Roy Jay Duka (1918-2003)
He Loved to Make People Laugh
Coo Coo entertained Moodus vacationers year after year
By KEN SIMON
For more than 40 years, Roy J. Duka, known to generations as Coo Coo, helped to make countless Moodus vacations into memorable experiences as the social director first at Ted Hilton's resort and then through ownership changes, at Frank Davis Resort and finally Sunrise.
During his long career, Duka, who died in 2003, became a Moodus legend, entertaining thousands of vacationers with his ability to create moments of fun and escape from day-to-day concerns.
His philosophy was simple: make people laugh. "I don't want to get philosophical, I'm an entertainer," he told the Middletown Press in 1990. "Some entertainers want to change the world, but that's not an entertainer's forte. I don't think entertainers should be political."
The Making of Coo Coo
Entertainment ran in Duka's blood. His earliest inspiration came from watching his father, who billed himself as "Detroit's King of Music," perform throughout the city. Young Roy was instantly captivated by the spotlight.
He worked his way from burlesque to Broadway, rubbing elbows with comedy legends like Milton Berle, Bob Hope, Groucho Marx, and Henny Youngman. “I thought show business would be an easy way out. That was a mistake,” Duka admitted. “It’s a very hard job.” Despite the challenges, he kept at it, fueled by his passion for connecting with audiences.
At Hilton's/Frank Davis/Sunrise, Duka's special gift was his ability to transform shy vacationers into willing participants in the many activities he organized. Whether leading the morning wake-up parade or orchestrating the evening shows, he had a knack for making everyone feel comfortable and engaged. “Without persuading too much, we can open them up,” he said, Throughout the day, he interacted with guests young and old, using his charm and quick wit to create an atmosphere where laughter flowed freely.
Duka understood that family audiences wanted light-hearted, carefree humor, and he delivered just that. As comedy trends shifted toward edgier material, he stuck to his principles. "We're clean entertainment. You don’t have to be dirty to be funny,” he said. As talent show emcee, he masterfully handled acts that crossed the line, doing so with comedic flair. “I make it look like it’s part of the act,” he said, sometimes using a toy gun to playfully “shoot” performers off the stage.
When he wasn't interacting with guests in his job as social director at Hilton's/Frank Davis/Sunrise, Roy Duka performed as Coo Coo the Clown.
In addition to holding forth for more than 40 years as social director at Hilton's/Frank Davis/Sunrise, Roy "Coo Coo" Duka's gigs included emceeing at area nightclubs and seasonal work as Santa at Newington Children's Hospital.
A Life Well Lived
While summer saw Duka as an exuberant presence at Sunrise, the off-season revealed another side. The Colchester resident traded his clown/social director persona for that of a Kirby vacuum cleaner door-to-door salesman. It was a sharp contrast, but one that made perfect sense to him. Selling vacuums allowed him to use his superb people skills to connect in a completely different way, helping families clean their homes rather than clearing their minds on vacation.
Duka measured success not in fame or fortune, but in the respect he earned and the joy he created. "A big entertainer is a big entertainer all his life. A little guy who is a flash in the pan goes down the drain as quickly as he came up,” he observed in the 1990 Press article, taking pride in the lasting relationships he built with returning guests.
Looking back on his career, Duka reflected, “I’ve been up and down. I’ve had some big times and little times. Worked with some wonderful entertainers. I've been very lucky. I've been rich and poor - and poor." Through it all, his enthusiasm never dimmed. “Life is an adventure. Every day is different. I’m just glad I’m here."
Roy “Coo Coo” Duka's legacy lives on in the countless laughs and cherished memories he created. He lived his life as he performed - with joy, humor, and a commitment to making the world a little brighter, one laugh at a time.
Coo Coo masterfully emceed the evening entertainment, including guest talent, magic, and music shows. These clips of a 1996 guest talent show were edited from a VHS video posted by Fran Barone on the Remembering Sunrise Resort Facebook group.
