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{{
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Wayne Newton
| image =
| caption = Newton
| birth_name = Carson Wayne Newton
| alias = Mr. Las Vegas, The Midnight Idol, Mr. Entertainment, Mr. New Vegas
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1942|4|3}}
| birth_place = [[Norfolk, Virginia]], U.S.
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}}
'''Carson Wayne Newton''' (born April 3, 1942), mostly known as '''Mr. Las Vegas''', is an American singer and actor. One of the most popular singers in the United States from the mid-to-late 20th century, Newton remains one of the best-known entertainers in [[Las Vegas]] and has performed there since 1963. He is known by
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]], [[Bobby Darin]] and [[Elvis Presley]]. In 1963, he achieved [[Headliner (performances)|headliner]] status at the [[Flamingo Las Vegas|Flamingo]], a casino hotel in Las Vegas, and soon became one of the city's most popular performers. ''[[The Washington Post]]'' 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.<ref>{{cite news| title=This is the only Wayne Newton story you need to read|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/10/19/this-is-the-only-wayne-newton-story-you-need-to-read/| newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|access-date=2022-12-01| df=mdy-all}}</ref> Newton is the highest-grossing entertainer in Las Vegas history.<ref name="Esquire" /> Throughout his career, Newton has appeared in a number of movies and television shows.
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==Early years==
Newton was born Carson Wayne Newton<ref name="OhioBio">{{cite web| title=Carson Wayne Newton| url=http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/w/Carson_W._Newton| website=Ohio History Central| access-date=26 December 2017| df=mdy-all}}</ref> born in
While he was a child, his family moved
Newton attended [[North High School (Phoenix, Arizona)|North High School]] where he was the Sophomore Class President.<ref name="Esquire">{{cite web|title=Do You Know Vegas?|url=https://classic.esquire.com/article/1982/8/1/do-you-know-vegas|website=[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]|access-date=22 January 2023}}</ref> He was also a member of the [[Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps]]
At age 18, Newton intended to join the US military but because of his asthma he was given a [[Class 1-Y|1-Y]] rejection meaning he was qualified to serve only in the event of a major emergency.<ref name="Military">{{cite web|title=Mr. Las Vegas Wayne Newton honored by USO at the Antlers|url=https://gazette.com/arts-entertainment/a-look-back-in-colorado-springs-mr-las-vegas-wayne-newton-honored-by-uso-at/article_f51888d6-9ad4-11ea-ac5c-cfb0a86550f0.html|website=[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]]|date=June 10, 2020 | access-date=9 December 2022}}</ref> Instead, Newton volunteered his time performing shows for troops overseas.<ref name="Military" />
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===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.<ref name="AZCentral" /> In 1962, Newton performed the Irish folk song "[[Danny Boy]]" for [[Jackie Gleason]] in Phoenix.<ref name="AZCentral" /> Impressed by Newton's performance, Gleason told Newton "don't go on any other television show before you go on mine."<ref name="AZCentral" /> On September 29, 1962, the brothers first performed on ''[[The Jackie Gleason Show]]''.<ref name="AZCentral" /> Over the next two years, Newton would perform on Gleason's show 12 times, which
▲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.<ref name="AZCentral" /> In 1962, Newton performed the Irish folk song "[[Danny Boy]]" for [[Jackie Gleason]] in Phoenix.<ref name="AZCentral" /> Impressed by Newton's performance, Gleason told Newton "don't go on any other television show before you go on mine."<ref name="AZCentral" /> On September 29, 1962, the brothers first performed on ''[[The Jackie Gleason Show]]''.<ref name="AZCentral" /> Over the next two years, Newton would perform on Gleason's show 12 times, which was his first appearance on national television. 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]]''. During the filming of ''Bonanza'', Newton first met [[Elvis Presley]] (who was filming another show on the same set) and they went on to become good friends.<ref name="Esquire" />
In 1962, Jackie Gleason organized an engagement between Newton and the [[Copacabana (nightclub)|Copacabana]]. There Newton first met [[Bobby Darin]].<ref name="AZCentral" /> Darin, who was impressed by Newton, agreed to produce Newton's records.<ref name="AZCentral" /> By 1963 Newton had been signed to [[Capitol Records]], and his first album was released on the label.<ref name="AZCentral" /> Newton's hit song "[[Danke Schoen]]" was originally written for Darin to sing,<ref name="AZCentral" /> however Darin was intent on Newton having a hit song of his own and gave it to him.<ref name="AZCentral" /> "Danke Schoen" went on to reach No. 13 on the Hot 100.
Many other prominent entertainment icons such as [[Lucille Ball]], [[Danny Thomas]], [[George Burns]], and [[Jack Benny]] lent Newton their support. For example, after Benny saw Newton performing at a nightclub in [[Sydney, Australia]], he hired him to perform an opening act for a booking he had at [[Harrah's Reno]]. Benny then hired Newton as an opening act for his comedy show in Las Vegas and to perform on ''[[The Jack Benny Program]]'', which Newton did for five years. After his job with Benny ended, Newton was offered a job to open for another comic at the [[Flamingo Las Vegas|Flamingo]] but Newton asked for, and was given, a headline act in 1963.<ref name="LVS 2008-05-15">{{Cite news| url=https://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/may/15/evolution-worlds-entertainment-capital/| title=Showtime: How Sin City evolved into 'The Entertainment Capital of the World'| last1=Koch| first1=Ed| last2=Manning| first2=Mary| date=May 15, 2008| newspaper=[[Las Vegas Sun]]| access-date=March 3, 2019|last3=Toplikar|first3=Dave}}</ref> In 1965, Newton performed on ''[[The Lucy Show]]'' as a country boy singing to animals.<ref name="CloserWeekly">{{cite web |url=https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/wayne-newton-reveals-best-lesson-he-learned-from-frank-sinatra/|title=Wayne Newton Reveals the Best Life Lesson He Learned From Frank Sinatra and Others: 'Be Disciplined' |website=[[Closer (magazine)|Closer]] |date=July 21, 2019 |access-date=January 22, 2022}}</ref> Impressed with Newton's performance, [[CBS]] offered Newton his own TV show around this character.<ref name="CloserWeekly" /> However, Newton declined the offer, at the urging of [[Lucille Ball]], who told Newton unless "you want to be this country boy the rest of your life, turn this series down..."<ref name="CloserWeekly" />
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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/wayne-newton-mn0000252495/biography |title=Wayne Newton |first=John |last=Bush |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=July 2, 2020}}</ref> In the 1970s, Newton began focusing on primarily performing in Las Vegas.
===Mr. Las Vegas===
[[File:Wayne Newton and Ronald Reagan.png|thumb|right|Newton with President [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1988]]
Following the death of [[Elvis Presley]] and the aging of many members of the [[Rat Pack]], Newton emerged as the biggest entertainer in Las Vegas.<ref name="LVS 2008-05-15" /> In the 1970s, Newton performed primarily at the [[Desert Inn]], [[New Frontier Hotel and Casino|The Frontier]] and [[Sands Hotel and Casino]].<ref name="LVS 2008-05-15" /> Newton holds the record for total crowd counts during his peak.<ref name="LVS 2008-05-15" />
''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' described Newton as "the biggest moneymaker in the history of Vegas. Nobody has drawn like that week in, week out. Not
In 1972, his recording of "[[Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast]]" sold more than one million copies and was awarded a [[music recording sales certification|gold disc]] by the [[
In 1975, Newton was featured in
From 1980 through 1982, [[The Beach Boys]] and [[The Grass Roots]] performed Independence Day concerts on the [[National Mall]] in [[Washington, D.C.]], attracting large crowds.<ref>{{cite news|title=July 4: Day of Music, Parades, Fireworks|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=1982-07-03|page=D1}}</ref><ref name=McCombs>(1) {{cite news|last=McCombs|first=Phil|date=1983-04-06|title=Watt Outlaws Rock Music on Mall for July 4|newspaper=The Washington Post|page=A1}}<br />(2) {{cite news|last=McCombs|first=Phil and Harrington, Richard|date=1983-04-07|title=Watt Sets Off Uproar with Music Ban|newspaper=[[The Washington Post|The Washington Post]]|pages=A.1, A.17}}</ref> However, in April 1983, [[James G. Watt]], [[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|President
On May 23, 1989, Newton's live stage show was broadcast as a [[pay-per-view]] event called ''[[Wayne Newton Live in Concert]]''. Newton did not perform his trademark songs "[[Danke Schoen]]" or "[[Red Roses for a Blue Lady]]," however he closed the show with a special finale of "[[MacArthur Park (song)|MacArthur Park]]" which culminated with an onstage rainfall.
On December 12, 1992, Newton hit
▲On December 12, 1992, Newton hit #1 on the ''[[Cashbox (magazine)|Cashbox]]'' Pop and Country charts with an [[Elvis Presley]]-inspired song "[[The Letter (Wayne Newton song)|The Letter]]."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/90s_files/1992.html |title=Cash Box Top Singles - 1992 |magazine=Cashbox |access-date=2015-08-26}}</ref> Controversy swirled around this chart feat as "The Letter" did not chart at all on [[Billboard (magazine)|''Billboard'']]'s authoritative Hot 100 chart, Adult Contemporary chart, or "Bubbling Under" chart. It did not make the ''[[Radio & Records]]'' 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 ''Billboard'''s Hot 100.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jabartlett.wordpress.com/2008/12/12/mystery-letter/ |title=Top 5: Mystery Letter | The Hits Just Keep On Comin' |publisher=Jabartlett.wordpress.com |date=2008-12-12 |access-date=2015-08-26}}</ref>
During the 1990s, Newton began performing at other casinos as their headliner, including [[Bally's Las Vegas|Bally's]], [[Caesars Palace]], and [[MGM Grand Las Vegas]].<ref name="LVS 2008-05-15" /> Newton performed his 25,000th solo show in Las Vegas in 1994.<ref name="LVS 2008-05-15" /> In 1999, Newton signed a 10-year-deal with the [[Stardust Resort & Casino|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.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-04-07-wayne-newton_x.htm| work=USA Today| title=Wayne Newton leaving longtime Vegas stint| date=April 7, 2005}}</ref> 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]].
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Newton was featured on the 2007 fall season of ''[[Dancing with the Stars (US TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]'' partnered with two-time champion [[Cheryl Burke]]. He became the third contestant to be eliminated from the contest. During the taping (which takes place at [[CBS Television City]]), he also became the first guest on ''[[The Price Is Right (US game show)|The Price Is Right]]'', which tapes on the same lot, under host [[Drew Carey]], who began adding guests to the show, especially to present prizes. Newton appeared after a trip to Las Vegas was shown.
[[File:
Beginning October 14, 2009, Newton began performing his then newest show "Once Before I Go" at the [[Tropicana Las Vegas|Tropicana]] in Las Vegas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ticketstogo.com/wayne_newton_tickets.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204091251/http://www.ticketstogo.com/wayne_newton_tickets.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 4, 2013 |title=Wayne Newton's performance dates |website=Tickets to go |access-date=2011-02-12}}</ref> In 2010, Newton took a
After performing more than 30,000 shows on the [[Las Vegas
In June 2020, Newton was seen on television commercials in North America as a spokesperson for [[Caesars Entertainment Corporation|Caesars Entertainment]] to promote the reopening of Caesars Entertainment resorts during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]].
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*''[[80 Steps to Jonah]]'' (1969) - Mark Jonah Winters
*''[[Rocky III]]'' - Himself (uncredited)
*''[[Ferris Bueller's Day Off]]'' (1986) - Voice, archival
*''[[Licence to Kill]]'' (1989) - Professor Joe Butcher
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* {{C-SPAN|81851}}
* {{IMDb name|628611}}
* {{
* {{
* [http://www.broadwaytovegas.com/October31,1999.html
{{Wayne Newton}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:American people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Welsh descent]]
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[[Category:Capitol Records artists]]
[[Category:Challenge Records artists]]
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[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Ohio]]
[[Category:Country musicians from Ohio]]
[[Category:Arabian horse breeders and trainers]]
[[Category:North High School (Phoenix, Arizona) alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:Las Vegas shows]]
[[Category:American people who self-identify as being of Native American descent]]▼
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Arizona]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Nevada]]
[[Category:American people who self-identify as being of Powhatan descent]]
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