Martin Scorsese Director spent time in Las Vegas during the filming of "Casino"

Martin Scorsese's overdue Oscar win had local film industry reps exulting Monday.

After eight Academy Award nominations, six for directing and two for screenplays, Scorsese took home the best directing Oscar for "The Departed."

"He's one of a kind," said Maggie Mancuso, who was Scorsese's location manager for "Casino," which was filmed here from September 1994 to January 1995.

"It was great, a long time coming," said Steve Schirripa of "The Sopranos."

"Casino" was Schirripa's first film, but his one line in a scene with Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Frank Vincent didn't even get him a credit. "But I got my SAG card. That got me started."

What impressed Mancuso most was Scorsese's interest in hearing everything about the Las Vegas period he was portraying.

"He was a terrific listener. He was like a sponge. He was so interested in what you had to say, especially people who were here at that time," she added.

Scorsese's hard-driving personality and machine-gun style of conversation vanished when his mother, Catherine, visited the set.

"He was a completely different person. He was mother's little boy when she was on the set. She was the queen," Mancuso said.

Ray Favero, a longtime acting coach and casting agent, was the assisting casting director under Ellen Lewis, whom Scorsese made a point of thanking during his acceptance speech on Sunday night.

Favero remains convinced that Scorsese had Michelle Pfeiffer in mind to play Ginger McKenna, the trophy wife of Sam "Ace" Rothstein, whose character was based on mob front man Frank Rosenthal.

"The reason Sharon Stone got the role was Pfeiffer just had a baby and was unavailable. She was heavily considered. She had just done the 'Age of Innocence' with Marty," recalled Favero.

Stone beat out several other major names for the role, which she turned into an Oscar nomination for best actress.

"I saw the videotape auditions," said Favero. "Madonna wanted it. Nicole Kidman auditioned, too."

While going over casting one day, Lewis had a question for Favero.

"If you could pick anybody to play Harry Reid, who would it be?" she said.

"I said, 'Ron Howard,' and she high-fived me."

Scorsese wanted to put entertainer Phyllis McGuire of the McGuire Sisters in a scene. McGuire's affair with Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana was a major scandal back in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

McGuire said no. "I was going to get shot, and I didn't want that," said McGuire by telephone on Monday.

So the cameo went to Ffolliott "Fluff" Le Coque, longtime "Jubilee" manager, who got whacked in typical Scorsese style.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Luxor President Felix Rappaport plans a private viewing party Wednesday for Illusionist Criss Angel, who will be guest starring on "CSI New York." Angel, a native New Yorker, plays illusionist Luke Blade, whose assistants keep ending up dead. ...

Burlesque queen Dita Von Teese will perform with the Crazy Horse cast at the MGM Grand April 15-20. She made history in October when she became the first guest star to perform at the Crazy Horse in Paris. She will perform her sensual "Le Bain" bathtub act, channeling the spirit of the 1950s Crazy Horse star Candida, who perfomed it at the Paris club more than 1,500 times.

SIGHTINGS

Film legend Tony Curtis, stopping Sunday at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Henderson, a sure sign that he's on the mend after recent health scares. ... Caesars Palace headliner Elton John, planting a wet one on a surprised Simon Cowell at John's Oscar after-party Sunday in Los Angeles. ... DJ Grandmaster Flash and Robert Deleo, Dean Deleo and Eric Kretz of the Stone Temple Pilots, at Light (Bellagio) on Sunday for the annual "Gold Digger" party.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Expect a lot of new faces at the Academy Awards. Not a lot of new people, but a lot of new faces." -- David Letterman

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.