Locals mourn passing of Griffin

Many local friends of Merv Griffin are mourning his death.

Tony Danza, who joined "The Producers" on Monday, said Griffin gave him his first TV job and first live act.

Griffin and Kirk Kerkorian played a lot of tennis together. Steve Wynn and Griffin had a longtime friendship.

Former disco star and gay icon Monti Rock III, a regular on Griffin's talk show, said, "We lost the last of the titans. That era is gone.

"He was a very sweet man," he said. "Every time Johnny (Carson) would suspend me, Merv would take me. Johnny knew how to bring out my humor. Merv wanted deep conversations. There's nothing deep about Monti Rock."

Orchestra leader Sasha Semenoff was playing at the Sultan's Table, a lounge at the Dunes, about 1970, when Griffin and his entourage walked in.

Griffin's manager returned the next night and said Griffin wanted Semenoff and his 12-piece Romantic Strings, featuring eight female violinists, to be on the show. A day later, they closed Griffin's show, after guest appearances by Sonny King, Charo and Petula Clark.

"It was a great boost to my career," said Semenoff, a Las Vegas fixture since 1959.

Magician Steve Dacri made his first network TV appearance on "The Merv Griffin Show" in 1977.

"If it wasn't for Merv, who loved magic and especially loved close-up magic, my career may have never had a chance to grow," he said.

As a result, Dacri said, he landed appearances with Carson, Dick Cavett and Mike Douglas and seven more 'Merv' appearances.

In 1990, Dacri returned the favor.

He was working at ABC, casting talent and creating short comedy films for a late night TV show, "Into the Night Starring Rick Dees," when Griffin's son, Tony, auditioned for a part.

"He needed it to get his SAG card," said Dacri, who gave him the role.

About a month later Dacri's phone rang. It was Griffin, calling to thank him for helping out his son.

"Then he hired me for a private party, a lavish affair he threw for Zsa Zsa Gabor, the first of many he would book me for over the years."

Talent agent Jaki Baskow figures she owes her career to Griffin.

One of her first jobs after moving to Las Vegas in the early 1970s was for Griffin's Tranamerican Videos. Griffin and business partner Ed Fishman founded Players Club and hired Telly Savalas of "Kojak" fame as spokesman of the discount operation, which predated the modern comp programs.

"Telly talked me into opening my talent agency," said Baskow, who owns one of the largest in the country.

BEACHER'S BIG GAMBLE

Las Vegas showman Jeff Beacher is betting his career on 50 Cent.

Rappers 50 Cent and Kanye West are releasing their new albums on Sept. 11, and 50 Cent has vowed to retire if he doesn't outsell West.

Beacher told me Tuesday that he will quit too if West outsells 50 Cent that first week.

The rapper has invited Beacher to emcee 50 Cent's concert during MTV's Video Music Awards during the weekend of Sept. 7-9.

50 Cent's album release concert will be held on Sept. 8 at the Hard Rock Hotel's pool.

The last "Beacher's Madhouse" will be held in December if 50 Cent loses. Beacher said he will leave the Hard Rock and the entertainment world to move into the corporate entertainment side if West triumphs.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

Clint Holmes' youngest fan stole the show on Monday at the first performance of Holmes' three-week run at Excalibur. Asia, his 4-year-old granddaughter, shouted out "Grandpa" at the end of one of his songs.

SIGHTINGS

Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk, dining Monday at Tao Asian Bistro in The Venetian with his wife and two children. ... Richie Sambora, posing on the Grand Canyon Skywalk with staffers Saturday.

THE PUNCH LINE

"The president's adviser, Karl Rove, announced he's resigning. I was surprised. I didn't think anyone in the White House had an exit strategy." -- Craig Ferguson

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