Mildred, 
           Jimmy Borges 
                 and Ginny Tiu

Touch~Memories, with Aloha       1978, Lee and I had gone to hear the early evening music at Trappers, but little did we know, as we lingered with a drink at the end, that the REAL THING was about to begin! Opening that night with ALL NIGHT LONG, (for music lovers everywhere), Jimmy Borges stunned us with that sound and the style that is his own. We were captured by his jazz, and the glitter he gave, in everything, to his powerful orchestra. We danced every night until they turned out the lights, as Jimmy Borges forever changed our lives.

                                                   Touch

1984 That's why we were there in Trappers the night when we met Danny Couch when he appeared on the scene, and we were swept away by the impact. He and Jimmy Borges could take even something standard and make it sound all new. Besides, their fun was contagious, irresistible in any room. Celebrity musicians who came to the island found their way to them, wherever they might be, adding to their party time.

 

Star Bulletin Dec. 11 THOMPSON PLAYS THE CUPOLA: Afatia Thompson, second from left, was joined by his father, Jack "Tihati" Thompson, left; cousin Nalani Parker; mother, Cha Thompson; Matt Catingub; and Jimmy Borges as he celebrated the release of his second solo album, "Seasons of Love," with a late-evening party Sunday at the Honolulu Design Center.

 
Back To RomanceJimmy can also be found on "Back to Romance", a rare all-male recording of Hawai`i's leading men with the lush orchestrations of the Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawai`i. Back to Romance represents a true expression of a man in love. From Robert Cazimero's dreamy rendition of "I Only Have Eyes For You" to Fiji's R&B touch on Paul & Linda McCartney's "My Love," each song was handpicked by the artists. Robert Cazimero, Nathan Aweau, Henry Kapono, Hapa, Fiji, Jeff Peterson, Eric Gilliom, Cecilio and Kapono, Afatia, Kaukahi, Kawika Kahiapo, Jake Shimabukuro, Bruce Hamada, Jimmy Borges and the man himself, Matt Catingub who answered this question

"Which local musician has been your biggest influence? Maybe influence is not the right word, but I will single out one person - and I don’t think anyone will get mad at me for this - and that would be Jimmy Borges. Jimmy Borges and I go way back, he knew me when I was very, very young. I think I met him when I was 8. It was Jimmy himself who brought me to the attention of the symphony to conduct one of his Frank Sinatra tribute shows he did back in the mid-’90s. It was because of my friendship - it’s actually more than friendship because Jimmy is family - but it’s because of that I was able to be introduced to the local music scene. One thing led to another from there. So Jimmy is definitely my biggest influence.

An all male CD? What are men's most intimate thoughts of romance? With passion in their hearts and love on their minds, Hawai`i's premiere male recording artists and the Matt Catingub Orchestra of Hawai`i answer that question with Back to Romance

It’s Borges Five-O, the show that will never, ever end Thursday

HAPPY 5-0, JIMMY!: Jimmy Borges told the crowd at the Hawai'i International Jazz Festival "Springtime in Honolulu II" concert last weekend that 2005 is his 50th year as a professional entertainer, and he's not ready to retire. "The passion for music never goes away, and if you're lucky you can go on doing it," he says ....Jimmy Borges the popular island crooner who’s forged friendships during his stellar 44-year career with famous stars such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., Robert Wagner, Jack Lord and Shirley MacLaine. , Hawaii's respected vocal jazz-master, and "Sinatra-phile". Frank Sinatra himself provided Mr. Borges with his original arrangements for some very unique shows. Jimmy and his family left the isles when he was a kid and moved to the San Francisco Bay area. Later, when Jimmy moved back home, we became pals. We also found we shared things in common. We live and die with the S.F. 49ers. We love golf and play together to this day. And we are great fans of Frank Sinatra. In the past year I found Jimmy and I had similar tastes in another area. When I took Cynthia Child to his gig at the Alana, Jimmy walked up and said, "Cynthia, years ago I had a crush on you." OK, that's understandable. A few months later I took Margaret Murchie to see Jimmy's show. He walked up and said, "Margaret, years ago I had a crush on you." Hummm, remarkable coincidence. Recently, Jimmy called and said: "Ben, I hear you took Jean Dickinson to the IHS Big Band Bash. You won't believe this, but years ago I had a crush on Jean." I am still flabbergasted ... "Crush" Borges will repeat his smash pops concert with the Honolulu Symphony Oct. 24-25 in the Concert Hall. Sinatra let Jimmy and the Symphony have his music charts for this concert, which was presented in '91 and '93 and is being brought back by popular demand. Jimmy will do seven songs that were not in the early concerts. I hope Borges sings his theme song, "I've Got a Crush on You" ...
Jimmy Borges

Mele Kalikimaka to All Our Nabors Christmas '05
Jim Nabors, second from left, celebrated with Jimmy Borges, Emma Veary and Matt Catingub Dec. 4 at the post-show reception for his annual Christmas show, "A Merry Christmas with Friends & Nabors" at the Hawaii Theatre.

The production was Nabors' best-ever Christmas show here. Nabors was in great voice throughout, and the interaction with Borges, Veary and Karen Keawehawai'i added warmth and humor -- Borges threw everybody off when he ad libbed some mildly risque lyrics on "You Meet the Nicest People Everywhere Around Christmas Time." Nabors' duet with Veary on "Silent Night" was another highlight in a perfect Christmas show.

 

On the passing of Friend Don Ho: "The world will never have another person like Don Ho," entertainer Jimmy Borges said with tears in his eyes. Borges was overcome with grief at hearing his dear friend Don Ho had passed away. The two shared many happy times together.

Borges is sure of one thing Don Ho lived a rich, full life. "Oh god, trust me he did. There's women all over this world, they're going to be crying when they hear this, because he was close to so many. They loved him. The women loved him," Borges said.
The women loved him and the men admired him. He was well-respected by his band members. Benny Chong played guitar with Ho when he was with the Aliis. He was supposed to play with him Sunday night. "He reminded me a lot of my father. He (Ho) treated me very, very well. We had great mutual respect," Chong said. "I used to see him tell the people, 'Take care of the boys, take care of them, make sure they're taken care of you guys, okay?'"

Entertaining was his life, but Ho always found time to nurture his family and help others."It's what he did with his position in helping many of the young rising stars of Hawaii," Chong said. Borges recalls Ho's advice when he returned to the islands to entertain. "He said, 'Do what you do Jimmy, do what you do. If they like you, you're gonna stay. If they don't like you, you go back to San Francisco,'" Borges said with a smile.

His easy, laid-back style endeared him to family, friends and strangers. "Don's way was not, if you don't have to do anything fast, don't do it." Though his voice has been silenced, Don Ho's spirit will live on forever. "Every time you say aloha and every time you hug someone, then you're replenishing his spirit," Borges said with tears streaming down his face. ~ Jimmy Borges and Benny Chong

 

Oct. 8, 1979 "IT was our version of Manhattan Transfer," said Jimmy Borges of the makeshift quartet jamming at Trappers. Joining Borges on stage were Don Ho, visiting country singer Tanya Tucker and Linda Hart, one of the Harlettes backing up Bette Midler. (Oct. 8, 1979) ...Mai Tai Sing was hired by the original manager, Ed Sullivan, to open and manage Trappers, a great night spot where Jimmy Borges and the Betty Loo Taylor Trio performed.

     "Hawaii had a great jazz scene going on back in the '70s. There were the guys like Jimmy Borges, Betty Lou Taylor and too many great players to mention.

     Remember when magician John Hirokawa from the days when he did tableside magic between Jimmy Borges’ show sets at the old Trappers Club?

 

 Hawaii International Jazz Festival "The April 1 show was at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort and Spa in the Ballroom, and  followed by an extraordinary jam session in the old Trappers Lounge,"  "'Return to Trappers'  featured Jimmy Borges, the Rich Crandall Trio, and lots of surprise guests." Last year's festival carried the "Swingtime in Hawaii" theme, recalling the 1940s when locals, visitors and military personnel deployed in the islands mingled happily at big band dance venues. When it comes to jazz traditions, there’s probably no more dedicated curator than singer Jimmy Borges. Borges does one thing and one thing only - keep the Great American Songbook alive and fresh.

'Swingtime,' to Trappers

Jimmy Borges, shown here in 1980, ruled Trappers for 10 years. At the piano just behind him is Betty Loo Taylor. He returned to Trappers.

Swingtime In Hawai'i Part II With Jimmy Borges, Keahi Conjugacion, Gabe Baltazar, Jeff Peterson and others

Did you check out "Swingtime in Hawai'i" at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki ballroom with live performances, an 11-piece swing band and dancing? Hope you Stuck around afterward, though, for an intimate Trappers crew reunion and show at the old basement lounge across the street.

One of Waikiki's most elegant showrooms in its day (1976-91), Trappers also was where live local and national jazz acts and the kicky vocal stylings of Mr. Jimmy Borges ruled.

Jimmy Borges and a couple of longtime Trappers staffers shared a few of their more politically correct lounge memories.

Jimmy Borges, Trappers resident vocalist, 1976-86: "Once we set things up at Trappers, I had Betty Loo Taylor as my piano player, a bass player and a drummer. (Here Borges, uh, 'colorfully' explained how the latter two didn't exactly look the part of elegant jazz-lounge players.) When Ed Sullivan, the general manager, was showing me the stage, he pointed out my stool, the red piano for Betty Loo and two big flower plants. Then he asks, 'Can we hide the drummer and the bass player behind the plants so that people don't see 'em?' And he wasn't kidding."

John Morita, bartender, 1976-91: "Jimmy ran the stage. He'd set the mood ... set the pace for the night and could change it in an instant. He was just smooth ... a master of the stage."

Borges: "We had some of the best musicians in the world coming in. Joe Williams. Wynton Marsalis. Joe Sample. Tony Bennett came to see us whenever he was in town. ... He would sit in the back. And every time I would ask him to join us, he'd say, 'No, no thanks. I just want to listen.' "But he'd sit back there and sketch us. Tony is a fine artist. And he'd sketch the whole band and give us all of the sketches. ... I still have sketches that Tony Bennett did of us."

Carolyn Taum, cocktail server, 1979-89: "Jerry Lee Lewis came in once during happy hour, unannounced. He just sat down at the piano and rocked the place. We filled to capacity and people on the street were trying to get in. He stayed there all night."

Borges: "Doris Duke was always in there."

Morita: "I got Smokin' Joe Frazier's autograph on a $20 bill. O.J. Simpson was there once, too. Evel Knievel came in quite a few times."

Borges: "I would never force anybody (famous) on to the stage. ... I would always go up to them privately and ask them first. And with a request like that, most of them would say 'yes,' especially locals. Don Ho, Danny Kaleikini, Robert Cazimero ... all got on stage. And my group was so good, they could play behind anybody."

Borges: "People dressed up to come to Trappers. It was a very elegant crowd ... Elegant without being snotty. ... But the dress code was strict. ... They turned away Al Jarreau at the door because he arrived in a sweater. That sweater was probably $800 and from France. And they wouldn't let him in!"

Taum: "This guy came in at happy hour one day, and he looked like a friend of mine who had done Marlboro commercials. ... I asked him what he did and he said, 'Well, I just got hired to do this TV series called 'Magnum P.I.' And I was, like, 'Oh, that's great! Good luck! I hope it does well!' It was Tom Selleck. ... He came in a lot after that."

Borges: "Trappers was a perfect mixture of ambience, quality music, quality drinks and aloha. There was no place like it then and no place like it now."

 

 Guest Starring Roles

 

Actor - filmography
(1980s) (1970s)

  1. Murder That Wouldn't Die, The (1980) (TV) .... Lt. Frank Fowler
    ... aka Battles (1980) (TV)

  2. Islander, The (1978) (TV) .... Sgt. Chow

Filmography as: Actor, Notable TV Guest Appearances

Notable TV Guest Appearances

  1. "Jake and the Fatman" (1987) playing "Sam Howard" in episode: "Exactly Like You" (episode # 4.3) 26 September 1990

  2. "Jake and the Fatman" (1987) playing "Player" in episode: "Side by Side" (episode # 2.10) 17 May 1989

  3. "Magnum, P.I." (1980) playing "US Coast Guard officer at morgue" in episode: "This Island Isn't Big Enough...." (episode # 6.15) 13 February 1986

  4. "Magnum, P.I." (1980) playing "Police Officer John Lee at the Police Station" in episode: "Little Games" (episode # 5.12) 3 January 1985

  5. "Magnum, P.I." (1980) playing "Happy Ho" in episode: "Did You See the Sun Rise?" (episode # 3.1) 30 September 1982

  6. "Magnum, P.I." (1980) playing "Police Sergeant Leong" in episode: "Billy Joe Bob" (episode # 2.1) 8 October 1981

  7. "Rockford Files, The" (1974) playing "Marshal Mingus" in episode: "The Hawaiian Headache" (episode # 6.8) 23 November 1979

  8. http://www.mjq.net/fiveo/season9/9-203-plot.htm

Raven - Det. Robbins - Bloody Beach (1993)
Jake and the Fatman - Sam Howard - Exactly Like You (1990)
Jake and the Fatman - Player - Side by Side (1989)
Magnum, P.I. - Off. Lee - Little Games (1985)
Magnum, P.I. - Sgt. Leong - Billy Joe Bob (1981)
The Rockford Files - Marshal Mingus - The Hawaiian Headache (1979)
Hawaii Five-O - Teo - The Execution File (1979)
Hawaii Five-O - Ron - Number One With A Bullet (2) (1979)
Hawaii Five-O - Ron - Number One With A Bullet (1) (1978)
 - Attendant #1 - Frozen Assets (1978)
 - Marco - The Friends Of Joey Kalima (1977)
 - Himself - A Capitol Crime (1977)
 - Kum Chi - Loose Ends Get Hit (1976)
 - Walter Mapu - Sing A Song Of Suspense (1975)
- Lew Chang - A Woman's Work Is With A Gun (1975)
 - Miles Foster - Welcome To Our Branch Office (1974)
 - Big Mardo - One Born Every Minute (1974)
- Hotel Manager - The $100,000 Nickel (1973)
 - Witness - Little Girl Blue (1973)
- Himself - Death Wish On Tantalus Mountain (1972)

23-Nov-1979  Stephen J. Cannell d: William Wiard   The Rockford Files.
"Hawaii Five-O" (1968) playing "Big Mardo" (as James J. Borges) in episode: "One Born Every Minute" (episode # 6.17) 8 January 1974

"Hawaii Five-O" (1968) playing "SCCA Official" (uncredited) in episode: "Death Wish on Tantalus Mountain" (episode # 5.2) 19 September 1972 The scenes shot by the park with Jimmy Borges are a little tough to tell which park exactly it is. It's not the most famous park in NY which would be Central Park. The park could also be Washington Square Park, but it's really hard to tell. There were possibly shots of the Guggenheim museum, when Sonny and Rico are being chased and Sonny and Rico run in different directions and Sonny runs onto the block of the Guggenheim. Miami Vice


Co Starring Roles

Magnum, P.I. - Coast Guard Officer #2 - This Island Isn't Big Enough (1986)
 - Happy Ho - Did You See the Sunrise? (2) (1982)
 - Happy Ho - Did You See the Sunrise? (1) (1982)

Biography:
On 9/24/2003, the City and County
of Honolulu Council voted by 9-0 to confirm the appointment of Jimmy Borges to the Honolulu Police Commission.

Mr. Borges was nominated by Councilman Donovan Dela Cruz of the Wahiawa/Waialua district. The entertainer & sometime TV & screen actor was joined by his wife Vicki, and his family & associates in the Council Chamber audience.  Mr. Borges' response to Councilmember Djou's line of questioning was short, to the point, and "humble." This is the quality of Mr. Borges that long-time fans and observers have held about the singer and sometime master of ceremonies: he is "nice" and "humble." Councilmember Dela Cruz said that with Mr. Borges' appointment to the Commission, the body will be the most "talented" Commission.

 

Jim Nabors in Concert  The Huber Marionettes The entire cast and audience were moved by  Jim Nabors' performance of " O' Holly Night" in the finale. It  received a standing ovation every night. Left to Right: Phillip Huber & Taffy - Jimmy Borges -  Emma Veary -  Jim Nabors - Karen Kaleolani Keawehawai'i - Frank De Lima)

 

Don Tiki
Here's something completely different.

FORBIDDEN SOUNDS OF DON TIKI Don Tiki

with Martin Denny, Teresa Bright, & Jimmy "Pako Reunne" Borges

An Occasional Man.. Clutch Cargo Cult.. Terminal.. Da T'ing He Grow..
Polymore'.. Maidenhair Fern.. Exotica '97.. Forever and Ever.. Barbi in Bali.. Close Your Eyes.. Itchy Palms.. Bam-Boozled.. Hot Like Lava (Exotic style with bird calls, jungle sounds,  bongo drums, etc.)   

This band has faithfully, though with tongue firmly planted in cheek, recreated the lounge music of Hawaii that was so popular in the 50s, right down to the birdcalls. The musicianship is absolutely first-rate, and there are several guest artists like Martin Denny, king of schmaltzy piano, as well as Teresa Bright and Jimmy Borges. With songs like Occasional Man, Barbi in Bali, Maidenhair Fern, Clutch Cargo Cult and Bam-Boozled you can understand why this CD is titled The Forbidden Sounds of Don Tiki.

It was recorded in "pulsating polynesian polyphonics" by the way. 

1.

Exotica '97   Exotica '97

 

2.

Occasional Man,  Occasional Man, An

 

3.

Barbi In Bali   Barbi In Bali

 

4.

Hot Like Lava   Hot Like Lava

 

5.

Close Your Eyes   Close Your Eyes

 

6.

Maidenhair Fern   Maidenhair Fern

 

7.

Terminal   Terminal

 

8.

Polyamore   Polyamore

 

9.

Clutch Cargo Cult   Clutch Cargo Cult

 

10.

Bam-Boozled   Bam-Boozled

 

11.

Itchy Palms   Itchy Palms

 

12.

Da T'ing He Grow   Da T'ing He Grow

 

13.

Forever And Ever   Forever And Ever

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Earth Stood Still - Jimmy Borges

Hideaway Heaven CD - Rare Rockin' Records 1002
6. Sweet
Paradise - Dan Folger 7. Take Me Home - Deanna Kimball 8. The Earth Stood Still - Jimmy Borges 9. I Wanna Be There - Vic Dana 10. But Yesterday - Jamie Coe ...
 

    In the Hilton Paradise Lounge, Jimmy Borges introduced us to Ginny Tiu, and reminded us that she was once the little five-year-old Chinese darling in pony tails whose fingers flew over the piano keys on the Ed Sullivan Show. She is still amazing, and she grew enough for her feet to reach the pedals. She never hammers the keys, she gathers the notes in swirls to give feeling to everything from classics to music of the day. Beethoven may begin, dramatic with da-da-da-dah, and then be spun into outrageous jazz.

She is playing now on the veranda at the Moana Hotel, and it was Christmas time one evening when only a cluster of people had the time to stay late. Until she played "Oh Holy Night" while Danny Couch gave it his full voice. Suddenly, people flooded out of the woodwork to crowd in for the inspired 'Fall on your knees' It was Christmas!

    No one can forget Ginny Tiu. And she remembered Jimmy Durante, who helped her when she was playing a part in a movie with him. The actor who was the villain was scaring her to tears that were for real. She said it was The Schnoz who gently explained on his knees beside her that it was on pretend. She was a little girl who grew up working far into the night, but she missed any hit of breakfast time. She doesn't read notes, she just plays them... Beautifully.

    Lee and I have loved the music of Sydette, Shari Lynne, Azure McCall, and giving more than music to people in need. One night at Trappers before none o'clock, we sat talking to a Hollywood drummer who had arrived to play a concert, but he had just come ups from the beach, and he worried that, dressed in his sloppy beach attire, he would not be allowed to stay. Lee told him that if he got thrown out, we would go with him. He laughed, "Promise?"

    Nine o'clock. Just beginning to sing, Jimmy Borges stopped the music, introduced the Hollywood drummer as one of THE greats, and invited him to play Okimoto's drums. Ragged shoes and all, he was what Jimmy Borges called him, fantastic. Nobody cared how he was dressed. Noel Okimoto is fabulous, and Danny Couch is phenomenal on drums.

Tiu generous with talent        

                                                                                                                                        Click on video

THIS localite was acquainted with Presidents John Kennedy and George Bush, as well as Elvis Presley and Ed Sullivan, Gov. Ben Cayetano. But for all her past celebrity, pianist Ginny Tiu is one of the most unpretentious people I've met. The sister of First Lady Vicky (Tiu) Cayetano, Ginny has performed at Buckingham Palace and Carnegie Hall, played for both Kennedy and Bush and appeared with Elvis in one of his biggest moneymakers,"Girls! Girls! Girls!" set in Hawaii. 1962, Elvis plays a Hawaiian charter boat captain. Suddenly finding himself without a boat, he tries to buy a sailboat that belonged to his father. He works as a tuna fisherman by day and a nightclub entertainer by night, trying hard to save enough cash to buy theKid Galahad/Girls! Girls! Girls! boat. Of course there are numerous girls in Presley's life, but when his best girl helps him get his boat, romantic problems ensue. Girls! Girls! Girls! (sung by Elvis Presley onscreen with The Jordanaires offscreen, danced by Elvis, Ginny and Elizabeth Tiu and Chorus Girls) Earth Boy (sung by Elvis Presley with Ginny and Elizabeth Tiu) Ginny Tiu played [Mai Ling], Elizabeth Tiu [Tai Ling], Alexander Tiu [Mai Ling's Brother]

And she was on the Ed Sullivan show, playing for the very host who introduced Elvis to much of America. Ginny is a very giving person, and has agreed to perform at many nonprofit organizations. Ginny Tiu was actually better known, as a child pianist. Ginny was to be in World's Fair too, but she could not make it so her sister Vicky was put in her place. Ginny Tiu is at home at the grand piano at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel, where she marks her 10th anniversary

Ginny Tiu was a child when she had to make a decision that would be difficult for any adult to make: Did she want to film another movie with Elvis or perform for President John F. Kennedy? "I wanted to do another movie with Elvis (because) being 8 years old, I didn't appreciate the value of playing for President Kennedy. (Shooting) the one I did with Elvis was a short part that only took two weeks max to film, but the role that I was supposed to do (in the next one) was about three-quarters of the movie ... to be with Elvis for three months ... let (my sister) Vicky do the other stuff!

"Looking back now, I'm very, very thankful that I got to do both," Tiu said as she recalled a couple of the highlights in a career that began when she made her national television debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show" at age 5 and continues tomorrow when she celebrates her 10th anniversary as the late-evening headliner at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider Hotel's Banyan Veranda.

Tiu usually plays on the Veranda from 8:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays. There's no cover charge for seats under the banyan tree, and those who get hungry can purchase dinner on the Veranda. Tiu didn't imagine how long the Veranda gig would last when she started, but said she had a feeling after a few months that she "would be there for a while."

Photo Courtesy of Ginny Tiu
Given a choice between starring with Elvis Presley or performing for President John F. Kennedy, an 8-year-old Ginny Tiu chose show biz over politics. She's shown  in a movie still from "Girls! Girls! Girls!," which also featured her sister Elizabeth Tiu, 5, right, and her brother Al.

Sheraton Moana Surfrider is just that kind of place," she said. "I enjoy the clientele. People come back every year, and they're always so glad that I'm still here, and then you get a lot of local people, too." As for her life as a child star, Tiu says it all came naturally. She was intrigued by the sound of the piano and starting playing at 3 1/2.

"My dad played the piano but he didn't do it professionally, and I was mesmerized by this beautiful music coming out of this piece of furniture and I wanted to get to the piano. "He didn't want me to because I was always eating candy (with) sticky fingers and all that, but when he was out one day and my mother heard me picking out tunes that I'd heard him playing -- simple, of course, but I could actually find the notes that I'd heard -- she told him he should listen to me. Then he started teaching me." Tiu says that although she was never forced to play, there were times when practice seemed more like work than fun. "I'm glad I didn't get turned off by it, but sometimes I didn't feel like practicing for four hours. Practicing for more than two hours became work. I wanted to go out and play with the other kids ... but I still love it, and I thank God every day that I get to do what I enjoy so much."

Ginny Tiu celebrates her 10th anniversary this year at the Sheraton Moana-Surfrider.

Tiu grew up in the Philippines, and a family friend who heard her play sent a recording to another friend at an American radio station, who responded by inviting Tiu to be a guest. So Tiu and her parents left the Philippines for what they expected would be a quick two weeks in America. "But Ed Sullivan heard about me and had me in his show, and then boom! Everything happened. Everybody wanted to be my manager, everybody wanted to be my agent, because they didn't have to work. The offers were coming in (on their own). That's why we didn't move back." Tiu made the rounds of the major network variety shows such as "The Perry Como Show" and "The Tonight Show." The two weeks became a year, and finally her parents made the arrangements to bring her brothers and sisters over as well.

And then, in 1962, Tiu was invited to work with Elvis. "Colonel Parker approached my parents ... and that's how I got into 'Girls! Girls! Girls!' My other sister Liz was also in it with me, and my brother, Al, was in there at the end. Vicky (who grew up to become Hawaii's first lady after marrying former Gov. Ben Cayetano) made the second movie because I had other commitments that I couldn't get out of. One of them was playing for President Kennedy."

It Happened at the World's Fair 1963, The motion picture was filmed in Seattle, Washington Seattle
This time it's the world's fair at Seattle. Elvis is an pilot, with whom it goes up and down financial, in love and in the air.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GINNY TIU Ginny Tiu age 5. THE '50s and early '60s are remembered as a time when mainstream American pop culture had a "whites only" aura, but Tiu's appeal transcended such notions. Fans could buy a large Ginny Tiu paper doll that came with numerous ensembles, including the Chinese-style "pajama" outfit she wore onstage. There was also a conventional Ginny Tiu doll (it might be described these days as a "celebrity action figure") whose wardrobe included the pajamas and which gave Asian-American girls an alternative to conventional dolls with Caucasian features. Tiu kept at least one of the paper doll sets and two of the figures. One figure is in pristine boxed condition. The other received a lot of play from one of Tiu's nieces. Looking back, Tiu says she understands why some child stars have problems dealing "with the real world" when they outgrow their childhood celebrity status. For every kid who makes the transition to adult entertainer, there are many others who discover that "cute" has a relatively short shelf life.

"All of a sudden, they grow up and it's 'What happened? Where's everybody?' Sometimes you lose touch with the real world (because entertainment) is not the real world. I went through the awkward stage -- you're not cute anymore, you're not a kid but you're not really grown up yet -- but we lived through it and kept going, and I'm still (performing)."

"I was told that I have this gift, but it's a gift from God and nothing to get big-headed about. It's a gift, and your responsibility is to develop it to its fullest and then to share it with the rest of the world."

Tiu continues to add to her resume with tours of Europe, Asia and South America. She's released two albums since she opened at the Moana, "As Time Goes By" and "Piano Music to Dream By." A third CD is in the planning stages.

"When I came to Hawaii, I wanted to enjoy settling down and staying in one place. I still do my concerts and travel overseas, but I have cut back a lot. I still do what I enjoy. Sometimes when I have a stressful day, I look forward to playing at the Moana. I love it."

 

 UPDATED NEWS

The Moana Surfrider Calendar > SHERATON FLAVORS OF ISLAND MUSIC 

Pianist Ginny Tiu. September

8:30 PM - 10:30 PM
The Sheraton Moana Surfrider is delighted to present one of Hawaii’s most gifted pianists as part of its impressive September evening entertainment line-up.  Recognized worldwide for her brilliant musical talents, pianist Ginny Tiu returns to the Moana Surfrider to dazzle audiences in the hotel’s beautiful Banyan Courtyard from 8:30-10:30 p.m.

Aside from being the sister of Hawaii’s former First Lady Vicky Cayetano, Tiu has made a name for herself with a successful and thriving musical career.  Tiu found fame at a young age when her natural gift for the piano quickly established her as a child star.  Made famous by her first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show at the age of 5, she has since appeared on other major network variety shows such as The Tonight Show, The Perry Como Show and The Danny Thomas Show.

Ginny Tiu has released two albums, “As Time Goes By” and “Piano Music to Dream By” and has toured throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia, playing before audiences such as the late President Kennedy as well as the former President Bush. 

***********************

Lea, Stupendous! You have done so well, I am fascinated with the full information that tells me more and more. You have put it together beautifully, I guess you can tell and take pride. Sorry the inside look of Trappers does not depict the intimacy that once was the real Trappers. That picture was after the room was to turn it into du-wap. Other pictures of Jimmy and Ginny Tiu bring them back so close. You have done a great job. ~ Aloha Mildred

Check out Mildred's Website at http://www.orgsites.com/wa/mildredbergman/index.html

My Sincere Mahalo to Mildred Bergman for photos, friendship and interview

More yet to come

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Photos  supplied by Mildred Bergman with permission to use

Page/ background "Trappers" property of Lea Cook , Mildred Bergman and Danny Couch!

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in any fashion or other website, without written authorization from Danny Couch and Lea Cook, web-owner.

Site Contrived Jan. '01 Launched Apr. '02

© Copyright 2002-2006, Lea Cook, Danny Couch  & DannyCouchFanAddicts

 Seattle WA.

All Rights Reserved

Background is "Trappers" an establishment where many recognized artists were debuted (no longer there) From Mildred's private collection

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Jimmy         &         Ginny