Hula queen Kanoe Miller, looking lovely and glamorous, captured the hearts of an overflow crowd as she returned to the stage at Halekulani’s House Without a Key on Oct. 4. Kanoe had been sidelined for five months after it was discovered she had a third lung and had surgery to remove it. Kanoe has been charming Halekulani audiences for 36 years and has thousands of admirers and supporters, many of whom were part of the crowd Oct. 4. She and her husband, John Miller, were welcomed back by hotel G.M. Ulrich Krauer and exec chef Vikram Garg.
When photographer Skinny Crawley asked Garg to pose in a photo with Kanoe and Krauer, he protested, saying he was too fat. That prompted Krauer to say, "Never trust a skinny chef." Following laughter, he got in the shot. Kanoe has cut her performances to Friday and Saturday evenings for now. She persuaded the Hiram Olsen Trio to return and back her up after the trio’s 12-year absence from the hotel.
House Without a Key manager Ted Tobby and his staff worked hard to accommodate the huge crowd. Among the guests was composer Bob Nelson. Kanoe called him on stage and danced his big hit, "Hanalei Moon." Others in the picture-perfect sunset spot were Nancy Pflueger, Gay Austin, Heide Damon Snow and Joan Rodby, who tied in Nancy’s birthday celebration with Kanoe’s return. Also attending was sinewy Will Henderson, former Queen’s Medical Center president, who still does one-armed pushups at the age of 92. Bravo! …
ALOHA AMBASSADOR Danny Kaleikini gave Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis a ti leaf lei, sang the national anthem and heard the "Hawaii Five-0" theme played before the Bengals knocked New England off the undefeated list, 13-6, at Cincinnati Sunday. Former Gov. Ben Cayetano and wife Vicky, Saint Louis School President Walter Kirimitsu and wife Mae, and Dr. Edison Miyawaki, a minority owner of the Bengals, were at the game …
THE EUROCINEMA gala at the Moana Surfrider Oct. 18 will see Harry Shum Jr. (Mike Chang of "Glee") receive the 2013 Rising Star Award. EuroCinema is a film fest within the Hawaii International Film Festival. Go to www.eurocinemahawaii.org for more info … Pianist Kit Samson will be featured with Aaron Aranita’s band at the ‘Ilima restaurant awards and tastings Monday at Diamond Head Theatre, 6 p.m. …
SERVICES for James Ichiro Miyasato, 82, a dedicated family man who was born to play football, will be held 6 p.m. Tuesday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. He died Sept. 23. His survivors include wife Barbara, daughter Shea Gutierrez, three grandchildren and sister Ruth Chang. James was called "Itchy" or "Itch" by most of his schoolmates. He was a three-year varsity fullback and linebacker at Roosevelt High, class of ’49, and was an inspirational co-captain during his senior year. He went on to play at Hartnell J.C. in Salinas, Calif., the University of Hawaii and the Hawaii Senior League. In a display of toughness during a game in the ’48 season — won 21-0 by Kamehameha, sparked by star back Don Ho‘s two touchdowns and three extra points — Itchy came back to the huddle with blood streaming heavily from his mouth as a large tooth had been knocked out. I was quarterback and said, "Oh hell." Itchy growled, "Shut up and call the play, Ben."…
Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.
