Page "Danny Kaye" Paragraph 4

Kaminsky's first break came in 1933 when he was asked to become one of the " Three Terpsichoreans ", a vaudeville dance act.

He opened with them in Utica, New York using the name Danny Kaye for the first time.

The act toured the United States, then signed on to perform in the Orient with the show La Vie Paree.

The troupe left for six months in the Far East on 8 February 1934.

While the group was in Osaka, Japan, a typhoon hit the city.

The hotel Kaye and his colleagues stayed in suffered heavy damage ; a piece of the hotel's cornice was hurled into Kaye's room by the strong wind, nearly killing him.

By performance time that evening, the city was still in the grip of the storm.

There was no power and the audience had become understandably restless and nervous.

To keep everyone calm, Kaye went on stage, his face lit by a flashlight, and sang every song he could recall as loudly as he was able.

The experience of trying to entertain audiences who did not speak English is what brought him to the pantomimes, gestures, songs and facial expressions which eventually made him famous.

Sometimes it was necessary just to try to get a meal.

Kaye's daughter, Dena, tells a story her father related about being at a restaurant in China and trying to order chicken.

Kaye flapped his arms and clucked, giving the waiter his best imitation of a chicken.

The waiter nodded his understanding, bringing Kaye two eggs.

His interest in cooking began on the tour.