Hotels

Especially show business people. Those who have made it to -- and in -- Las Vegas have no shortage of "war stories."

For a man-about-town columnist, the allures of working in Las Vegas are the treasure trove of entertainment history here and the wealth of storytellers.

On occasion, though, the better story involves what goes unsaid.

Take the 1999 interview with Connie Chung at Mandalay Bay, during Bette Midler's rehearsal for her New Year's shows.

Some background: During my Associated Press days in Los Angeles in the early 1980s, I had heard that Chung, then a local TV anchor, and Glenn Frey of the Eagles were dating.

Hoping I wasn't wading into end-of-interview territory, I broached the subject that day at Mandalay Bay.

Chung happily recalled their first date and how Frey played the piano and sang to her for almost an hour at the restaurant where they were dining.

Again I nibbled around the edges. I asked if their relationship fit in the "friendship" category or were they an "item."

Her reaction was almost schoolgirlish.

All smiles, and slightly giggling, she began moving her feet like an American Indian dancer until she had slowly danced a circle around me. That was her answer. I couldn't resist: "Connie, that's known as dancing around a question."

With that, here are some favorites from my best-of collection of stories I've heard from Las Vegas headliners:

Wayne Newton (Stardust)

"When I was 15, my brother Jerry and I were guaranteed two weeks at the Fremont if they could get me a work permit.

"The city manager at the time was Michael O'Callaghan. Eddie Torres, who owned the Fremont at the time, went to O'Callaghan because I was underage and they worked things out with the powers that be.

"They allowed me to work in the lounge onstage but I was never allowed to be in the room or the casino at any time.

"We did six shows a night, six nights a week. Two weeks turned into 46 weeks the first year. My brother and I were making $500 a week between the two of us and it really wasn't that much.

"In those years (late '50s), Las Vegas was just starting into its heyday. We had joined the American Federation of Musicians Union in Phoenix and the union had a traveling tax, so we had to give up $180 of the $500.

"That left us $320 and we had to pay our rent at the Monte Carlo, which was then across from where the Stratosphere is. Rent was around $100 a week. After living expenses, we shipped home maybe $50 to $75 a month.

"When 'Danke Schoen' hit in 1963, we added a drummer and bass player and I called Eddie Torres to tell him we were adding these musicians and could we get money to pay them.

"He said absolutely, and he raised us to $700 a week for the four of us -- with the No. 1 record in the country."

Frankie Scinta of The Scintas (Rio)

"I'm doing a Sinatra song and this guy will not stop talking.

"Finally my brother looks over at the guy, who was smoking a rope of a cigar, and said, 'We're not interrupting your show are we?'

"In a gravelly voice, he started swearing. 'Who are these guys? I want to know their names.'

"It goes back and forth. Little by little we are noticing people asking for checks and leaving, and after razzing this guy for a good 10 to 15 minutes my brother says, 'Maybe we better take a break.'

"I go in the bathroom and two very large men in their 50s come in. One put his foot on the door and one stands right behind me. He looks at me and says, 'I think if you go and apologize to' -- let's just say Mr. Ravioli -- 'he'll forget the whole thing.'

"So I said, 'Junior or Senior?' I knew the name immediately.

"So now, after a bunch of phone calls to my dad, he was a fireman, and my brother, my father leaves the firehouse and my dad shows up.

"Dad says, 'Do you want to apologize?' I told him, 'Yes.'

"As I walk up to the table, all 20 people that were there stop talking.

"I go up with a Mickey Mouse voice and said, 'My brother and I tease the audience once in a while. No disrespect was meant.'

"Mr. Ravioli says, 'I know who you are and I know your Uncle Frank, too.'

"He pats me on the face and says, 'That's OK, kid. I like your guts.' And as soon as he said that, the conversation at the table continued."

Clint Holmes (Harrah's Las Vegas)

"One of the very first times I performed here with Bill Cosby at Caesars, I had no name here.

"Cosby asked me how long I normally run. I said, 'Twenty minutes.' He said, 'How long would you like to go?'

"I said I'd like to do 50 minutes. He said, 'Do 50 minutes.'

"So while I'm doing the opening, Cosby comes out and plays in the band.

"After the show, it's opening night and everybody's there -- Caesars people, the agents -- and Cosby asks somebody from Caesars, 'How much is Mr. Holmes making this week?'

"Then I hear him say, 'I want it doubled and paid out of my check.'

"It was his way of saying pay attention to this guy.

"He was that way. In Reno, he saw our names and his picture on the marquee, and asked, 'Why isn't Clint's picture up there?'

"Somebody told him, 'Well, they're coming to see you.'

"Cosby told him, 'But they already know what I look like.' He had them put my picture up there."

Danny Gans (The Mirage)

"I was opening for Bill Cosby at the Las Vegas Hilton about eight years ago.

"I drove up to the hotel and in big letters was 'Bill Cosby' on the marquee and my name was about one-quarter of the size of Bill's. Bill and I had never met each other at the time.

"About a half-hour before I was to go onstage the first night, his manager came and got me and told me Bill wanted to meet me in his dressing room. He told me he understood I was an actor and asked what I did in my show. I responded that I had been in a sitcom and that I did impressions and sang.

"He confirmed he wanted me to do a half-hour show. It was one of those magical opening nights and I was very warmly received and at the end of my set, the crowd went crazy with applause. I saw Bill standing stage left and I closed my show to a standing ovation and bowed and exited the stage. Bill took the stage to thunderous applause and brought me back onstage.

"He put his arm around me and said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, I think we have found the new Sammy Davis Jr."

"Off mike he asked me to do another 10 minutes and on mike asked the audience if they would like more Danny Gans. I did another 10 minutes and he waved me on to do a second additional 10 minutes.

"He then said I'd have to close my set then or he wouldn't be able to follow me. So I did 50 minutes instead of the planned 30. He asked me back to his dressing room after the show and told me he'd like to handle the shows exactly the same for the remainder of the engagement and we did.

"The next morning I was having breakfast in the coffee shop and the waitress walked up to me and said, 'Wasn't that nice what Bill Cosby did for you?'

"I replied, 'It sure was, were you at the show last night?'

"She said she wasn't and told me she was referring to the marquee out front and I'd have to see it for myself.

"He had his manager have my name put up on the marquee along with his in equal billing for the remainder of the engagement.

"It was a wonderful weekend and he was so very gracious. He has been a tremendous supporter of mine since that weekend."

Lance Burton (Monte Carlo)

"I was contacted by a family that was attending my show. Their relative 'Joe' was also attending my show that night.

"The thing is, Joe had no idea that the rest of his family was there. He had no idea that they were even in town.

"They all lived in different parts of the country. It was Joe's 80th birthday.

"The family asked if I could surprise Joe during my show. Wow, what a great setup! I was salivating! During the show I asked if anyone was celebrating birthdays.

"Joe and I talked for a few moments. I asked if he had any family.

"He said yes, but they all lived very far away. I asked if any of them had called him to wish him a happy birthday. He said no. I said, 'Joe, that is terrible. I can't believe that your family didn't even take the time to pick up the phone to wish you a happy 80th birthday. Maybe I can use a little magic to rectify the situation.'

"When his family 'appeared' by magic he was just speechless.

"The audience went wild. It was a true moment of magic, and it was real. That is the best kind of magic."