“The melodies are unbelievable but I really like the messages in the lyrics,” said Danza, 73. “There is a song in the show I sing called ‘Please Be Kind.’ ‘Handle my heart with care, please be kind. This is all so grand, my dreams are on parade.’ And my dreams are on parade when I do my show. I also love the ballads like ‘I’ve Never Been in Love Before.’ The inside rhymes within the songs are mind-boggling. I love singing them all.”
Danza warmly credits his mother for fueling his admiration for Sinatra.
“As a kid I sang along to his records, and unbelievably I ended up around him and with him in Hollywood, New York and L.A.,” he said. “I loved the way he took charge on stage. He had incredible posture. He also stood on his heels so he appeared taller or was as tall as he could be. He was also incredibly generous.”
He also addressed the legendary singer’s prickly duality.
“I do a section in the show about getting yelled at by Sinatra,” Danza said. “Believe me, I know both sides. But he (was a) genius.”
The aforementioned Cahn, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Song four times for his lyrics to such classics as “Three Coins in the Fountain” and “All the Way,” also figured prominently in Danza’s life.
“Sammy was my dear friend and he also got me deeper into Sinatra’s circle,” he recalled. “Sammy took me under his wing. He was incredible.”
Danza has entertained audiences for more than 40 years and is perhaps best known for his starring roles on “Taxi” and “Who’s The Boss?” He also starred in hit films such as “Angels in the Outfield,” “She’s Out of Control,” “Hollywood Knights,” and Don Jon.”
He’s also starred on Broadway in “The Producers” and “A View from the Bridge,” and most recently received rave reviews for his performance in Jason Robert Brown’s Drama Desk-nominated musical adaptation of “Honeymoon in Vegas,” with the New York Times calling his performance “sly genius” and a “career high.” He received an Emmy nomination for his guest spot on “The Practice,” and he has recently made special appearances on hit shows like “Blue Bloods” and “Broad City.”
Danza most recently starred in the Hulu original film “Darby and the Dead,” in “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” on Starz, in the Netflix series “The Good Cop,” in the series “There’s Johnny” on Hulu, in the animated feature “Rumble” for Paramount, and in “And Just Like That,” the sequel to “Sex In The City,” on HBO Max.
Looking back on his extensive television career, he acknowledged the generational difference of today’s viewing habits which mark a stark contrast from 40 years ago.
“It’s part and parcel of just the fragmentation of our society,” Danza said. “We don’t watch the same thing anymore. We don’t have those moments that affect us all in the same way. The “M*A*S*H” finale or weekly (episodes of) ‘Who’s The Boss?’ sort of common-ized us. It brought us together.”
Nonetheless portraying former baseball player, housekeeper and single father Tony Micelli for eight seasons remains one of his proudest achievements.
“The music of the Great American Songbook is filled with messages, (especially of) love,” Danza said. “And I was always very concerned about the message ‘Who’s The Boss?’ sent. Every episode had to (have) a message. There were parents and kids out there and I wanted to be a good influence. With influence should come some responsibility and sometimes nowadays it doesn’t.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
He promises Saturday’s concert, featuring his four-piece band, will be fun, engaging and tuneful.
“It’s my responsibility to give (everyone) a whole show,” Danza said. “I want to make them laugh. I want to make a connection. I’m going to sing and dance and play my ukulele.”
HOW TO GO
What: Tony Danza: Standards and Stories
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12
Where: Arbogast Performing Arts Center, 500 S. Dorset Road, Troy
Cost: $35-$95
More info: etix.com/ticket/v/21323 or call the APAC Box Office at 937-418-8392
About the Author