News: Neillsville Kiwanis Club (Talent Show - 1962)

Contact: Dolores

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Thornton, Rohland, Busse, Krantz, West, Bieneck, Armitage, Flynn, Ruedy, Noeldner, Mathis, Goettl, Montgomery, Jacob, Slone, Harcey, Yenni, Walk, Radloff, Langreck, Dyer, Becker, Meyer, Pflughoeft, Trimberger, Opelt, Thompson, Soderberg, Gall, Harvey

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) March 29, 1962

Neillsville Kiwanis Club (Talent Show - 1962)

An audience of approximately 400 appreciative people attended the first annual Talent Show of the Neillsville Kiwanis Club in the Neillsville High School gymnasium last Saturday night.

They heard 16 acts from all parts of Clark County competing for $55 in cash awards in a two-hour program, and provided nearly $100 net for community service projects of Kiwanis Club.

Winner of the competition and the $25 first prize was Gary Thornton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Thornton, of Neillsville, with a difficult trumpet solo. Close behind in second place was Louise Rohland, petite Withee songbird, whose state presence won for her second place and $15 in cash.

Third place, and a $10 award, went to Carole Busse and Doris Krantz of Abbotsford, who presented a humorous pantomime act; and a three-way tie for fourth place listed the three Denk sisters of Loyal with a close-harmony vocal act, Carol West with her soprano solo, and the Bieneck sisters, Iris and Lila, in a vocal duet.

Getting the show off to a good start were the Three Brims - Bob Armitage, John Flynn and Don Ruedy - whose professional performance was well-received. They also appeared at the close of the show while the judges were evaluating the acts.  Also favorites of the crowd - and of Clark County residents, generally - were the Noeldner sisters of Loyal, who entertained during the intermission with vocal and instrumental quartets.

Others on the program included Howard Mathis, Neillsville seventh grade student, with a cornet solo; a folk dance troupe from Thorp; Charlyenne Goettl of Cadott in an accordion solo; Colleen Montgomery of Granton in a baritone horn solo; a flute quartet from Neillsville composed of Karlyn Jacob, Kathy Slone, Karen Harcey and Janice Yenni; Danny Slone of Neillsville, in a vocal solo; the Pompets, Neillsville’s senior cheerleaders (Kay Walk, Marilyn Radloff, Kaila Langreck, Dixie Dyer and Carol Becker), in an unusual precision number; a piano duet by Barbara Meyer and Pat Pflughoeft of Neillsville; a saxophone solo by Kaila Langreck; and the Singing Slones (Danny, Kathy, Dicky and Mary) in a vocal number.

Master of ceremonies duties were split between Wayne W. Trimberger and Earl Ruedy, members of the Kiwanis Club, assisted in a walk-on part by Jerry Opelt.  General Chairman and majordomo was Robert Thompson.  Judges were Pat Soderberg of Thorp, and Gary Gall and Robert Harvey of Neillsville.