Leo apparently really wants to play Frank

Check out this excerpt from an article published in the San Jose Mercury News. Sorry for the little glitch in the text. Can't seem to fix it.

"Leonardo DiCaprio has reportedly hired a vocal coach to teach him to sing in a bid to win the role of Frank Sinatra in Martin Scorsese's upcoming biopic.

"That pounding you hear is Sinatra, angrily beating on the inside of his casket. And don't think he

can't get out.

"The actor, who has previously worked with Scorsese on the Howard Hughes biopic "The Aviator," is said to be training with a voice expert to learn how to mimic the late crooner. A source told British newspaper The Sun, "Leo has hired a top vocal coach to get him sounding like Sinatra. He is a massive fan of the singer and has always wanted to play him. He would be sick to miss out on the leading role because his singing wasn't up to scratch. He is now in intensive vocal coaching lessons to replicate Sinatra's distinctive style."

"Yeah, because it's just that easy.

"DiCaprio will have to work hard, as Johnny Depp and Harry Connick Jr. have also been mentioned for the part."

Hughes-modified car up for auction

Here's an article from Motor Authority about a Lincoln car that Hughes is believed to have modified in the 1930s. It will be up for auction next month. Find it here: http://tinyurl.com/o8epwh

A writer who doesn't like Di Caprio as Sinatra

Thoughtful piece at the Den of Geek website about the idea of Leo Di Caprio portraying Sinatra in Martin Scorsese's planned biopic. Find it here: http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/252712/why_sinatra_deserves_better_than_dicaprio.html

Hughes in re: ‘Gone with the Wind'

Interesting article in the New Yorker that begins with a perceptive Hughes comment regarding the filming of "Gone with the Wind." Find it here: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2009/05/25/090525crat_atlarge_denby

Di Caprio candidate for planned Sinatra biopic

Rolling Stone magazine reports that Martin Scorsese, director of "The Aviator," is planning to make a Frank Sinatra biopic. One potential candidate for the leading role is Leonardo Di Caprio, who portrayed Howard Hughes in "The Aviator."

Other popular candidates for the role: Chris Pine (late of "Star Trek"), Ben Affleck, Ed Norton, Matt Damon, Johnny Depp, Val Kilmer, Justin Timberlake and Zac Efron.

One scene that absolutely must be in the film is when Sinatra, angered by old nemesis Hughes cutting off his casino credit, drove a golf cart through a plate-glass window at the Sands Hotel. When Sinatra confronted casino executive Carl Cohen and shoved a table at him, Cohen punched him and knocked out a couple of his teeth.

Las Vegas Review-Journal editor Don Digilio came up with a great line to describe Sinatra's meltdown: "Singer Tony Bennett left his heart in San Francisco, and Frank Sinatra left his teeth — at least two of them — in Las Vegas."

Hughes connection to late Claudine Williams

Longtime Las Vegas casino executive Claudine Williams died Wednesday at age 88. She was among the first women to serve in the highest levels of casino management.

Williams and her husband, Shelby Williams, moved to Las Vegas in 1964 and purchased the Silver Slipper on the Strip. They sold the casino to Howard Hughes in 1969, then used the proceeds to build the Holiday Casino, which later became Harrah's.

Hughes' long life after death

Here's an article about Hughes' name living on far beyond his death. Click here.