Michael Airington
As a child Michael Airington opened a fortune cookie and read the following fortune: "Your talents will be discovered and suitably rewarded". Truer words were never written.
A native of Annapolis, Maryland, the multi-talented Airington started performing at the tender age of six. Soon he was participating in every talent contest, school play and local community theater production. As a teen he discovered a real knack for impersonating famous voices and began performing in local nightclubs.
… More Then Airington opened for country superstar Mel Tillis in Richmond, Virginia and as luck would have it, he was asked to go on tour opening the show. Tillis loved the talented teenager's act and the rest is history. Due to Tills' prodding Airington was booked into the supper club circuit where he opened for Brenda Lee, Tony Martin, John Denver and Jackie Vernon. In addition, he opened for the legendary Rosemary Clooney for two summer tours. Before graduating from high school, Airington found himself amidst the glittering lights of Las Vegas, working with Tillis, Wayne Newton and Dottie West.
Airington headed to Los Angeles and straight into the casting offices of Norman Lear and landed small roles Lear's top television sitcoms, "Archie Bunker's Place", "One Day at a Time" and "The Jeffersons". Other projects included an ABC pilot with his friend Mel Tillis, a recurring role on General Hospital and a spokesperson for Mattel Toys. He put together a highly successful revue incorporating his impressions, stand-up comedy and songs; working as a solo act and opening for Joan Rivers among others.
Airington soon decided to hone his skills at writing and producing. He formed a film production company called Hollywood East and soon began co-producing low budget European films. His reputation for bringing projects in on time and under budget was noticed by Shuki Levy, of Saban Entertainment. Levy hired Airington to produce the feature "Blind Vision". Soon after production ended Airington was hired to work in development for Saban Entertainment. Also he was integral in the development of early Reality TV. Airington co-produced "Emergency Call" with Andy Thomas, (the co-creator of "Cops"), and initially developed "Real Stories of the Highway Patrol" for Genesis Entertainment.
Soon after the Los Angeles riots, Airington decided to take a break from L.A. and landed a gig as a morning show host on a top rated Nashville Radio Station. While in Nashville, Airington starred in the movie 'Get Serious" for Ray Stevens and played five characters in a TV pilot called "Heartland" playing opposite the legendary Hoyt Axton. While on the air Airington started to develop his hilarious stable of characters including Fat Larry, Bruce the Olympic Flame and Ester Goldberg, a seventy-two year old Jewish Grandmother. His radio show was supposed to last for one year; four years later, Airington left STAR 106 to go back on stage.
Moving to New York City he started working on a new cabaret show featuring Ester Goldberg. "The Big Show with Ester Goldberg" became one of the most sought after live shows on the East coast in just a few short weeks. Soon Airington decided to take the show to Washington D.C. and to prove the character 'had legs'. If Ester could make it in stuffy political D.C., she could make it anywhere. Four years later, Airington and Ester were honored by the nation's capital when on December 2, 2003, Washington D.C. proclaimed the day "Ester Goldberg Day". This was the first time in the history of the city that a comedy character was honored in such a manner. Ester continues to make public appearances entertaining around the country.
Then fate intervened, focusing his talents on a new project and a move back to Los Angeles. Airington had always wanted to do a show about Paul Lynde. Michael had been performing an impression of the famous comic actor for years. A friend forwarded an EBAY Auction link from a flea market salesman who had found a box of music in an abandoned storage unit in Hollywood, THE PAUL LYNDE SHOW was painted on the side. The touring box belonged to the musical director of Paul Lynde's 1976 one man nightclub show. Inside were the charts, music and comedy of the entire show. Airington purchased the box for one hundred dollars, he then and there decided to recreate Lynde's nightclub act. With special makeup and wig designed by award winning make-up artist Debbie Zoller, Airington becomes Lynde for the one hour show of hilarious jokes, music and downright silliness.
"A Night with Paul Lynde" allows us to go back in time and revisit one of America's true comic genius's. He's Backkkkk…sort of.
SrRui
Paul_Lynde_fan
