Columnist John Katsilometes: How Mel Larson was taken by surprise with induction into Las Vegas Walk of Stars

Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006 | 7:59 a.m.

Fabulous Las Vegas runs Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. Reach John Katsilometes at kats@lasvegassun.com or at (702) 259-2327 or (702) 812-9812.

Dozens of friends and loved ones of Mel Larson managed to keep a significant secret from the Las Vegas pioneer until noon Monday: That he will be honored on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars.

The grass-roots effort to arrange for a star for Larson, a longtime Las Vegas humanitarian, motor-sports promoter, and helicopter pilot and dealer, was eight months in the making. And yet, Larson was stunned as he walked into the banquet room at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse on Paradise Road for a ceremony honoring his induction to the Walk of Stars.

"I usually have lunch here every Monday, just the guys, but then all these wives started showing up," Larson said after several assembled dignitaries had made speeches on his behalf. "I knew then that something was up."

Supporters raised the required $15,000 donation to have Larson included on the Walk of Stars, which includes Wayne Newton, Frank Marino, Rich Little and Liberace. On hand Monday were Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman (making a rare public appearance), Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, County Commissioner Myrna Williams, Regent Thalia Dondero, former Las Vegas Motor Speedway President Richie Clyne and ex-IndyCar driver and current racing team owner Sam Schmidt.

An ex-marketing manager at Circus Circus, Larson is best known for his role in the establishment and promotion of the Mint 400 off-road race and his efforts during the 1980 MGM Grand fire, when he used his own helicopter to carry stranded tourists from the hotel roof to safety. His star will be placed in front of Circus Circus; when that will happen has not been announced.

NoteMart

Just desserts: Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck has never had an appetite for acting.

"I never thought I'd end up doing this. I love what I do and I have never had any aspirations to change to anything new," Puck said Monday morning from his office in Los Angeles. "Maybe it would be fun to be a painter or an artist, but that is a lot of time and hard work."

Puck and his upscale restaurant made their debut Monday night on the stylish (and hot!) NBC series "Las Vegas" (which airs at 9 p.m. on KVBC Channel 3). Puck says he will make appearances "four or five times" as himself as the owner of is restaurant at the fictitious Montecito resort. But he says he is not going to become an integral part of any of the series' spicy plotlines.

"Let's not get that far," he said with a laugh. "I still have a company to run."

Being in front of the camera is fairly common for Puck, who has been making network TV appearances for 30 years (including some memorable give-and-takes with David Letterman).

"I think it's easier for a chef to go into acting than the other way around," he said. "Many celebrities have tried to open restaurants and failed. With this, I'm just playing myself."

"Phantom" sets mark: With its 7,486th consecutive show on Monday, "Phantom of the Opera" surpassed "Kats" -- er, "Cats" -- as the longest-running show in Broadway history. A 90-minute version of the musical opens at the Venetian in May ...

No, not at McCarran International Airport: All 52 (including the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C.) Miss America contestants are taking part in "On the Runway With Miss America" on Sunday. The event at Fashion Show mall, the first public appearance by the contestants in Las Vegas, gives fans a chance to take photos and meet the 2006 contestants, along with reigning Miss America Deidre Downs and Miss Nevada, Crystal Wosik of Las Vegas.