas
*''Always Late with Katie Nolan
Katherine Beth Nolan is an American sports television host known as Katie Nolan, most recently serving as a commentator for Apple TV+'s ''Friday Night Baseball'' and recently created short-form content at NBC Sports. She formerly hosted a weekly ...
'' ("Advice for the Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West divis ...
", 2018) - Guest appearance where he speaks about the Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West divis ...
*''2022 NFL Draft
The 2022 NFL Draft was the 87th edition of the National Football League's annual draft and was held from April 28–30, 2022, at the Caesars Forum on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The first round was held on Thursday, April 28, and w ...
'' (Day 2, 2022) - Announces the 90th overall selection for the Raiders
*''Hacks
Hacks may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* ''Hacks'' (1997 film), a 1997 American comedy film
* ''Hacks'' (2002 film), a 2002 independent American film
* '' Hacks: The Inside Story'', a book by Donna Brazile
* ''Hacks'' (TV series), ...
'' ("There Will Be Blood", 2022) - Guest appearance
Video games
*'' Fallout: New Vegas'' (2010) - Serves as the voice of Mr. New Vegas, the DJ of Radio New Vegas, an in-game radio station
References
External links
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''Newton rolling in dough''
October 31, 1999
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newton, Wayne
1942 births
20th-century American male actors
20th-century American singers
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American singers
American country singer-songwriters
American male singer-songwriters
American people of English descent
American people of German descent
American people of Irish descent
American people of Scottish descent
American people of Welsh descent
Ballad musicians
Capitol Records artists
Challenge Records artists
Chelsea Records artists
Living people
Male actors from Arizona
Male actors from Virginia
MGM Records artists
Word Records artists
Musicians from Las Vegas
People from Newark, Ohio
People from Roanoke, Virginia
People from the Las Vegas Valley
Nevada Republicans
Singer-songwriters from Virginia
Singer-songwriters from Ohio
Country musicians from Ohio
Arabian breeders and trainers
North High School (Phoenix, Arizona) alumni
20th-century American male singers
21st-century American male singers
Las Vegas shows
American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent
Singer-songwriters from Arizona
Singer-songwriters from Nevada
United Service Organizations entertainers