Kerkorian, 95, has new love in life

In a sudden turnaround, billionaire financier Kirk Kerkorian, 95, the largest shareholder in MGM Resorts International, recently got engaged shortly after a split with former Las Vegan Joan Dangerfield, widow of comedy legend Rodney Dangerfield.

Tom Johnson, a New York-based spokesman for Kerkorian, informed Review-Journal business writer Howard Stutz in an emailed statement: "At a dinner with friends this weekend, MGM Resorts founder Kirk Kerkorian and longtime friend Lu Beard announced their engagement."

Johnson declined to comment further on the engagement.

According to an Internet search, Beard was described by Oklahoma Magazine as a "housewife and artist." She is the widow of Bill Beard, who died last year and was the chief executive of the Beard Oil Co., which controlled oil and gas properties in more than 21 states. The company is now known as The Beard Co. The Beards were married 31 years. She is a former Houston model.

Kerkorian, who is ranked No. 117 on the Forbes list of wealthiest Americans with a net worth of $3 billion, is MGM Resorts' largest shareholder with almost 91.2 million shares, 18.7 percent of the company.

Little is known about the broken engagement with Joan Dangerfield, 60. They reportedly met in 2008 on a blind date.

Kerkorian has had a residence at the Las Vegas Country Club Estates for decades, and the Dangerfields lived nearby in the Regency Towers. Rodney Dangerfield died in 2004.

Joan Dangerfield surprised the media-shy Kerkorian on his 95th birthday in June with a flash mob outside a bungalow at The Beverly Hills Hotel. The flash mob, made up of several dozen dancers, appeared from behind trees and performed ballet to the song "To Know Him Is to Love Him" by The Shirelles. The video went viral on YouTube.com.

'VEGAS' PARTY PLANNED

Sheriff Doug Gillespie and retired Sheriff Bill Young will take part in the official "Vegas" premiere party honoring longtime Sheriff Ralph Lamb at Green Valley Ranch.

The CBS series, which debuts Sept. 25, stars Dennis Quaid as Lamb, the cowboy lawman who settled many a disturbance with his fists during Las Vegas' rough-and-tumble era.

The party, open to the public and co-hosted by Station Casinos and KLAS-TV, Channel 8, starts at 5:30 p.m., with former U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan emceeing. The East Coast feed will be aired. Proceeds of the party will go to the Injured Police Officers Fund.

Lamb, 85, will appear tonight at the Golden Nugget for the first official Instameet on the set of a TV series. An Instameet is a gathering of users of Instagram, a free photo-sharing network and social media.

Sixties-inspired Fremont Street sets have been built for a photo walk. Participants are encouraged to wear '60s garb.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Christina Wilson, who won the "Hell's Kitchen" Season 10 showdown Monday, jumps into the fire today as new head chef at Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las Vegas. She will work under the direction of executive chef Kevin Hee. ...

Brad Garrett and Ray Romano are teaming up again, this time for Garrett's Maximum Hope Foundation Charity Poker Tournament benefiting families with children battling life-limiting illnesses. Garrett and Romano, who were cast mates on "Everybody Loves Raymond," will be joined by Hollywood friends, including Willie Garson, Elizabeth Perkins and Mimi Rogers. It's in the MGM Grand poker room. First prize pays $10,000. More information: Maximumhopefoundation.org.

SIGHTINGS

Grammy-winning singer Michael Buble, dining at Joe's Stone Crab (Forum Shops at Caesars) on Monday.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Prince Harry is back in the news. Three weeks after those nude photos appeared of him playing strip billiards at a hotel, he was deployed for a four-month tour of duty in Afghanistan. One crazy night, and queen grandma ships you right to Kandahar." - 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. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.