We talked about families — his, not mine — films he was going to make, and attempts to lure him to weekly television.
At one point he said, ‘We’ve talked about me enough, Eddie. What’s goin’ on with you?’
I told him I was still happy in the pit at the Sands, still had my little house away from the strip, and was still single with nobody regular in my life.
That was a mistake. He then went on about how important it was for me to find a woman, settle down and have a family. I told him none of that was really in my plans.
‘What happened to that pretty waitress you were seein’?’ he asked. ‘What was her name?’
‘That didn’t last, Dean, and she moved on. She doesn’t live in Vegas anymore.’ I was hoping he’d let it drop.
He did. Instead, we talked a bit about Marilyn Monroe, and how her recent death had affected us both. He said the movie he was supposed to be doing with her got scrubbed. He wouldn’t hear of them replacing her.
I had met Marilyn through Dean, helped her survive a crisis, and was one of the last people she called before her death, a supposed — and apparent — accidental overdose just the previous month.
Dean told me he was looking at some scripts, wanted to do another western, but was also looking at a series of spy novels written by someone named Donald Hamilton. The character’s name was Matt Helm, and he was some kind of super spy. Or, at least, that was the way Dean was thinking of playing him.
We finished dinner and had some coffee and cannoli for dessert.
‘Have you seen Frank yet?’ he asked me.
‘No, not yet. Why, is there something wrong? Does he have a problem?’
‘No, no, nothing like that,’ Dean said. ‘At least not that I know of. It’s just. .’
‘Just what?’
‘He’s kind of different when he’s around Nancy and his kids.’
‘Different how?’
‘Oh, sort of on his best behavior, you know? He doesn’t want to give Nancy any reason to not let him see the kids.’
‘Are they all here with him?’
‘Yep, Nancy, Frank Jr. and Tina.’
‘Aren’t they over eighteen?’ I asked.
‘Not Tina,’ Dean said. ‘She’s fourteen. Frank Jr. is eighteen, Nancy’s twenty-two and a beauty. Their mother could still keep him from seeing Tina if she wanted to.’
‘So Frank’s gonna behave, huh?’ I said, smiling. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen that side of him.’
‘Well, he’ll be the same on stage and in the steam room,’ Dean pointed out. ‘It’s just when he’s around his family, you know?’
We went back to talking about Dean’s kids after that, which was OK with me. He was proud of them. He was thinking that Dino Jr. was going to follow in his footsteps, but he was equally talented as a musician and a tennis player. He thought the kid would probably make a good pro tennis player.
Deanna, his daughter, was also talented, had a fine singing voice.
‘Well,’ I said, ‘if you end up going on television with a weekly show, you could always have them on.’
‘You know, you’re right,’ he said. ‘I could do that. I could also have Nancy and Frank Jr. on. They both sing very well.’
‘Not Tina?’
‘Tina’s the brainy one,’ he said. ‘I bet if the other two have a career in show business it’ll be with her behind the scenes. In fact, I’ll bet she’d be a great producer.’
It was nice to hear how proud Dean was not only of his own kids, but of Frank’s as well. To my way of thinking, this was the sign of a real friend.
THREE
As we continued our dinner we talked about other members of the extended family. Sammy was doing well and was happy with May. Peter was still on the outs with Frank over the JFK thing. I asked Dean if he had tried to intercede on his behalf but he said he stayed out of other people’s politics, and that’s what ‘this’ was all about.
‘Is Frank still mad at Bing Crosby because JFK stayed there instead?’
‘That’s the odd part,’ Dean said. ‘No, he isn’t. In fact, we’re gonna do another film, this one called Robin and The Seven Hoods, and Frank wants to give Bing the part that was originally gonna be played by Peter.’
‘That is odd,’ I said. ‘Why not be mad at Bing?’
‘I don’t know,’ Dean said. ‘He’s not mad at him, or JFK. Only Peter.’
‘That doesn’t sound right.’
‘Well, maybe you can talk to Frank about it. He values your opinions.’
‘Oh, no,’ I said, ‘I’m with you when it comes to people’s politics. Besides, I’ve never been that crazy about Peter.’
‘Why is that?’
‘I don’t know,’ I said. ‘Maybe it’s that snooty British attitude of his.’
Before we left the restaurant we managed to somehow get on the subject of Dean’s old partner, Jerry Lewis.
‘Seems Frank thinks I should appear on Jerry’s Labor Day telethon.’
‘I guess Frank doesn’t feel the same way about stayin’ out of other people’s business.’
‘Well, it’s not a political thing, between Jerry and me, and Frank likes to see himself as a Mr Fix-It.’
‘With other people’s relationships?’
Dean nodded.
‘Are you gonna do it?’ I asked.
‘Nah,’ he said. ‘Maybe some day, but not this year.’
I had met Jerry only once, when he played the Sands, but had not spent any time talking to him. I knew Jack Entratter considered him a friend, but Jack had lots of friends I didn’t talk to.
Dean paid the bill and we got back in the limo and returned to the Sands.
‘Nightcap?’ I asked him, in the lobby.
‘No, I don’t think so.’ People were pointing at him and staring. Any minute one of them was going to come over and ask for an autograph.
‘I’m gonna go upstairs and call Jeannie and the kids. I miss ’em when I’m away.’ He slapped me on the back and said, ‘Give the family thing some thought, Eddie. I’m tellin’ ya, it’s great.’
‘See you tomorrow, Dean,’ I said. ‘Maybe I’ll come and see the show.’
‘You do that. I think we’re gonna drag Buddy Lester up there since Joey’s not in town.’
‘I’d like to see that.’
‘OK, see ya then, Pally.’
‘Say hello to Jeannie for me. She was a real help when I was in L.A. a few months back.’
‘I’ll tell her.’
He headed for the elevator and I headed for the casino floor. Technically, I wasn’t on the clock, but I usually liked to walk through if I was around, see how things were going.
As I walked past my pit one of the dealer’s called out, ‘Mr Entratter was lookin’ for you, Eddie.’
‘He say what he wanted?’
‘Not to me,’ the dealer said.
‘How long ago?’
‘’Bout an hour.’
‘OK, thanks.’
‘What do I tell him if he comes back?’
‘Tell him you heard I went out to dinner with Dean Martin.’
FOUR
The next morning I drove up to the Sands, stopped to take in the marquee. The day before it had said FRANK SINATRA, DEAN MARTIN, SAMMY DAVIS JR. On this morning it said NAT KING COLE, and below that TONY LABELLA in the lounge. Later that morning I watched from my pit as Jack Entratter walked across the casino floor towards me. He had a determined look on his face, one that said he either had indigestion, or a problem. Or maybe one was causing the other. As usual, his shoulders were straining the seams of an expensive suit.
I stepped out to meet him, and to keep our conversation away from the tables.
‘What’s up, Boss?’ I asked.
‘Have you seen Ava Gardner?’
‘In which movie?’
‘Don’t be a wise guy, Eddie,’ he said. ‘Have you seen her in the casino?’
‘Ava Gardner? Here?’ My heart started beating faster just at the thought. ‘If she was here I missed her, Jack. What the hell-’
‘Somebody said they saw her in the lobby of the hotel — twice,’ he said. ‘Once coming in, and then going out. Very upset, apparently.’
‘When?’
‘This morning. Seems she came in and left within half-an-hour — if it was her.’