William Fry, in his house at Las Vegas Country Club with Turnberry Place in the background, provided a condo for singer Sarah Todora. Photo by Ralph Fountain.
The secret's out: The mystery benefactor who turned over a $1 million luxury condo to a struggling teenage singer from hurricane-wracked Louisiana has agreed to be identified.
William Fry, a 69-year-old investor who moved here a year and a half ago, said Monday he lent a helping hand because "I got my break in Louisiana."
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Fry is allowing Sarah Todora, 17, and her father, Phil, to live rent-free in a 2,927-square-foot luxury apartment at Turnberry for six months.
Their 16th-floor digs overlook the Strip and the Sahara, which has hired her to perform in the Casbah Lounge, where New Orleans icons Louis Prima, Keeley Smith and Sam Butera were pioneers of the Las Vegas lounge era.
Fry became aware of the Todoras' plight in December when he heard about a benefit to help them after the Lafayette, La., residents moved here.
He went to the benefit "because they're from Louisiana, and I got my break in Louisiana," Fry said. "It made it a little more personal."
Fry, who lives in Las Vegas Country Club and recently bought seven condos in the new Panorama Towers, said he owned five radio stations in Shreveport, La., before selling them in 1999.
The Todoras are welcome to stay at Turnberry until his lease expires at the end of July, said Fry, who was raised in Winamac, Ind. He leased the $1.5 million apartment, he said, because the sunsets helped him make business decisions.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Pamela Anderson takes her star turn as a Pussycat Doll on Saturday when she joins the lineup at the Pussycat Dolls Lounge at Pure Nightclub in Caesars Palace. ...
R-J reader "Biker" Boyce Gitzen passes along this numerical oddity: "On this coming Wednesday, at two minutes and three seconds after 1 a.m., the time and date will be 01:02:03 04/05/06."
SIGHTINGS
At the Nine Inch Nails concert Sunday at the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood: Brandon Flowers and Ronnie Vannucci of The Killers and System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan. Also spotted on the property: Miss America 2006 Jennifer Berry and Miss America 1971 Phyllis George. ... At the opening of The Venetian poker room on Sunday night: Shannon Elizabeth, Jason Biggs, Nick Stahl, Angelina Jolie's ex-husband, Jonny Lee Miller, Rebecca Gayheart and husband Eric Dane, Jennifer Tilly and boyfriend Phil "The Unabomber" Laak, Willie Garson, James Van Der Beek, Morris Chestnut, Annie Duke, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, Phil Gordon and Antonio "The Magician" Esfandiari. Tourist Beatric Stranzixger won a new Lotus. The party then moved to Tao. ... At ghostbar in the Palms: Ryan Gosling and Biggs. ... Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and his wife, Mickie, at Michael's in the Barbary Coast. Krzyzewski elected to bring his family to Las Vegas, including a son-in-law who is home on break from serving in Iraq, rather than attend the NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis. ... At the Hofbrauhaus, filming for "The Surreal World: Fame Games": Joanie Laurer aka Chyna, Tracy Bingham, Verne Troyer and Emmanuel Lewis. ...Thom Filicia and Ted Allen of "Queer Eye," shopping in the showroom at Newport Furnishings for their upcoming Vegas show, which features a makeover for a local professional poker player. The show will air in June. ... Carrot Top, at Metro Pizza, Decatur and Flamingo, on Monday. ...
THE PUNCH LINE
"Some sad news: After a three-year run, Hooters Airlines has announced it is calling it quits and closing its doors. Today, President Clinton said, 'This means the terrorist have won.'" -- Jay Leno
