The News And Views

by Mark Barron
NEW YORK AP - Happily and
peacefully now. Bill Hayes has re-
covered from his experience of
singing in one of Olsen and John-
son's "Hellzapoppin" revues at
Broadway's Winter Garden. Now
he is the 26-year-old singing star in
NBC's television "Show of Shows,"
a showcase ground for a bevy of
youngsters who are making their
bids for stardom in the theatrical
world.

Two years ago Hayes arrived on
Broadway from Harvey, Ill., a
Navy vet with much potential tal-
ent and little experience.

"I broke into show business by
singing the opening song in one
of the Olsen and Johnson shows,"
he said. "This was fine for a new-
comer like myself, except that
while I was putting all into the
song, Mr. Olson and Mr. Johnson
were shooting cannons and chasing
midgets up and down the aisles.
If anyone in the audience could
make any sense out of what I was
singing, it was a miracle."

All this noise reminded Bill too
much of his days in the Navy, so
one night he said goodbye to Olsen
and Johnson and decided to try for
the quieter halls of television.

Bill was lucky in that his first
interview was with Max Liebman,
the video producer who was at that
time putting together the first of
his 'Show of Shows.' Liebman lik-
ed Bill's boyish appearance and ex-
tremely versatile vocal chords. He
could handle a difficult aria from
an opera and also charm with a
ballad in a manner that was pleas-
ing and not affected. It was from
this point on that Bill's topflight
career began.

Working on the Saturday night
show, Bill said, is like opening in a
Broadway musical every week.
Liebman taught Bill how to say
lines, develop a stage presence,
and even had Jimmy Starbuck, the
choreographer, teach Bill basic
steps in all phases of the dance.

The show for a one night per-
formance, Hayes explained, "is in
rehearsal six full days a week. Dur-
ing that time I have to learn three
songs, two dance routines and
memorize eight pages of script."

Two years of this strenuous work
has not been in vain. Other than his
television appearances, Bill was re-
cently called by the Roxy Theater
on Broadway to headline their re-
splendent Easter show.

Bill was
speechless with delight. His first
spot on the Broadway stage and he
was starting in as the top attrac-
tion. The day he signed for this en-
gagement he also signed to do a
series of songs for the Metro-Gold-
wvn-Mayer recording company, and
they have just released his first six
records.