The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada • Page 84

NEW YORK Des O'Connor, his clean features and soft brown hair showing the-effects of some time in the sun, walked. down an advertising agency aisle, populated by several dozen secretaries, and disappeared into an end office. i Once inside, he broke into a broad smite in his gentle Irish-English burr, said, "Isn't that marvelous? No one even noticed me. Back in England, I would have. been, mobbed." 1 O'Connor is one of Britain's most popular entertainers, but a nonentity on these shores.

"At home, he has starred in several successful TV series, is among the; country's top recording stars, and last year broke the record at the Palladium with a 35-week It is little" wonder that 'The Kraft Music Hall" chose jiiinjto host their summer run, schemed to be taped in London. In Canada he has replaced Engelbert Humperdinck. N- "I was playing the Palladium," Des said, "when I got the" word that I was up for the show. Then I spend six miserable weeks waiting for the final word. "During that time, I had dozens of people come to catch the show.

There were people from Thompson (the advertising agency), Yorkshire (the production company) NBC and Lord knows what else. Six weeks of auditioning can be a long time, you know." The O'Connor style is a bit hard to describe, even to the star. "RPITIQH TA "I started out a.s a comedian," he -DIxl I lOll I "MX said, "but now I sing, do a bit of dancing and most everything else that's to be done on a variety stage- "I suppose the biggest difference is that I never( push, or try to overpower. I just kind of shrug my shoulders and try to make people like what I'm doing. And it seems to work." He says his summeseries will be low-keyed.

"I think the audience has been satiated with politics and sex," he said. mind you, I enjoy a bit of. both myself, but for the show there's more than enough room in our everyday lives, our normal experience, to provide plenty of fodder for humor. "I'm different do lots of things. But I do nothing that is brilliant" NONENTITY ON U.S.

TV By FRANK LAN GLEY.