December 29, 2002

Everything else more than just all right, mama
   By Hearne Christopher Jr. - The Kansas City Star.


Everything else more than just all right, mama

It's been a banner year for the King and He...

Former KC dude Jack Soden, that is. The guy who presides over all things Elvis worldwide from his Memphis base just outside Graceland.

"Oh, yes, Elvis had a huge year in 2002," Soden says. "Elvis is on a roll, so we're going to follow through. We're really amping up."

Look for another major RCA CD release in 2003.

"Based on the success of his `30 No. 1 Hits,' there will be more big releases," Soden says.

And a new DVD release of Elvis' '68 Comeback Special is in the pipeline as well, Soden says. Just in time. The current version of the legendary television concert is out of production and sells for well over $100 on eBay and Amazon.

"We've got a complete DVD compilation for the '68 Comeback Special coming out," Soden says. "A lot of stuff was shot that ultimately wasn't aired. So all that film is going to be included in a new DVD release in '03."

A long-awaited Lisa Marie Presley CD is expected this spring as well.

"And 2004's going to be an interesting year," Soden says. "It's the 50th anniversary of Elvis' career. He recorded `That's All Right (Mama)' in 1954."

Then there's the matter of Cowtown shrink Donald Hinton and his claim that Elvis is alive and poised to reappear. Most recently Hinton's assistant, Linda Johnson, said Elvis had actually spoken with Soden recently.

"I, of course, have never spoken to Dr. Hinton or anybody who thinks he's Elvis Presley," Soden says. "What I can tell you is, Elvis is dead. And these folks are either amusing themselves or think they're going to exploit some opportunity.

"You know, it may be the weirdest Elvis story in Kansas City, but we get nonsense like that from here or there all the time."

December 28, 2002

Hail to Elvis, King of Sales
   By Michelle Nichols, BusinessWeek Magazine

Chances are, Presley never closed a sale or pocketed a purchase order in his life, but that doesn't mean we can't learn a lot from the King 


Elvis Presley is the King of Rock 'n' Roll, and I don't think that there is the shadow of a doubt that Elvis Presley Enterprises, which controls his estate, is the undoubted king of sales and marketing. This summer, I visited Graceland, sacred ground for Presley fans. The experience got me all shook up.

Consider: Elvis Aaron Presley died 25 years ago, yet his home in Memphis sees more than 600,000 visitors every year. After the White House, it is the second-most visited home in the U.S. Given that Elvis died in 1977, you might assume that seniors represent the bulk of pilgrims to Graceland's shrine. Not so. Half the visitors are under 35. 

LARGER THAN LIFE. Except for five shows in Canada, Elvis performed only in the U.S. -- yet there are fan clubs in 45 countries and 40% of his records are sold outside the U.S. It is estimated that better than a billion Elvis records have been sold -- more than any other artist. Of those releases, more than 140 albums and singles have been certified gold, platinum, or multiplatinum -- again, more than any other artist. His estate generated $37 million in the year ending June, 2002, and THAT leaves any and all deceased artists in the shade, including Peanuts creator Charles Schulz and Beatle John Lennon. 

While Elvis really has definitely left the building, it's obvious his legacy continues to touch many -- including those of us who have goods and services to sell. Here are a few timeless lessons we can learn from Elvis and his music. 

Shake, Rattle, and Roll. Elvis was famous for those gyrating hips, and there's no reason why you can't put some excitement into your presentations, too. For example, I recently spoke with a representative of an outfit I was considering hiring. At our first meeting, the salesperson brought two advertising specialty items and a one-inch thick book filled with information on the outfit. Her selling style sure needed some sizzle, though, so much so that the presentation should have been marked Return to Sender. 

I would have preferred if she left the toys back at the office (we know it's the customer who pays for them in the end) and focused instead on probing my needs and concerns. Then she could have given me just a few pages of important information, saving me the time of wading through the whole, entire book. Or, after hearing me describe my needs, she could have marked the pages of greatest interest. For now, it's Are You Lonesome Tonight? for that sales rep. 

Don't Be Cruel. I don't mean to knock promotional giveaways and sales gimmes. There are some great specialty items out there, ones that can really make your outfit stand out in the crowd. A creative, experienced salesperson in this area is worth seeking out. Just remember, before you look at any catalogs, have your goal firmly in mind. Be clear on what are you trying to achieve with what kind of customer. Then ask the rep for some fresh suggestions that will get prospects buzzing about you and what you have to offer. 

You Ain't Nothing but a Hound Dog. A friend recently remarked on a particular salesperson who had been riding her to buy, wondering if such tactics are what good salesmanship is all about. Whoa! In sales, hounding a customer doesn't qualify. Following up is always good, but it needs to be done with an appropriate level of energy -- and at the correct moment. 

When I was a young salesperson, I sold a very specialized product that connected two different types of computer networks -- something that was very rarely needed (or wanted, as I learned, but that's another story for another column). Anyway, in the last week of a lousy quarter, my boss told me to call my one warm prospect twice a day, every day, until he agreed to buy. I'm glad I didn't. That would have made me both a real Hound Dog and a lousy salesperson, one with an alienated client. It could have led to Heartbreak Hotel. 

Money Honey. So many salespeople are afraid to talk about money. So, when it's time to talk dollars and cents, speak with confidence. Customers often will try to rush you into naming a price. That's fine, in fact it's encouraging because it demonstrates that they are interested. But never forget that it is the smart salesperson who should be controlling when the subject of price is raised. In every sales cycle, there is an appropriate time to talk money -- the moment when it's Now or Never. Too early, and you won't have developed the customer's hunger and laid the groundwork to justify the sum you are asking. Too late, and the prospect is frustrated, wanting only to know if he or she can afford it. 

I recommend practicing this part of your presentation obsessively -- in front of a mirror, with peers, alone in the car, even in the bathroom before you go in to deliver your presentation. If you're nervous about naming the price, your customers are going to smell that anxiety and use it to their advantage. 

Blue Suede Shoes. Being a salesperson means that the people with whom you deal have certain expectations. It's the same for those in other occupations, too, be they doctors, lawyers, librarians, or the guys riding the garbage truck. The good news is you can use these assumptions to your advantage. As I pointed out in my previous column, "Image: The Winning Suit", it pays to look the part. 

Also, your customers have probably encountered at least a few -- and quite possibly a good many more -- terrible salespeople, which explains those Suspicious Minds we so often encounter. If you take the time to hear and comprehend your customer's needs, you can really stand out from the competition. Don't fall for the easier selling path of A Little Less Conversation. 

A major benefit of really knowing your customer is you can follow up in ways that are more meaningful. For instance, if your customer is interested in swing dancing and you happen to spot an article about the pastime's resurgence, cut it out and clip it to some information about your company or products. That will tell your customers you get their drift when they sing Love Me Tender. 

A Fool Such As I. One of the surprises about visiting Memphis was the dearth of Elvis imitators. I expected to find them on every corner, but didn't see a single one. Worldwide, there are estimated to be a whopping 35,000 Elvis clones. The selling lesson? Be original. It's dandy to imitate the very best salespeople, but that won't help to develop your own personal style. If you're terrific and original, others will want to copy you -- maybe even 25 years after you've passed over. 

Elvis' motto was "Taking Care of Business," TCB for short. I saw those letters plastered on just about everything Elvis -- and it makes a good motto for selling, too: We take care of business by taking care of customers and our own businesses. Graceland is an excellent example of TCB, and Jack Soden, CEO of Elvis Presley Enterprises, deserves a lot of credit. I'd recommend a visit to Graceland by anyone who wants their customers singing Stuck on You. Happy Selling! 

December 27, 2002

Elvis still top of all-time chart 
   John Staples and Lisette Johnston, The Scotsman - December 27, 2002


ELVIS Presley is still number one in the all-time hit list, moving further ahead of his closest rival Sir Cliff Richard - but young pretenders Oasis and Kylie Minogue are climbing rapidly up the charts. 

After returning to number one with A Little Less Conversation this year, the King has now spent 1,185 weeks in the charts, according to the music bible, Guinness British Hit Singles. 

Sir Cliff, who failed to make his customary mark in a festive chart dominated by TV creations, is lagging 30 weeks behind. 

Although he topped the charts with Millennium Prayer in November 1999, Sir Cliff has not had a Christmas number one since Saviour’s Day in 1990. 

After a superb year, during which she spent 40 weeks in the charts, Kylie has moved up a whopping 15 places, from 40th to 25th. In so doing, she surpassed stars such as Whitney Houston and Prince in the list of the most popular chart acts of all time. 

The Australian pop princess, who recreated herself as a sexy pop diva after an early career as a clean-cut soap actress, has had a string of hits this year, including Come Into My World and In Your Eyes. 

These have helped her to make a colossal leap in the list, which is based on the number of weeks an act has spent in the charts throughout their career. 

Each year the upper reaches of the Guinness list barely change as they are dominated by classic artists with decades of hits from the days when songs stayed in the charts for months. 

Elvis Presley and Sir Cliff are followed by the Shadows, Elton John, Madonna, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra and Queen. 

Within the whole top 20, the only change has been Status Quo pushing past Stevie Wonder to take 13th position. 

Oasis climbed from 29th to 21st with hits such as The Hindu Times. 

This has helped them to pass the late Lonnie Donegan, UB40 and crooner Jim Reeves. 

Robbie Williams is at 66 this year, up nine places from the previous year. 

Dance group New Order are the only new entry in the entire Top 100 acts of all time, going in at 98, 21 years after they scored their first hit with Ceremony, and squeezing Neil Sedaka out of the top 100. 

Kylie, who made her name as Charlene Mitchell, the Erinsborough schoolgirl in Australian soap Neighbours, had her first hit with the Stock, Aitken and Waterman single, I Should Be So Lucky, in January 1988. 

It spent 16 weeks in the charts and reached number one. 

Kylie, now 33, then clocked up another 12 successive top ten hits, giving her the best ever female chart career start. 

To date, Kylie has released eight studio albums, six long-play videos and 39 singles throughout the world. 

This year, she has also achieved fame in the United States, with her album, Fever, selling more than one million copies. 

But experts said that despite her rise up the hit list, Kylie had no chance of overhauling Elvis. 

"There is absolutely no chance whatsoever. Kylie has had a great album, but who remembers the two before?" said Tom Robinson, product manager of Fopp Music in Cockburn Street, Edinburgh. 

"When Elvis had his number one this year, we sold a lot and have sold a lot over Christmas. There have been sporadic Elvis things on the telly. 

"Westlife have had 11 number ones, but I would doubt that they would have the same sort of cultural effect as a band like the Beatles. They will never be able to touch bands like Elvis, the Beatles and the Stones. They are cultural icons. 

"Record companies are always remarketing old acts. Perhaps the anniversay angle, they will be making sure acts are not forgotten." 

Allan Irvine, customer service manager at the Virgin Megastore, in Princes Street, Edinburgh, agreed. 

"There is no way anyone could catch up with the likes of Elvis," he said. 

"The way the chart works now, people are only in the chart for three or four weeks, and at number one for one or maybe two weeks. In those days people could be at number one for ten weeks. So they won’t catch up." 


The biggest sellers ever
Last year’s place in brackets

1 (1) Elvis Presley 
2 (2) Cliff Richard 
3 (3) The Shadows 
4 (4) Elton John 
5 (5) Madonna 
6 (6) Diana Ross 
7 (7) Michael Jackson 
8 (8) Rod Stewart 
9 (9) The Beatles 
10 (10) David Bowie 
11 (11) Frank Sinatra 
12 (12) Queen 
13 (14) Status Quo 
14 (13) Stevie Wonder 
15 (15) Paul McCartney 
16 (16) Tom Jones 
17 (17) Rolling Stones 
18 (18) Bee Gees 
19 (19) Roy Orbison 
20 (20) Everly Brothers 
21 (29) Oasis 
22 (21) UB40 
23 (22) Shirley Bassey 
24 (23) Perry Como 
25 (40) Kylie Minogue 
26 (24) Jim Reeves 
27 (25) Lonnie Donegan 
28 (26) The Hollies 
29 (27) Four Tops 
30 (28) Whitney Houston 
31 (30) Pat Boone 
32 (31) The Supremes 
33 (32) Prince 
34 (33) Donna Summer 
35 (41) Janet Jackson 
36 (34) Hot Chocolate 
37 (35) Frankie Laine 
38 (36) Beach Boys 
39 (37) Billy Fury 
40 (38) Slade 
41 (39) Shakin’ Stevens 
42 (42) Madness 
43 (48) George Michael 
44 (44) U2 
45 (46) Mariah Carey 
46 (43) Electric Light Orchestra 
47 (45) Abba 
48 (47) Adam Faith 
49 (62) Celine Dion 
50 (49) Nat ’King’ Cole

December 21, 2002

DVD-Audio of ELV1S 30 #1 HITS Debuts at #1 
   -------------------------------------- EPE 12/20/2002 


Following is a press release from BMG:

The record-breaking success of RCA Records’ compilation of the 30 definitive #1 singles of Elvis Presley reached a new level as BMG and RCA announced that ELV1S 30 #1 HITS DVD-Audio debuted at No. 1. The DVD-Audio, released on December 10 as BMG’s first ever DVD-Audio, follows the success of the ELV1S 30 #1 HITS CD, released by RCA Records on September 24. The CD made history by becoming the first album ever released by Elvis Presley to debut at the top of the charts in the U.S. To date ELV1S 30 #1 HITS has sold over 8 million albums worldwide. 

The DVD-Audio, which was recorded in 5.1 audio for optimal sound quality, features 30 of Presley’s No. 1 singles as well as the No. 1 JXL remix of A Little Less Conversation. As added value for the consumer, the release also includes never before heard outtakes of Presley recordings and a special a:b test of three songs which demonstrates the before and after versions of the Presley recordings used to create the 30 #1 Hits package. 

DVD-Audio takes advantage of the digital technology originally developed for DVD-Video. It uses the format's vast data storage potential to deliver astounding multi-channel sound enriched with the nuance, warmth and subtle overtones of a live musical performance. 

BMG is the global music division of Bertelsmann AG, one of the world’s leading media companies. BMG owns more than 200 record labels in 42 countries including Ariola, Arista Records, J Records, Jive Records, RCA Records and RCA Label Group Nashville. In addition, BMG’s music publishing operations are the third largest in the world. 

Related Links:

Read details of the DVD-Audio content.

ELV1S 30 #1 HITS Now Triple Platinum in USA 


ELV1S 30 #1 HITS is now officially RIAA-certified triple-platinum in the USA with over 3 million units sold. Worldwide, sales have now exceeded 8 million units. Gold and platinum record awards from around the world will be presented at Graceland during the Elvis Presley Birthday proclamation ceremony on January 8. 

International Air Dates for ELVIS LIVES Television Special 

United States
The show premiered on NBC in November. 

Germany
The German premiere was on RTL 5 earlier this month.

Australia
Nine Network
Date to be determined.
Check local listings for premiere date and a second airing.

Mexico
Televisa
December 20 or 21, 2002
Check local listings for premiere date and a second airing.

New Zealand
TVNZ
The show premiered there on December 15, 2002.
Check local listings for additional air dates on TVNZ.

United Kingdom
Channel 4
December 21, 2002
Check local listings for additional airings.
Also see our separate article about the UK airing and special related programming.

Poland
TVP2
December 21, 2002
Check local listings for additional airings.

Belgium
RTL TV1
Between December 24 & 31
Check local listings.

Denmark
Zulu/TV2
Between Christmas 2002 and January 8, 2003
Check local listings for premiere date and additional airings.

Sweden
TV 4
December 26, 2002
Check local listings for additional airings.

Canada
Much Music
December 29, 2002
(Canadian premiere was in November on CTV.)

Netherlands
Yorin
January 1, 2003
Check local listings for additional airings on Yorin.
Scroll down to see RTL 4 air dates for the Netherlands.

Greece
Mega Channel
Between January 1 & 10
Check local listings for premiere date.

Austria
ORF
January 9, 2003

Netherlands
RTL 4
January 15, 2003
Check local listings for additional airings.
(RTL 5 had the Netherlands premiere earlier this month.)

Finland
YLE TV2
January 19, 2003
Check local listings for a second airing.


BMG is still in negotiations with television stations in these countries: Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, Hungary, Japan, South Africa and Brazil. Various other countries - such as France, Spain and Italy - are being approached. Further information will be posted when we have confirmation from BMG. 

December 21, 2002

ELVIS-THE CONCERT Has Two U.S. Bookings in February 2003 
   ------------------------ ----------------------------------- EPE 12/20/2002




A United States tour for Elvis-The Concert is presently not in the works for 2003, but a couple of U.S. casino booking opportunities arose and are now confirmed. The show will return the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut on February 15 and will play Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey on February 16. 

December 19, 2002

RCA to Re-Release Four Elvis Titles Remastered with DSD Technology 
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EPE 12/19/2002 

On January 8, 2003, RCA will re-release four Elvis catalog titles, newly mixed and mastered from original source tapes using DSD technology for optimum sound quality. Look for them at your local retail store and through regular online retailers. 

Titles:

Elvis '56
Elvis Can't Help Falling In Love (The Hollywood Hits)
Heart & Soul
Elvis Great Country Songs

December 19, 2002

“The Press Conferences, Vol. 2”

Elvis Unlimited will release a follow up to their double Cd ”The Press Conferences” In January 2003. The second volume will contain the complete press conferences from Canada (1957), Brooklyn, New York (1958) and Honolulu, Hawaii (November 1972). Some of those have been released in parts before. Non of them have been released in their entire playing time. “The Press Conferences, Vol. 2” will be a single Cd in a beautiful digi-pack. 

More info on release date and price later.

Source : Henrik Knudsen Elvis Unlimited

BMG Titles That Will Be Deleted Now!

Those titles are the ones that they will be delete worldwide from BMG's catalogue on January 1th 2003. After that will those titles not be available anymore.

Always On My Mind
Essential Elvis, Vol. 1
Blue Hawaii
Loving You
King Creole
Stereo '57
Jailhouse Rock
For LP Fans Only
A Date With Elvis
Essential Elvis, Vol. 3
The Great Performances
Million Dollar Quartet
For The Asking
Love Letters
Collectors Gold
Back In Memphis
Today
He Touched Me
The Collection, Vol. 1
The Collection, Vol. 2
The Collection, Vol. 3
The Collection, Vol. 4
Elvis Forever
Norske Hits
Fun In Acapulco (Double Feature)
Roustabout (Double Feature)
Girl Happy (Double Feature)
Elvis Now
Elvis (Fool)
As Recoded Live On Stage In Memphis
Raised On Rock
Good Times
Kissin' Cousin' (Double Feature)
From Elvis Presley Blvd. Memphis, Tenn.
If Everyday Was Like Christmas (Long Box)
If Everyday Was Like Christmas
Live A Little, Love A Little (Double Feature)
Elvis For Everyone
Flaming Star (Double Feature)
Easy Come, Easy Go (Double Feature)
Command Performances
A Hundred Years From Now
Worldwide Hits, Vol. 1
Worldwide Hits, Vol. 2
A Golden Celebration
A Touch Of Platinum, Vol. 1
A Touch Of Platinum, Vol. 2
Elvis Aron Presley
Blue Suede Shoes
Essential Elvis, Vol. 5
Tiger Man
The Concert
Elvis Is Back
Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Pot Luck
Can't Help Falling In Love
Such A Night
Best Of Artist Of The Century
The Live Greatest Hits

Source: Elvis Unlimited

December 17, 2002

'Lilo & Stitch'and Elvis Getting All Shook Up With On-line Trading Card Game; People Nationwide Are Vying
    for Prizes Including a Trip for Four to Graceland 
    
Walt Disney Home Entertainment, in conjunction with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., has released a new online trading card game and sweepstakes including a trip for four to Graceland(R) to celebrate the DVD and video release of the hit feature animated comedy 'Lilo & Stitch'which features Elvis throughout. Players can visit www.liloandstitch.com to collect and swap virtual trading card tokens of their favorite moments from the movie. Players can log into the game once every eight hours to auto-deposit trading card tokens into their account. Each time players receive a token auto-deposit they will be entered into the sweepstakes, so the more they play, the greater their chances of winning. Players can also download trading card tokens at partner sites www.Elvis.com, where 12 exclusive Elvis trading cards featuring rare photos of Elvis Presley will be available, www.Click2music.com, www.Elvisnumberones.com, and at Radio Disney's website, www.radiodisney.com, the radio station that kids and tweens tune in to for the coolest music. The grand prize winner will receive a trip to Memphis, Tennessee, for four including round-trip airfare, a two-night, three-day stay at Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel, a private dinner in the Wine Cellar at Elvis Presley's Memphis Restaurant, a special reserve tour of Elvis Presley's Graceland, and more! Twenty players will win an Elvis teddy bear from the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, 25 players will win a 25th Anniversary Monopoly game commemorating the King of Rock 'n'Roll(TM), and 20 players will win a pair of Elvis Presley signature sunglasses. A worldwide box office sensation, 'Lilo & Stitch'is a heartwarming comedy about the power of loyalty, friendship, and finding your place in the world. For more information on the movie or to order the video or DVD, visit www.liloandstitch.com. The prize drawing will be held on or about January 10, 2003, and winners will be notified by mail or e-mail. (If a prize is won by a minor, the prize will be awarded to the minor's parent or legal guardian on the minor's behalf.) By participating, entrants agree to the official rules and judges'decisions. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The sweepstakes is open only to legal U.S. residents and is offered only in the Continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. Sweepstakes begins at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on December 17, 2002, and ends at 11:59 p.m. December 31, 2002

Source: Stockhouse

December 17, 2002

Top-Earning Dead Celebrities 

NEW YORK - One might not think of death as an optimal career move, but for some celebrities, crossing over to the far side doesn't hurt their income in the least. 



Twenty-five years after his death, Elvis Presley remains the undisputed king of the crypt. 
All together Elvis earned around $37 million.


  Forbes Richest Deceased Celebrities 
  1 Elvis Presley $37 
  2 Charles Schulz $28 
  3 John Lennon $20 
  4 Dale Earnhardt $20 
  5 Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel $19 
  6 George Harrison 17 
  7 J.R.R. Tolkien $12 
  8 Bob Marley $10 
  9 Jimi Hendrix $8 
10 Tupac Shakur $7 

Source: Forbes

December 17, 2002

"Elvis Lives!" on Polish TV

NBC TV Special "Elvis Lives!" on Polish TV.  December 21 at 19.05 on channel TVP2.

December 13, 2002

Booking agent who brought Elvis back to Las Vegas dies
   By Ed Koch, LAS VEGAS SUN

Executives of the International Hotel thought entertainment director Bill Miller was nuts when he booked Elvis Presley into the showroom in 1969.

With the popularity of groups like the Beatles and Rolling Stones, Presley was old news, they thought. No way could he draw a crowd.

Not only did Presley fill the showroom night after night, but the relationship between the resort that is now the Las Vegas Hilton and the King of Rock 'n' Roll re-established a legend's career and cemented Las Vegas' place in the world of live entertainment.

Bill Miller, the man who linked Las Vegas with Elvis, died Monday at his home in Palm Springs, Calif. He was 98. Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Temple Isaiah in Palm Springs.

Miller's other booking coups included Mae West, Sammy Davis Jr., Sonny and Cher and Barbra Streisand, but Presley was Miller's biggest triumph. Presley had bombed in Las Vegas early in his career, but when Miller brought him back to town, Presley racked up more than 700 sellout performances at the Hilton between 1969 and 1976.

"My husband got quite a bit of heat from those who feared the act would fail," Denise Miller, Bill's wife of 34 years, said. "But he told them to trust his judgment because he knew what he was doing."

That judgment made him a legend among entertainers, longtime friend and entertainer Sonny King said.

"Bill Miller meant to Las Vegas what (flamboyant Broadway producer) Billy Rose meant to New York," he said.

"Bill had a compassion for entertainers because he had been one."

Miller started as a dancer in the 1920s and had worked on the same bill at New York's Hudson Theatre with King's dad, Georgie, and his uncle Joe, who performed as the King Brothers. By 1928 Miller left the stage and became an agent.

Sonny King was manager of New York's famed Copacabana nightclub in 1954 when Miller, then entertainment director at the Sahara hotel, booked him to work the Sahara lounge.

"I asked him where is Las Vegas?" said King, who today performs at the Bootlegger. "He said, 'You may not know where Las Vegas is, but when you get there you won't want to go back to New York.' He was right. I never left Las Vegas."

Entertainer Pete Barbutti came to Las Vegas in 1960 to perform with his group The Millionaires at the New Frontier, where Miller was entertainment director.

"It was a miserable stay, so for our last show, I insulted the place and the audience started laughing, thinking it was part of our act," Barbutti said. "What we didn't know was that Bill was in the audience with Donald O'Connor. After the show, he booked us for another seven months.

"He was our boss, but he also was our friend. He understood what entertainers are all about."

Miller made the Sahara lounge the town's premier hot spot, booking Louis Prima and other top acts. He later did the same thing at the New Frontier's Cloud 9 Lounge, booking Della Reese and Billy Eckstein.

Jean Bennett, longtime manager of the Platters, said Miller as entertainment director of the Flamingo in the 1960s, booked her group there several times.

"He was one of the best entertainment directors Las Vegas ever had," she said. "He knew talent very well and he gave great advice to performers."

Born Nov. 27, 1904, in Russia, Miller came with his family to the United States when he was a baby, as they escaped the persecution of Jews. Miller was raised in Brooklyn and quit high school during the Great Depression to go into show business.

During World War II Miller owned and operated the Riviera nightclub in New Jersey, where Frank Sinatra and other top stars performed. One of those acts, the Will Mastin Trio, featured a young Sammy Davis, whom Miller helped launch to stardom in Las Vegas.

Miller came to Las Vegas in 1952, when Milton Prell opened the Sahara. Two years later Miller booked the aging but still attractive screen legend West into the Sahara.

He would go on to book Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, a struggling Sonny and Cher and many other acts into Las Vegas lounges and showrooms.

"My husband's word was his bond," Denise Miller said. "He only started doing written contracts late in his career because times had changed. But for most of his career he was proud that he did his business on a handshake."

Miller went from the Sahara to the Dunes to the New Frontier to the Flamingo, which then was owned by billionaire developer Kirk Kerkorian. When Kerkorian opened the International in 1969, he brought Miller with him. Miller booked Streisand to open the 2,000-seat showroom, followed by Presley the next month.

Miller also was a former co-owner of the Royal Nevada and at one time owned interests in the Dunes, Sahara and New Frontier resorts.

He retired to Palm Springs in the mid-1970s.

In addition to his wife, Miller is survived by two daughters, Judy Miller of New York, and Susan Miller of Desert Hot Springs; Calif., a stepson, Jerry Johnson of Pasadena, Calif.; a sister, Molly Vine of Miami, a grandson Michael Miller of London; and a granddaughter Dina Miller of New Jersey.

Miller was preceded in death by a son, Jimmy Miller, longtime record producer for the Rolling Stones and other rock groups.

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