It’s hard to miss him.
When Larry Delrose, also known as “Mr. Entertainment” walks by, it’s like the cast-member of a gilded-age television show is passing by your very eyes.
With his white leather jacket studded in musical notes and his large-collared, wave-patterned shirt, he easily stands out in a crowd.
Most appropriately, Delrose loves to shine as a performer and show host with his weekly variety show at Coronado Shores every Saturday and the annual “Coronado’s Talent,” a stageshow featuring Coronado’s diverse performing community.
Coronado’s Talent in sixth year
This year’s show, in its sixth year, at the Coronado Performing Arts Center at the high school is at 6:35 p.m. on March 16. Tickets are $25 to $100, and net proceeds benefit the Coronado Schools Foundation and the Coronado School of the Arts.
About 20 acts will be competing for over $2,000 in prize money.
Since 2017, Delrose has been the show’s emcee as well as the production architect, helping the host Alan Kinzel and the judges coordinate the show’s acts and line-up.
Yet, Delrose’s role as an entertainer knows no bounds as he has dipped his foot into a variety of media, namely radio, film and writing.
Hollywood dreams
Born in Joliet, Ill., Delrose grew up wanting to be an entertainer, but understanding the risk of trying to make it in Hollywood, decided to pursue a career in real-estate and investment.
Despite engaging in a fulfilling career, Delrose always looked back at his dream of being an entertainer and worked to see how he could realize it.
“Certain things are coming to you and you don’t realize that you’re supposed to get involved. It took me till I was 50 at least to realize that the universe was coming to me, when I was working so hard to get to it,” he said.
Big break
The universe came to Delrose in 1991, when he said by good fortune he was offered a bit role in a film shooting in Chicago.
He immediately hopped on a plane from Palm Springs and was there at noon the next day ready to shoot, he said.
For everyone on set it was another day of filming, but for an effervescent Delrose it was the start of something new.
Joining the Screen Actors Guild in 2002, Delrose explored all sorts of media to fulfill his long standing desire to entertain.
Natasha Lyonne, Hollywood legends
He began doing a nightclub act, hosting variety shows as an emcee, he wrote a book, “Directions To A Happy Life,” and he ultimately penned his own film, “Night Club.”
“Night Club” is about three students at the University of Southern California working the night shift at a retirement home across the street from the university.
Prompted by excessive amounts of boredom, the students team up with two residents to transform the listless senior center into a thriving night club.
Frustrated by an inability to find industry backers, Delrose strove to produce the film himself.
Teaming up with producers Tom Hass, Brian LaBelle, and Samuel Sherman, Delrose set off to make the movie.
Sam Borowski was hired on as the director, and the cast was rounded out by Hollywood legends Ernest Borgnine and Mickey Rooney, as well as a newcomer at the time, Natasha Lyonne, most famous for her roles in the “American Pie” film series and the recent Netflix hit, “Russian Doll.”
The film was released in 2011 and toured several film festivals around the country, even winning Best Feature at the Golden Door International Film Festival in New Jersey.
Delrose has since written several more scripts, but has shifted his focus away from film-making.
Author, radio show
“The movie business isn’t really as satisfying for me as doing nightclub acts and emceeing. You don’t get that instant gratification and a chance to interact with an audience” Delrose said.
Since the release of “Night Club,” Delrose has continued to host variety shows, performing in Coronado and Palm Springs as well as venturing into the worlds of radio and authorship.
Self-published in 2013, Delrose wrote a self-help book titled “Directions to a Happy Life,” a compilation of stories and advice at finding contentment as well as commentary on a myriad of contemporary issues ranging from tips on raising children to opinions on tattoos.
In the world of radio, Delrose has been co-hosting a show with fellow Coronado resident Brett Davis on Salem Radio, sharing human interest stories of individuals overcoming extraneous difficulties. Their show, “The Answer” is available every Saturday at 11 p.m. on 96.1 FM and 1170AM.
