You can still find Sinatra hangouts

They are Ol’ Blue Eyes’ Las Vegas haunts that still exist today, on the day the world celebrates what would have been his 95th birthday. Sinatra died in Los Angeles on May 14, 1998.

Dozens of readers responded to my request to share their favorite memories of where he hung his hat.

There’s the Sahara, where the Rat Pack filmed “Ocean’s 11” and hung out at the Casbar Lounge, where Louis Prima, Keely Smith and Sam Butera and The Witnesses tore it up.

He headlined for years at Caesars Palace, performed in the Golden Nugget showroom and dined with his sidekicks at the Golden Steer.

He’d rev up the pool crowd at the Riviera and stay at the Presidential Suite. He was at the Fremont for the premiere of “Suddenly” in 1954 and “Ocean’s 11” in 1960.

Here’s some first-hand encounters:

■ Dale Carter, a retired TV writer and producer who knew Frank Sinatra Jr., said the father and son were regulars at the Musicians Union on East Tropicana Avenue, a building that still stands near the Hooters Hotel.

“Frank Sr. loved it because it was his crowd and they left him alone. It was his haunt. All these legendary musicians would play until 3-4 in the morning, and Frank Sr. would get up and sing. He always carried new $100 bills, and as he went through the kitchen at Caesars Palace on his way to the Circus Maximus showroom, he’d give the kitchen staff $100 bills.”

■ Restaurateur Marcel Taylor recalls Sinatra coming into Ruth’s Chris Steak House on Paradise Road. Sinatra insisted that he be called “Frank,” but Taylor wasn’t going to take any chances. Taylor knew a dealer who went along with Sinatra’s request to be less formal. But then Sinatra went on a long losing streak, Taylor said, and the next time the dealer called him “Frank,” Sinatra snapped, “It’s ‘Mr. Sinatra’ to you, kid.”

■ Former Caesars Palace dealer Tony Cook said Sinatra took over the bacarat pit on his birthday in the 1970s. With him were Milton Berle, Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood, among others. The limit was $2,000 per hand, but Sinatra was allowed to bet $8,000 a hand.

Sinatra was given gray $500 chips so other patrons weren’t aware.

After Sinatra won an $8,000 hand, Cook said he wished Sinatra a happy birthday, adding, “It’s my birthday, too.” Sinatra looked up and said, “Well, happy birthday,” and gave him $16,000 in tips.

■ Las Vegan William Watters was in the Golden Nugget dressing room one night when Sinatra told him the story about his idol, Humphrey Bogart.

“I was crazy about Bogart,” Sinatra told Watters. “I used to follow him around and do what he did.”

Sinatra often attended parties thrown by Bogart and Lauren Bacall .

“I’d watch how he’d light his cigarette, what he drank,” Sinatra said.

SIGHTINGS

At Bartolotta (Wynn) for lunch: Frank Sinatra’s daughters, Nancy and Tina Sinatra, along with granddaughters Amanda Erlinger and A.J. Paparozzi. … Boxing great Oscar De La Hoya, at the House of Blues Foundation Room (Mandalay Bay) on Friday. … Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, at The Country Club. Joe Torre had dinner there Friday. … Food Network star Bobby Flay, at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab for lunch Saturday. Flay’s staff at Mesa Grill (Caesars) served him birthday cupcakes from the Cupcakery. He was 46 Friday. … At Leonard Cohen’s concert at the Colosseum (Caesars): Leonard Nimoy and Grammy winner K.D. Lang, who performed Cohen’s “Hallelujah” live at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. … Actress Katherine Heigl, at Miranda Lambert’s concert at The Pearl (Palms) on Friday. Her husband, Josh Kelley, who opened for Lambert, dedicated two songs to their daughter. … Peter Morton, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, dining with brother Michael Morton at his new restaurant, La Cave (Wynn). Also there: Vienna Girardi of “The Bachelor.” … Austin “Chumlee” Russell of “Pawn Stars,” at Vanity (Hard Rock Hotel). … Comedian Aziz Ansari, who stars in NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,” at Criss Angel’s show (Luxor) and Surrender nightclub (Encore) Friday.

THE PUNCH LINE

“May you live to be 100 and may the last voice you hear be mine.” — Frank Sinatra

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