Hoped-for Starlight Crowd Fails to Show

What if Burbank threw a birthday party starring Bob Hope, to celebrate the U.S. Constitution, and nobody came?

That’s not exactly what happened Sunday at the beleaguered Burbank Starlight Amphitheatre, but it was close.

Despite the presence of a show business legend like Hope--who was joined by singer Stephen Bishop, actress Morgan Brittany and a cavalcade of Walt Disney cartoon characters--only about 3,000 people, about half of the open-air theater’s capacity, showed up.

The performers were recruited by Mayor Michael R. Hastings to star in the Constitution celebration, held to help raise funds for a special sculpture by Erwin Binder commemorating the “Defenders of the Constitution.”

Hastings, who said he spent the last several weeks promoting the show, was clearly disappointed at the turnout, and said it may affect the city’s ability to buy the sculpture. He said he and Binder had an agreement, still being negotiated, to buy the sculpture for about $35,000. The piece has been valued at between $135,000 and $150,000.

“I just don’t know what is going to happen at this point,” Hastings said.

Officials Puzzled

“I thought there would be more people. I don’t know if it was apathy, or what happened. The people who were up here saw a great show, and I think when the word gets out how good this show was, folks will be upset that they didn’t show up.”

The city loaned $25,000 for the event, which has to be paid back, officials said.

Councilwoman Mary Lou Howard, who sat in a box seat during the three-hour show, said it would have taken more than Bob Hope to make the show a success.

“Times have changed, and obviously Bob Hope is not the draw he once was,” Howard said. “Had it been a rock group, this place would have been packed. Maybe we take Bob Hope for granted. In his day, he was a draw.”

Vice Mayor Al S. Dossin said some Burbank businesses and organizations did not learn about the event in time because “there was a delay in getting letters out.” He added, “It could have been a better crowd. However, it is a larger crowd than has been up here in years.”

Howard wondered if the $10 to $20 ticket price scared people away. “Folks are used to getting things free here in Burbank,” she said. “The Burbank Symphony plays for free.”

The Starlight has been plagued in recent years with legal difficulties and financial problems. Recent promoters have been able to attract celebrities of Hope’s caliber to the city-owned theater, but not the capacity crowds hoped for by officials.

A Potpourri

Sunday’s show was a mixture of contemporary comedy acts, big-band music and celebrities such as teen idol John Stamos, “Policewoman” co-star Earl Holliman, and radio talk show host Michael Jackson performing vignettes dramatizing the founding of the Constitution.

The stars read the vignettes, which portrayed real politicians and fictitious ordinary citizens, from typewritten scripts. Susan Akin Miss America of 1986, appeared on the Starlight stage in a red-beaded gown and, with a prerecorded background, sang songs that few in the audience seemed to know.

KNBC weatherman-comedian Fritz Coleman told jokes about the founding of Burbank--”A town with one bank and one Burger King, so they just shortened the name.”

The audience, composed mostly of middle-aged people, applauded with mild good nature, but their enthusiasm seemed to wane in the 90-degree heat, and only the cheerleaders from area high schools whooped at every act.

It was two hours and 15 minutes before Hope strode to the front of the Starlight stage. He joked about the Pope, Burbank, Tammy Faye Bakker and the Dodgers, to resounding applause.

He then performed a version of “Thanks for the Memory,” his theme song, with custom-written lyrics: “Never thought I’d ever be in Burbank on a mountain for a script that makes us free.”

In 14 minutes, Hope, who was not paid, left the stage.

A few minutes later, Bishop, who was paid an unspecified amount, performed songs from movies such as “Tootsie” and did his Bob Dylan impression. But, by then, the crowd was already starting to file out.