John Davidson

Handsome Crooner Has Shone in Nightclubs, Film, Television and Broadway

When it comes to all-star entertainment, you name it, John Davidson has done it! We all know him as the host of such iconic televisions shows as Hollywood Squares and That's Incredible!, but his show business career actually began 47 years ago. Fresh with a drama degree, he immediately landed on Broadway, co-starring in the musical Foxy, opposite the legendary Bert Lahr.

From there the credits for the everlastingly youthful singer and actor multiplied exponentially.

Theater: Lead in Broadway revival of Oklahoma; lead in Rodgers and Hammerstein's original State Fair; lead in regional and national productions of such hits as The Music Man, Camelot, Carousel, Man of La Mancha, Chicago, Neil Simon's Rumors, and Will Rogers Follies; and his very own theater for three years in Branson, Missouri.

Movies: Starring or supporting roles in The Happiest Millionaire, Edward Scissorhands, Airport '79, and others.

Television: Two years as host of The John Davidson Show; 80 appearances on The Tonight Show -- the only singer to achieve that milestone; regular host of The Kraft Music Halland The $100,000 Pyramid; even a dramatic role on The Streets of San Francisco. And that's not all.

Nightclubs: Introduced to Las Vegas audiences by Jack Benny in 1966, Davidson has headlined at the Las Vegas Hilton, the MGM Grand, Caesar's Palace, the Riviera, the Desert Inn, the Golden Nugget and Harrah's.

In recent years he has written and starred in his autobiographical play, Father/Son (& Holy Ghost), derived from his experiences growing up as the offspring of two ordained American Baptist ministers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Davidson and his wife Rhonda, who he met in Branson while she was singing with Vicki Carr, even found the time to create a popular game, Borderline, that educates children in world geography.

He has three achieving children in John, Jr., a business consultant; Jennifer, a professional ice skater; and Ashleigh, who appeared with her father on the national tour of State Fair.

Through it all the Big Smile of Papa has dominated. You don’t think of hand some, mop-haired John Davidson with out envisioning the beaming countenance that exudes natural exuberance to frame his unique singing and performing talent.

A smash hit with Follies audiences three years ago, Davidson returns to headline the Follies' holiday show, aglow with the fervor to please an audience with which the 70-year-old veteran star can identify.