Musician, actor and television personality John Davidson will perform the fourth concert of the Golden Belt Community Concert Association’s 2010-11 season. Set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Great Bend Municipal Auditorium, Lakin and Stone, the concert is available to concert association members. Full-time students will be admitted to the concert for a $5 donation at the door. The auditorium will open at 6:30 p.m.
Davidson’s career in music, theatre, television and film spans 40 years. On television, he has hosted "That’s Incredible," "The New Hollywood Squares," "One Hundred Thousand Dollar Pyramid," "The Tonight Show" (80 evenings, more than any other singer), "The John Davidson Daytime Talk Show," and various prime time specials and beauty pageants. He also played Sally Field’s husband in the television series, "The Girl With Something Extra."
His feature film career began with the Walt Disney musicals, "The Happiest Millionaire" and "The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band." These were followed by "Airport 80," "Edward Scissorhands" and "The Squeeze."
Born in December 1941, Davidson is one of four sons whose parents both were ordained American Baptist ministers. After a New York City modeling career enjoyed while a student at White Plains High School, Davidson attended Denison University, where he spent three summer seasons with the Denison Summer Theater (30 shows) graduating with a bachelor’s degree in theater arts. He then went on to Broadway, where he played Burt Lahr’s son in the musical, "Foxy."
Television producer Bob Banner discovered Davidson on Broadway and molded his career in the late 1960s. Davidson starred in The Hallmark Hall Of Fame version of "The Fantasticks," playing Matt. He received The Theater Guild Award for his portrayal of Curly in the Broadway revival of "Oklahoma," and he hosted The Kraft Summer Music Hall with regulars George Carlin, Flip Wilson and Richard Pryor.
A Columbia Records contract led to 13 albums and brought Davidson to the major Las Vegas showrooms. During these years, Davidson also began starring in regional theaters, eventually playing Harold Hill in "The Music Man," Starbuck in "110 in the Shade," Lancelot in "Camelot," Billy in "Carousel," Will in "Will Rogers Follies," Billy Flynn in "Chicago," Charlie Anderson in "Shenandoah," Cervantes in "Man Of La Mancha," and Teddy Roosevelt in the one-man show, "Bully."
Davidson had his own theater in Branson for three years, before returning to Broadway to star in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s new musical, "State Fair," and in the off-Broadway production of "High Infidelity" with Morgan Fairchild. Davidson is the author of the educational book, "The Art of the Singing Entertainer," and the play, "Father/Son & Holy Ghost."
