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THE JEWISH NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
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either rain, sleet or
gloom of morning can
keep this guy from the
swift completion of his
appointed rounds.
Why? Because his customers depend
on him, some for as long as 15 years.
Snow or shine, happy-go-lucky Allen
Schwartz, 54, combines his work and
pleasure by entertaining customers
and passersby with his singing.
Years ago, he inherited his
father's small window-washing busi-
ness. Schwartz has followed in his
dad's footsteps. "My dad was funny:
a singing, dancing comic. I guess I
got most of that from him. And over
the past 15 years washing windows,
I remember the customers used to
call him The Mayor of Dexter' be-
cause that's where his route was.
I've had a few people, who maybe
didn't even know my dad, call me
The Mayor of Southfield' and every
time they do that, I think- of my
dad."
With encouragement from his
girlfriend, Schwartz cut a low-budget
demo tape at Guest Artist in Tally
Hall. He recorded Old Black Magic
on a ready-made sound track. "I like
to have people listen to it 'cause I'm
not shy so I asked one of my custom-
ers to listen to it. And he did. He
told me to make him a copy." The
man, in turn, passed it on to J.P.
McCarthy, reigning king of the
morning drive-time at WJR-AM.
McCarthy aired the tape on the
"Make-it or Break-it" segment of his
show in which he highlights local
artists and asks his audience to call
in. On May 19, all the incoming
calls unanimously said "make it!"
Callers made such comments as
"sounds as good as Sinatra," "he's
fantastic," "he's better than
Sinatra."
Those people who called in were
"all strangers of course," Schwartz
assures. "In fact, I was genuinely
surprised to hear that people actu-
ally like the recording."
Later that same morning,
McCarthy interviewed Schwartz on-
the-air. The next day, Schwartz de-
cided to call McCarthy off the air to
thank him again for the air play.
Again, McCarthy put Schwartz on
Al
"The Singing
Window Washer"
Schwartz
goes beyond
whistling while
he works
Continued on next page
Special to The Jewish News
SANDRA MAURER
WEEK OF DECEMBER 5-11
GOING oPL ACES
LISTINGS WELCOME
Performing a pas de deux?
Screening a film? Staging a
play? If so, The Jewish News
wants to hear about it in our
new entertainment calendar,
Going Places. Send concert,
film, dance, comedy, club
and other entertainment ac-
tivity listings to Entertain-
ment Calendar, The Jewish
News, 20300 Civic Center Dr.,
Suite 240, Southfield 48076.
Items must be typed,
double-spaced and include
the time, date, place, admis-
sion charge of each event
and a name and phone
number of someone to call
during business hours. List-
ings must be received at
least two weeks prior to pub-
lication.
SPECIAL EVENTS
YOUNG VARIETY CLUB OF
DETROIT AND FRIENDS OF
M.S.: Tel-12 Mall Restaurants
on Main Street, "Music on
Main Street" concert; 7 p.m.
Sunday, admission, to benefit
Young Variety Clubs charities
for children and the Multiple
Sclerosis Society, 533-7188 or
332-4090.
MUSIC
DETROIT SYMPHONY OR-
CHESTRA: Orchestra Hall,
guest conductor Esa-Pekka
Salonen, 8 p.m. today; and
Ford Auditorium, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, with pianist Walter
Klien, admission, 567-1400.
SOUTHFIELD SYMPHONY
Southfield-
ORCHESTRA:
Lathrup High School, 19301
W. 12 Mile, Southfield, con-
cert, 8 p.m. today, 535-6928
or 557-1643.
FARMINGTON COMMUNITY
BAND: North Farmington High
School Auditorium, 32900 W.
13 Mile, flute soloist Shaul
Ben-meir, 3 p.m. Sunday, ad-
mission, 477-3596 or 661-
4604.
MEADOW BROOK ESTATE
SHOW ENSEMBLE: Varner
Recital Hall, One Planet, One
People ... Please, 8 p.m.
today and Saturday, 3 p.m.
Sunday, admission, 370-3013.
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
CHORAL UNION AND OR-
CHESTRA AND THE WSU
Community
ORCHESTRA:
Arts Auditorium, concert, 4:30
p.m. Sunday, admission, 577-
1795.
THEATER
HYATT REGENCY DEAR-
BORN: Second Level, The
Club, original Neil Simon
classic, The Odd Couple, by
Jimmy Launce Productions,
8:30 p.m., now through Jan.
10, admission, reservations,
593-1234, ext. 2323.
DINNER
SOMERSET
Lower Level,
THEATRE:
Somerset Mall, Squabbles, by
Jimmy Launce Productions;
8:15 p.m. today, through Jan.
17, admission, reservations,
649-6629.
DOWNTOWN DINNER THEA-
TER: Veterans Memorial Build-
ing banquet hall, They're Play-
ing Our Song, presented by
Jimmy Launce Productions,
cocktails 6:30 p.m., dinner at
7, curtain at 8:45 today, every
Friday and Saturday, admis-
sion, reservations, 224-6000.
ATTIC THEATER: 7339 Third,
Detroit, Vaudeville by Laur-
ence Carr, 8 p.m. today, 5:30
and 9 p.m. Saturday and 2:20
and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, through
Dec. 21, admission, 875-8284.
Continued on next page
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