Show dramas take legal turn

The court documents littering this desktop seem a bit out of place for an entertainment columnist. But it has been one of those weeks. All the drama has been off the stage and in the legal system.

Why not? “The Social Network” is the big Oscar bait, and it’s structured around a deposition. Sounds like screenwriter Aaron Sorkin should have been in the law offices of attorney Mark Tratos this week, for depositions in a case explaining why we have two remarkably similar Rat Pack tributes on the Strip.

Sandy Hackett and his wife, Lisa Dawn Miller, produce one of them at the Riviera. They are at legal odds with former partner, Dick Feeney, who helms the longer-running tribute at the Plaza and has never tried to hide his contempt for Miller.

The Hacketts’ long-awaited depositions finally took place these past two weeks. Feeney says there were movie-worthy dramatics, including a walkout by the couple, and a judge compelling Sandy Hackett to return. Book a seat if this one goes to open court.

From melodrama to mystery, we switch to the Tropicana and lawsuits against Jay Bloom, who leases the showroom there and soon plans to open a “Mob Experience” attraction. But a show called “Sideswipe” pulled out the same week the attraction’s intended spokeswoman, the daughter of mob legend Sam Giancana, went public with similar complaints about not getting paid.

More drama, with an element of pathos, in bankruptcy court Friday. It involved another producer, John Stuart, whose “Legends in Concert” was the success story of an earlier era of Vegas. He was scheduled to explain why he had not satisfactorily documented his bankruptcy filing, in which he stands to lose his house and most personal property. His creditors accuse him of concealing assets.

Three disputes, all falling under the larger Hollywood themes of big dreams, broken promises and the age-old question, “Where’s the money?”

David Copperfield, the illusionist who is not involved in any of these cases, coincidentally reflected recently about the old days, when the casino operators themselves controlled the entertainment spigot.

“They just paid you. It wasn’t a four-wall deal. Today, literally, you find a producer who will spend the money and they’ll pretty much put you in the room. And you have a bunch of people that want to be in show business,” he notes.

Cash-strapped casinos have made entertainment a new frontier — or Wild West, which judges now have to police. Find some investors, open a show. Figure you can pay them back. If things go south with one Rat Pack show, go start your own.

Just save some money for attorney fees.

Contact reporter Mike Weatherford at mweatherford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0288.