Las Vegas Comedy Team: Steve Rossi & Sandy Haclett

Las Vegas Steve Rossi & Sandy Hackett....

Steve Rossi was part of a comedy duo with Marty Allen in the '60s and '70s. They played Vegas, appeared on game shows and made many appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show.

The longtime Las Vegan still appears at age 70+ where he performs with sometimes-comedy partner Sandy Hackett. Rossi is also a frequent guest at area parties, business openings and showrooms.

Was Howard Stern's manager at one time and a frequent guest on his radio show (around 125 times).

The third and last time he teamed with Marty Allen was during the early 1990s where they performed at Vegas World for four years.

In the process of publishing a joke book, a how-to book for stand-up comedians, entitled "Stand-up Comedy for Wanna-be Comedians."

Also a celebrity spokesman for major companies.

Marty Allen and Slappy White were his best known comedy partners. Other short-lived partners over time included Joe E. Ross the "ooh-ooh" guy from "Car 54, Where Are You?" and Bernie Allen (again "Allen & Rossi").

Was enrolled at Loyola Catholic University in an Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. After he graduated he went into the service for two years. Following his discharge, he returned to Loyola and received his master's degree in Greek and Latin.

It was Mae West who gave Steve his stage moniker while they were playing the Sahara in Vegas. She gave him a smaller-sized name because his real name took up too much of the marquee and tended to overshadow hers. He worked with Ms. West for 14 months in her muscleman nightclub act as her handsome leading man who sang to her in the show and fed her comic lines. Other such performing venues included Ciro's Supper Club on the Sunset Strip.

Rossi, a native of Harlem, N.Y., was given the nickname "The Legend" by shock jock Howard Stern.

He first partnered up with the inestimable Mae West in 1953 after performing singing leads in such musicals as "The Student Prince" at the Los Angeles Civic Light Company.

Attended Loyola University for a time pursuing a degree in communication arts and theater.

Allen & Rossi were patterned after Martin & Lewis, Rossi being the handsome, singing straight man type. After breaking up the first time in 1968, they reteamed twice more during a span of 30 years.

In 1969, after breaking up with Marty Allen, Rossi teamed with up with African-American comic Slappy White, becoming one of the first successful racially-mixed comedy acts.

Said that Martin and Lewis' comedy team is one of his greatest influences. He considers Dean Martin one of the greatest comedy straight men of all time.

Personal Quotes

"When I was first breaking in [show business], you couldn't believe the sweat. You find out the audience is great if they like you, but horrible if they don't. And I found out the worst noise in the world is silence."

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Las Vegas
• Comedy
• Legend
• Howard Stern
• Matry Allen
• Ed Sullivan
• Mae West
• Sahara
• Vegas World

[Freevegascomedy]

old school vegas. Classic

[bigred997]

this is good material but his partner is no Marty Allen. He has no stage presence.

[candymintz]

hellodere dot c