Impersonator puts Elvis on the shelf

Las Vegan Paul Casey is hanging up his Elvis jumpsuit for a new opportunity. He's under contract to write the title song for a movie remake of "The Lone Ranger."

With Elvis opportunities drying up because of the recession, Casey is putting his Elvis persona on hold to "pursue other things." Casey hopes to parlay his writing skills into the theme song for an iconic masked man.

The song will be cut with a full orchestra at a Las Vegas recording studio over the next six weeks, with Casey producing and providing the vocals. The way Hollywood works, someone more famous could end up voicing it, or not.

"It will be big and majestic, like 'The Magnificent
Seven,' " added Casey, referring to the 1960 set-in-Mexico Western classic.

"The Lone Ranger" role hasn't been filled for the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced project.

"They were interested in George Clooney," Casey said. Johnny Depp has been signed to play Tonto, the Lone Ranger's faithful companion. Depp's grandmother was a full-blooded Cherokee.

Casey wrote and sang the theme song for John Schneider's film "Collier & Company" in 2007 and wrote and sang "Only in Vegas," the song you hear on hold at the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority.

The title of "The Lone Ranger" theme song will be "Hi-Yo Silver Take Me Away." The TV version of the Western superhero aired from 1949 to 1957, and two movies were made, the first in 1956 co-starring Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as Tonto. The second, in 1981, turned into a legal brouhaha with Moore and was a box office flop.

The timing is right to get his foot in Hollywood doors, Casey said.

"There's a whole new revival of Westerns and cowboy films coming out," he said, including a remake of the John Wayne classic "True Grit," co-starring Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges (as the sheriff) and Josh Brolin.

"The Elvis thing is kind of dead in this town," said Casey, who played Elvis in "Legends in Concert" at the Imperial Palace for six years.

Meantime, Casey will ride a white horse named Silver this weekend for HelldoradoDays. He'll sing the national anthem Friday at the downtown rodeo (8 p.m.) and appear in the 7 p.m. parade on Saturday.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Legendary criminal defense attorney James "Bucky" Buchanan was posthumously named Distinguished Nevadan by the Nevada System of Higher Education at UNLV's spring commencement ceremony over the weekend.

SIGHTINGS

Actor Peter Coyote at Todd English P.U.B. (Crystals at CityCenter) with architect David Rockwell, who designed the space. Coyote and Rockwell were with family and friends. ... Iowa Cubs pitcher Jeffrey Samardzija, with teammates celebrating a 15-10 win over the Las Vegas 51s at Lavo (Palazzo) on Tuesday. Samardzija was a star wide receiver at Notre Dame before the Cubs threw $10 million at him. ... At N9NE Steakhouse (Palms) on Tuesday with separate groups: "America's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan, funnyman Howie Mandel and boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr., with a large group celebrating his brother's birthday. ... At Moon (Palms) Tuesday: former Pussycat Dolls singer Carmit Bachar. ... R&B singer Ne-Yo, hanging out at Liquid pool Tuesday at Aria (CityCenter). ... Singer Jewel , at "Love" (Mirage) Monday night with galpals.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Tiger Woods' swing coach announced that he is quitting. Apparently he discovered that Tiger had 19 other swing coaches around the country." -- Jimmy Kimmel

Norm Clarke can be reached at (702) 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.