The 14th annual College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame celebration at UNLV will honor master magician Lance Burton, actor and director Matthew Gray Gubler, and legendary stuntman Willie Harris during a cocktail reception, dinner, and ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, in the Student Union ballroom. Also being recognized with the Koep Dean's Medal are entertainers Carol Channing and the late Debbie Reynolds. George Grove of The Kingston Trio will be recognized as Alumnus of the Year.
The Hall of Fame was founded in 2003 to honor past and present residents of Southern Nevada who have made a significant impact in the areas of visual arts, performing arts, and/or architecture. Past inductees include Tony Curtis; Phyllis McGuire; Robert Goulet; The Killers; Liberace; architects Tony Marnell, John Klai, Tom Schoeman, and William Snyder; Penn & Teller; and Siegfried & Roy, among others.
Tickets are $200 for the VIP reception, dinner, and ceremony or $100 for just the dinner and ceremony. Tickets are available by calling 702-895-4210 or contacting Suzette Dacuag at suzette.dacuag@unlv.edu.
Burton is widely considered this century’s greatest stage magician. As magic historian Mike Caveney stated, “Take every magician in the world, line them up and give them each 12 minutes … Lance wins!” Now retired after a 30-year career, Burton currently is working on a number of documentary and narrative film projects.
Gubler is best known for his starring role as the lovable genius Dr. Spencer Reid on the hit crime drama Criminal Minds. He graduated from Las Vegas Academy and New York University. Also an accomplished painter, Gubler is known for his vivid and expressionistic portraits of people, animals, and imaginary monsters.
A fortuitous exchange with actor Elliot Gould helped launch the career of Hollywood stuntman Harris. His big break came in 1971 with the film Dirty Harry, plus additional credits in They Call Me Mister Tibbs, Trader Horn, and the Carol Burnett Show. As president of the Black Stuntmen’s Association, Harris has advocated for African-Americans in the industry for nearly 50 years.
Channing has been a star of international acclaim since her debut on Broadway as Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. A winner of three Tony Awards and a Golden Globe Award, the Oscar nominee also has recorded 10 gold albums during her 70-plus year career. In 2009, Channing was one of the first legendary ladies of stage and screen to be inducted into the Smithsonian Institution.
Known for her boundless energy and perky demeanor, legendary actress Reynolds made memorable turns in films such as Singin' in the Rain, The Tender Trap, Tammy and the Bachelor, and The Unsinkable Molly Brown for which she received an Academy Award nomination. She entertained us for more than 40 years via film, television, and stage.
An accomplished musician with The Kingston Trio, Grove returned to school at UNLV, earning a masters of music degree in jazz composition in 2001. Since then, he has written musical and orchestral scores for various artists. Grove has spent much of his career on the road, devoting his professional career to his passion for American folk music and love of performance. He resides in Las Vegas with his wife, Cindy.
