By Karen Wolitzer
In
Beaches (I cry every time I see it!) she played Leona Blume, (Bette Midler's mother) and in
My Big Fat Greek Wedding she played Maria Portokalos, (Nia Vardalos' mom). Of course, she's been in many, many other movies...but those are my favorites and that's why I wanted to talk with her when I found out she was going to be appearing at Westbury Music Fair on May 31.Lainie loved
My Big Fat Greek Wedding, too and says she was shocked by the movie's success. "I was asked to a reading of it with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson and I jumped at the chance. Afterward, they said, 'if we ever do the movie we'll call you...' and I never expected to get that call. About two years later I got a phone call asking me to do the movie. We did it for a very little bit of money, in Canada, and we didn't hear about it again for another year. Then the first weekend it was out we were all asked to e-mail our friends to tell them about it. And we e-mailed Greek Churches and the next thing you know it began to snowball and it grew and grew and grew and grew." As for
Beaches, Lainie calls it "the sweetest movie" and says that she and Bette have remained good friends. Her next movie is coming out this summer and stars Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Al Pacino and Christopher Walken. "It's called
Gigli; I play Ben's mother, who is a very tough woman. I loved working with them...and I saw no sign of a romance..."In all the movies I've seen Lainie in...I've never heard her sing, so I was surprised that that's what she's going to be doing at Westbury. "I started out singing; it's my first talent and my primary passion," she enthused. "I've been singing all my life. I used to be on all the variety shows...like the
Dean Martin Show. I sang all over the world with symphonies. This summer I'll do some jazz festivals around the country. I've sung in Vegas for thirty years. I have two CD's out-one with my daughter (Jennifer Bena) it's called
In The Groove. And one by myself, called
Body and Soul...With such an impressive singing background, it's no surprise that she's performed at Westbury Music Fair many, many times. "I love it," she says with a smile. "I did my first play ever there,
South Pacific in 1964, and got my equity card there. I'm looking forward to returning. I'll be singing standard ballads like
I'm a Fool to Want You, The Man That Got Away, Body and Soul...then I'll do some comedy stuff. But mostly standards of Cole Porter, Richard Rogers, Sondheim..."Comedian Pat Cooper will be joining Lainie at Westbury. "He's so funny," she says. The admiration is mutual. "Lainie's a great singer and a wonderful actress...she's a survivor," says Pat.He began his career in 1963 on
The Jackie Gleason Show. Born Pasquale Caputo, Pat continues to enthrall standing-room-only audiences with lovable, "comedy anger." For nearly four decades he has appeared on many stages, from comedy clubs to major theaters, including the legendary Copacabana, Trump's Castle, Caesar's Palace, the MGM Grand Hotel, and Harrah's in Atlantic City. Now you can see him at Westbury."I'm looking forward to playing there, again," he says. "I used to work there, seven days a week when it was a tent...way, way back. It's one of the great venues in the country."I'll be doing what I do best...I know what people want to hear from me. They want to hear how things have changed. People like to laugh and I want them to go home and think...he was funny but he said something. "I'm thrilled that people still want to come and see me...and that the phone is still ringing. When that stops it's over."Well, it doesn't look like its' going to be over for either one of these talented performers for a very, very long time!
