Kerkorian gave Morris most amazing night of his life
Bobby Morris owes the epic night of his life to Kirk Kerkorian.
Morris sent a note Thursday to point out “how generous Mr. Kerkorian was.”
When Kerkorian was preparing to open the International in late July 1969, Morris was the musical director of the hotel, the largest of its kind in the world.
Kerkorian had lined up 27-year-old sensation Barbra Streisand for opening night.
Elvis Presley was hoping to launch a comeback in Las Vegas after years in the doldrums during his unspectacular filmmaking years.
“Elvis followed (Streisand) into the main showroom, and I was tapped by Col. Tom Parker to be Elvis’ personal conductor,” wrote Morris, who turns 89 June 30.
“Mr. Kerkorian sent for me and asked me to be a host in the receiving line for Elvis’ opening night to greet every star imaginable from stage, screen and TV — an event which probably still stands as THE most exciting entertainment even Vegas has ever seen,” Morris wrote.
“He told me to be fitted by the personal tailor for a brand new custom-made tuxedo and had the bill sent to him — unbelievable!”
“I still have the tuxedo. I put it away in mothballs forever,” he said, when I reached him by telephone.
Kerkorian died Monday in Los Angeles at the age of 98.
About a month after opening the International, now the Westgate, Kerkorian asked Morris to present Elvis with a plaque acknowledging that Presley had broken all attendance records for every showroom in Las Vegas.
Morris said he got the prestigious job when bandleader Harry James reneged. Streisand opened because Elvis was “was a little nervous,” Morris said.
“That story is true. He could have been the first act at the hotel, but he preferred Streisand opening. He hadn’t performed live for many years.”
BAFFERT’S BEGINNINGS
Las Vegas taxi driver Allen Rosenberg remembers Triple Crown trainer Bob Baffert from 40 years ago, when they lived in the same apartment complex in Tucson, Ariz. “He was attending the University of Arizona, and he had white hair even then,” Rosenberg said.
Baffert stood out for another reason, Rosenberg said. “He was always helping out a handicapped kid, an architecture student at U of A, who needed a lot of help.” Baffert grew up in the nearby border town of Nogales, Ariz., where, as a teen, he raced his dad’s quarterhorses.
THE SCENE AND HEARD
The Golden State Warriors are holding one of their championship celebrations Friday at Marquee nightclub at The Cosmopolitan. …
A former housekeeping supervisor at The Dunes passed along this memory of Kerkorian. Michael, who preferred that his last name not be used, said Kerkorian occasionally stayed at the Dunes for a week at a time during the late 1980s. “He had a suite on the top floor, and the rest of the floor was blocked off,” reminiscent of Howard Hughes’ residence atop the Desert Inn. “Outside the doors were guys with machine guns,” Michael said.
SIGHTINGS
Boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr., arriving at Light nightclub (Mandalay Bay) at 1:45 a.m. with his entourage. DJ A-Trak played “Champ is Here” as Mayweather made his entrance. … Actor James Woods, dining with friends at Martorano’s (Rio) on Wednesday. He raved about the veal Marsala. … NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, among the opening-night crowd at “Reba, Brooks & Dunn: Together in Vegas” at The Colosseum (Caesars Palace) on Wednesday. … McEntire, with a group of friends having lunch at Carmine’s (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Thursday. … Steve Bider, the producer and director of Elvis Presley’s 1968 comeback special on NBC, touring the Elvis Exhibition at Westgate on Wednesday. … Turns out Channing Tatum was in some famous company when he showed up at “Absinthe” (Caesars Palace) last Thursday. His group included his other five castmates from “Magic Mike XXL.” In town with Tatum was Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez and cast newcomer Stephen Boss. The film comes out July 1.
THE PUNCH LINE
“(Donald) Trump is running for president, and he’s wasting no time getting down to business. In fact, just after his announcement he demanded to see Jeb Bush’s birth certificate.” — Jimmy Fallon
Norm Clarke’s column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or email him at norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter: @Norm_Clarke
