Jim Kalafus
Member
Has anyone out there seen, and is anyone in possession of photos depicting, the ca. 1981 cast-of-thousands extravaganza "Jubilee" which featued, among MANY things, Bob Mackie designed costumes, and a 40-foot repro of the Titanic?
"Jubilee" was the replacement for the incredibly long running, and successful, floorshow "Hallelujah Hollywood" at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. "Hallelujah" had run for seven years and had been seen by five million people. "Jubilee" was going to be twice as big, twice as flashy, twice as memorable and, like the prior floorshow, a tribute to MGM production values. The 40 foot long model of the Titanic was ceremoniously hauled through the streets of Vegas to the hotel, upon completion, and stored there while the final musical and dance rehearsals were held.
When the MGM Grand burned with the loss of 85 lives in late 1980 (on the same day the "Who Shot JR?" question was finally answered) press attention was rightfully centered on the human toll, and on the standard litany of violations, etc etc etc. The Titanic model rated nary a mention in the press. When the hotel was restored and reopened (in mid 1981, under the auspices of Cary Grant) "Jubilee" made its debut, but so far reviews of the musical and photos of the Titanic model (if, in fact, it survived the fire) have proved elusive.
The Titanic storyline was to be in three scenes and, somehow, encorporated two World War One fighter planes into the production. How? Why? I have no idea. But, I suspect that my oft-repeated belief that we recently reached the stylistic nadir of Titanic-as-pop-culture (no names.... you get my drift) might be proved incorrect.
"Jubilee" was the replacement for the incredibly long running, and successful, floorshow "Hallelujah Hollywood" at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas. "Hallelujah" had run for seven years and had been seen by five million people. "Jubilee" was going to be twice as big, twice as flashy, twice as memorable and, like the prior floorshow, a tribute to MGM production values. The 40 foot long model of the Titanic was ceremoniously hauled through the streets of Vegas to the hotel, upon completion, and stored there while the final musical and dance rehearsals were held.
When the MGM Grand burned with the loss of 85 lives in late 1980 (on the same day the "Who Shot JR?" question was finally answered) press attention was rightfully centered on the human toll, and on the standard litany of violations, etc etc etc. The Titanic model rated nary a mention in the press. When the hotel was restored and reopened (in mid 1981, under the auspices of Cary Grant) "Jubilee" made its debut, but so far reviews of the musical and photos of the Titanic model (if, in fact, it survived the fire) have proved elusive.
The Titanic storyline was to be in three scenes and, somehow, encorporated two World War One fighter planes into the production. How? Why? I have no idea. But, I suspect that my oft-repeated belief that we recently reached the stylistic nadir of Titanic-as-pop-culture (no names.... you get my drift) might be proved incorrect.
