John Katsilometes relays a few tales about Frank ‘Lefty’ Rosenthal from longtime Stardust employees

Friday, Oct. 27, 2006 | 7:38 a.m.

Working for mob legend Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal at the Stardust was to observe eccentric behavior (and a notoriously explosive temper) each day. On Wednesday night during a panel discussion of longtime Stardust employees at the Nevada State Museum & Historical Society, Shirley Brancucci remembered Rosenthal angrily pulling at the legs of his pants at the bar.

"He's tugging away at one leg and looking really bothered by his pants," said Brancucci, a Las Vegan since 1952 who began working at the Stardust in 1965 and 10 years later became the first female baccarat dealer on the Strip. "He's messing around and I notice that he thinks his pants aren't right."

Brancucci approached Rosenthal, and innocently asked, "Frank, is there something wrong with your pants? The left leg seems shorter than the other."

Rosenthal cursed and slipped away to a nearby pay phone. "He gets on the phone - this is 2:30 in the morning - and calls his tailor and just reams this guy about the pants. Man, he had a temper."

Former "Lido de Paris" cast member Marty Gavin remembered Rosenthal breaking protocol by walking backstage as the female dancers were in various stages of undress. "The show was topless, but the Blue Belle girls were covered and they did not like this at all," Gavin said. "A lot of them quit the show because of it."

Gavin was also one of the first to happen upon the scene at Tony Roma's on East Sahara Avenue the night of Oct. 4, 1982, when Rosenthal's 1981 Cadillac Eldorado blew up as he turned the ignition key. "It was about five minutes after it happened. I see all the lights up ahead and Lefty leaning on the car. I just kept driving past - I didn't want anyone thinking I did it."

NoteMart

Al Bernstein is known primarily as an astute boxing analyst, but he's also familiar with political fisticuffs. Before pestering ESPN into hiring him as a broadcaster in 1981, he was managing editor (and before that, political editor) of the Lerner Newspaper chain of neighborhood newspapers in Chicago. He worked in journalism from the mid-1970s through '81 (the publisher of Lerner Newspapers, Lou Lerner, was President Jimmy Carter's ambassador to Norway). Today, Bernstein, who has lived in Las Vegas for years, backs Democratic congressional candidate Tessa Hafen. "I try to stay as politically active as possible. I think (Hafen) is going to win." ...

Column mainstay (or, if you will, staple) Brent Barrett entertained 24 family members, all from various points in the Midwest, over the past several days. The whole crew attended a Barrett performance in "Phantom: Las Vegas Spectacular" over the weekend ...

Stuffers for the stocking: Bogar Enterprises, which designed the popular Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas novelty sign two years ago, has launched four new signs (in time for the holidays). The new themed signs are a Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign featuring a tiny Elvis figure in a sequined jumpsuit at the base, a replica of the ELVIS backdrop that Presley used for his 1968 comeback special, a small Welcome to Las Vegas plug-in night light, and the red arrow of VEGAS.com (the Web site owned by the Greenspun family, which also owns the Las Vegas Sun). I like that 1968 Elvis sign, myself. To impulse purchase, go to www.LVSignCo.com (no marketing plans for the largely ignored Welcome to Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas sign on Las Vegas Boulevard North, just north of the Stratosphere, have been announced) ...

What can Brown do for you? The combination of his energy and talent, an 800-seat state-of-the-art theater that is not too big or too small, a strong band and the force of Bernie Yuman's management should make Gordie Brown's show at the Venetian a success ...

A reader by the investigative name Sandra Sherlock sends in a vanity plate HAPYTRLS on a white Chevy SUV.