“I don’t think anyone can produce a spectacular better than me!” — Donn Arden

onn Arden was a choreographer, producer and director known for creating extravagant production shows full of spectacular scenery and sequined, feathered showgirls. For more than sixty years, Arden worked in showrooms from Paris to Las Vegas and New York to Los Angeles.

In the 1970s, Arden brought his talents to the MGM Grand Hotels and produced tribute shows to classic Hollywood — Hallelujah Hollywood and Hello Hollywood, Hello — in Las Vegas and Reno respectively. The two shows combined ran almost 17 years.

Arden has been described as a demanding taskmaster, requiring perfection from his performers. One of his most infamous lines is supposed to have been “Get that fat cow off my stage.” Despite his exacting standards, he was well-loved by many of his performers. Arden never had a flop, and never had a show close prematurely.

Arden died in November 1994. At his death, the lights on the Las Vegas Strip were dimmed.

“I find the prettiest girls, put them in the finest feathers and then sink them on the Titanic or burn them up in the Hindenburg. Nobody can do girls and gimmicks like me.” — Donn Arden

More about Donn Arden:

• Born in Chicago on July 16, 1916.
• Graduated from Soldan High School in St. Louis, Missouri.
• He began his career dancing in Prohibition speak-easies.
• He was the lead dancer in Fanchon and Marco shows.
• Arden complained once about the bad back up dancers for one of his shows – when the manager asked if he thought he could do it (produce a show) better – he said yes, and he did. He was 18.
• Took dance lessons from Robert Alton.
• At one time he danced with the Missouri Rockettes and worked for producer Mike Todd, on Broadway.
• He hit the big time when Sophie Tucker took him on as a protégé.
• During WWII, he produced shows for the armed forces.
• In 1948 he joined forces with the famous Madame “Bluebell”, Margaret Kelly, and her Bluebell dancers for the Cabaret Lido in Paris.
• Hello Hollywood, Hello opened on June 3, 1978 at the MGM Grand in Reno.
• On November 20, 1980, the Arden show Jubilee was scheduled to open in two weeks when the MGM in Las Vegas burned. Almost everything associated with the show was destroyed including costumes and sets. When the fire alarm sounded, hotel guests on the 10th floor went to the hallway to see what was occurring. Many of them leaving their room keys in their rooms and finding themselves locked out were invited by Arden to stay in his room until rescued. He had 30 or 40 people in his suite. One woman suggested, quite seriously, that they call down for room service. Another notable guest used the opportunity to go through Arden's things and attempted to steal his jewelry. Eventually, the fire department put up a ladder and brought people down. The thief was amongst the first to go – Arden never caught up with him. Arden and several others were later able to escape via the stairs – narrowly avoiding a precarious 10-story climb down a fire truck ladder.
• Four months after the fire, the MGM reopened and Jubilee was reborn.
• Donn Arden never married.
• Produced shows in 26 countries including cities of: N.Y., Miami, Rome, Rio de Janeiro, Las Vegas, and Paris.
• Worked with Frank Sinatra, Betty Grable, Jack Benny, Noel Coward, and Maurice Chevalier.
• Donn Arden died on Nov. 2, 1994.