Voices: The Danny Gans Story: A Touching Doc

In an era when documentaries and biopics can be produced not only without the authorization of the subject or their estate, but sometimes without their knowledge, it can be refreshing to find one that’s helmed by a member of their family. Producer Andrew Davies Gans has released his directorial debut, Voices: The Danny Gans Story, chronicling the life and sudden death of his father, a Las Vegas legend. While he doesn’t shy away from the more difficult moments, there’s still plenty of love and respect shown in the stories told by those who truly knew him best.

“Making this film is my version of having a few more years with him”

As with most documentaries, Voices: The Danny Gans Story starts at the beginning of the performer’s life. Born and raised in southern California, Danny had dreams of playing professional baseball, which he very nearly succeeded at before suffering a career-ending injury. However, utilizing a talent for singing and impressions, he was able to pivot into a new path of impersonating various singers across the decades, from Dean Martin to Michael Jackson and dozens in-between. Gans was able to make the leap from corporate events to a Broadway show before finding his true entertainment home in Las Vegas, eventually getting his name on a theater at the Mirage Hotel.

As the years went on, he solidified his place in the pantheon of Vegas performers before dying suddenly in 2009 at the age of 52. Now, his son has taken the task of interviewing family members, longtime friends of his father’s, and celebrities such as Louie Anderson, Donny Osmond, and magician Lance Burton to create a full, vivid portrait of who Danny Gans was, both on and offstage. Along the way, he learns the good, the bad, and the ugly about his father’s life and career while still celebrating his legacy as a performer, a human, a husband, and a father.

The Man of a Thousand Voices

The strength of Voices: The Danny Gans Story, first and foremost, lies in its director. Andrew Davies Gans was clearly thorough in interviewing anyone and everyone he could, including his own family, to get as many stories as possible in both formal interview sessions and informal conversations. These, coupled with archival footage from performances, talk show appearances, sitcom roles, and traditional photographs, provide the audience with a comprehensive look at the man and his life. It’s also very commendable that Andrew decided to include some of the more difficult topics, particularly his father’s health and circumstances surrounding his death, which he even discussed his struggle with on-camera. It’s not an easy decision to make, being so candid about someone’s life, but it’s the inclusion of those moments and stories that are so important in providing the truth of someone’s life, and not just the polished image.

Where the film hits a snag, however, is not in the content but rather the overall structure. The first half is solid, documenting Gans’ early life and rise to stardom, but around the halfway point we discuss his death, only to jump back into his career before moving on to his health and other topics. In completely disrupting the linear narrative, I was expecting the back half of the documentary to be about his legacy or impact on the entertainment community following his death, but instead it seemed to be a misstep in editing that really took me out of the viewing experience.

VOICES: The Danny Gans Story: One for the Fans

There is no question that this documentary is a labor of love. Andrew has done a remarkable job of creating a testament to his father’s life and legacy in a way that everyone can enjoy. Even if you know nothing about Danny Gans, you will walk away from this having learned something, and will be impressed by at least some of his accomplishments. However, viewers who are already fans of his work may be a more likely audience than those who will walk into this blind.