Newton, Orlando Make Nice

By Stephen M. Silverman

10/17/1997 at 12:00 AM EDT

Two '70s icons, Wayne Newton and Tony Orlando, met this week to see if they might settle double-barreled lawsuits against each other and thereby avoid going to trial, reports the Associated Press. Their disagreement stems over a theater they both once shared in Branson, Mo. In April 1999, Orlando sued Newton for more than $15 million, accusing the "Danke Shane" singer of wrongly kicking him out of the business the year before and damaging his reputation. Newton then countersued for $20 million, claiming that the "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" singer had spread false information about him. The case is scheduled to go to trial next spring, but the federal judge handling it ordered the entertainers to explore a settlement. No such agreement was reported from this week's meeting, however.