Columnist Kate Maddox: Williams to tickle ivories, fancy

Kate Maddox

Saturday, Aug. 26, 2000 | 3:21 a.m.

Kate Maddox's column appears Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach her at kmaddox@lasvegassun.com.

Have the razor at the ready: Robin Williams will soon take on Liberace. Williams has signed a development deal to star in a movie based on the life of the flamboyant pianist, who passed away in 1987 at the age of 67.

Williams is just one of a handful of Hollywood biggies who have, at one time or another, expressed interest in playing the virtuoso. Johnny Depp, Nicolas Cage and Dustin Hoffman have all tried to find a big-screen Liberace project, but Williams appears to have nailed it.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the flick, tentatively titled "Liberace," will be written by the team who wrote this summer's surprise blockbuster, "Scary Movie." Although that film was a lighthearted parody, the Liberace biopic will likely be a drama, along the lines of "The People vs. Larry Flynt."

Sandra Harris, the executive director of both the Liberace Museum and the nonprofit Liberace Foundation, says she's thrilled with the news. "I think Robin Williams will be great for the role. He's funny, Liberace was funny. It's a great match."

Harris also remarked on Williams' ability to do a wide range of voices and accents, as well as the actor's striking physical resemblance ("He's got that stocky, broad-shouldered look that Liberace had").

However, it's safe to assume that despite the similarities, Williams has his work cut out for him. Liberace was a bit more, um, complex than Patch Adams or Popeye.

Put your hands on your hips and get those pelvic thrusts going because the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" Fan Club will be coming Las Vegas to celebrate the film's 25th anniversary. The very active "Rocky Horror" devotees will have a convention at Circus Circus Oct. 13-14 and hold an anniversary party at the Hard Rock.

And just in case you want a little visual to go along with the news, the 500-plus "Rocky Horror" posse will be parading from Circus Circus to the Hard Rock to perpetrate the world's largest Time Warp. If you remember the song and dance from the 1975 cult classic you know what I'm talking about. If you don't, just be there and try to watch. (An eyeful of freaky film lovers boogeying in lingerie-esque ensembles will be a good time, trust me.)

The anniversary festivities will coincide with a special "Rocky Horror" edition of VH1's "Celebrity Karaoke," with stars singing along to their favorite ditties from the Susan Sarandon, Tim Burton mock-horror movie. Of course, each evening will conclude with a traditional midnight screening of the film, complete with a floor-show cast.

A brief report in Friday's New York Post gossip sheets had Donny Osmond replacing Tommy Tune in MGM's "EFX." The hotel was mum, Tune was MIA, his manager is on vacation and Osmond is somewhere in Utah (no doubt recuperating from the cancellation of his and sister Marie's sickeningly sweet talk show), so nobody was available for comment.

If it's true, it would make some sense. Osmond's name had been tossed around a few years back when the production was looking to replace David Cassidy in the starring role.

Speaking of Cassidy, the star of "At the Copa" at the Rio let his half-brother, Patrick Cassidy, fill in for him for a week earlier this month and now it looks as though Patrick is Broadway bound.

Cassidy is in rehearsals for "Annie Get Your Gun" in New York City and is scheduled to take over a starring role in the popular musical in September, opposite former "Charlie's Angel" Cheryl Ladd, who is replacing the current Annie, Bernadette Peters.