5. Stanley Penn, “Kerkorian Hints That Money Mentioned in Mob Wiretap Involved Sports Wager, Mafia Ties Denied,” Wall Street Journal, February 4, 1970.
6. Alex Shoofey, Oral History.
7. Torgerson, Kerkorian.
8. Bob Wiedrich, “Tower Ticker” Column, Chicago Tribune, August 24, 1971.
9. Torgerson, Kerkorian.
Chapter 20: Making Debbie Reynolds Cry
1. Unless otherwise noted, accounts of the MGM auction in “Making Debbie Reynolds Cry” were drawn from the following sources: the documentary The Search for the Ruby Slippers, written and produced by Rhys Thomas, Greystone Communications (A&E Network, 1998); a YouTube collection of auction scenes posted by The Prop King, www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOOtUs1wXUo; Steven Bingen, Stephen X. Sylvester, and Michael Troyan, MGM: Hollywood’s Greatest Backlot (Santa Monica Press, 2011); and Peter Bart, Fade Out: The Calamitous Final Days of MGM (William Morrow, 1990).
2. Fred Zinnemann Papers, archives of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Margaret Herrick Library.
3. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
4. This account and detailed conversations are based on the book by Robert Evans, The Kid Stays in the Picture (Hyperion, 1994).
5. Serling, Only Way to Fly.
6. Ibid.
7. Torgerson, Kerkorian.
Chapter 21: The Rival Vanishes
1. Drosnin, Citizen Hughes.
2. Kirk Kerkorian, Oral History.
3. Ibid.
4. Leonard Sloane, “Lawyer Keeps Late Hours,” New York Times, December 14, 1969.
5. Interviews with Una Davis and Ron Falahi.
6. Kirk Kerkorian, Oral History.
7. “Howard Hughes Acquires Las Vegas’ Desert Inn,” United Press International, March 15, 1967.
8. A comment Maheu shared with Kirk, according to interviews with Una Davis.
Chapter 22: Putting on the Moves
1. Walter Scott columns “Personality Parade,” Parade, July 11 and October 24, 1971.
2. Interviews with Una Davis.
3. One example: Joyce Haber column, “Movie Premiere: Rich and Famous Celebrate the Same,” Los Angeles Times, October 6, 1980.
4. Another example: Joyce Haber, Los Angeles Times, January 5, 1972.
5. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
6. Robert Dallos and Al Delugach, “MGM to Specialize and Diversify, Too,” Los Angeles Times, October 24, 1971.
7. Joyce Haber, “A Hollywood Farewell to Beloved Metro,” Los Angeles Times, November 18, 1973.
8. Torgerson, Kerkorian.
Chapter 23: A View to the Abyss
1. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
2. Joyce Haber, “$20 Million Deal Sealed at Bistro,” Los Angeles Times, October 29, 1973.
3. Charles Champlin, “Muffling the Lion’s Roar,” Los Angeles Times, September 28, 1973.
4. Vincent Canby, “Leo’s Roar Becomes a Whimper,” New York Times, September 30, 1973.
5. Details leading up to Aubrey’s ouster covered by Gladstone, The Man Who Seduced Hollywood.
6. Earl Wilson, syndicated column, November 7, 1973.
7. Bart, Fade Out.
8. Ibid.
9. “MGM Declares Payout of $1.75 per Share, First Since April ’69,” Wall Street Journal, November 23, 1973.
10. Al Delugach, “MGM Ends Payout Drought with $1.75 Dividend Per Share,” Los Angeles Times, November 22, 1973.
Chapter 24: Extra Risk Factor
1. Norma Lee Browning, “MGM Opens a Truly Grand Hotel,” Chicago Tribune, December 10, 1973.
2. Joyce Haber, “Sinatra’s Case of ‘Vegas Throat,’” Los Angeles Times, January 30, 1974.
3. Al Delugach, “Grand Hotel Gamble Pays Off,” Los Angeles Times, December 10, 1974.
4. “Kerkorian Moves to Sell Holdings in Western Air,” Wall Street Journal, January 15, 1976.
5. Details of the tactical ruse come exclusively from interviews with Terry Christensen.
Chapter 25: Punch, Counterpunch
1. David McClintick broke the Begelman scandal with “Columbia Pictures Begelman Case,” Wall Street Journal, December 20, 1977.
2. Gladstone, The Man Who Seduced Hollywood.
3. Unless otherwise noted, details about the MGM Grand Hotel fire for “Punch, Counterpunch” came primarily from the book by Deirdre Coakley with Hank Greenspun, Gary C. Gerard, and the staff of the Las Vegas Sun, The Day the MGM Grand Hotel Burned (Lyle Stuart, 1982); official investigative reports by the Clark County Fire Department, undated, and the National Fire Protection Association, January 15, 1982; and a comprehensive aftermath story by the Los Angeles Times, by Bob Secter, Gaylord Shaw, and Ronald Soble, “A Fire Dissected: What Caused the MGM Grand Blaze?” December 21, 1980.
4. Robert Dallos, “Rift Develops Between Columbia, Kerkorian,” Los Angeles Times, May 14, 1980.
5. Hal Lancaster and Earl C. Gottschalk Jr., “What’s Behind Kerkorian Bid for Columbia?” Wall Street Journal, September 30, 1980.
6. Charles Schreger, “Stark Denies Kerkorian Charges,” Los Angeles Times, October 10, 1980.
Chapter 26: MGM Spells Disaster
1. Unless otherwise noted, details about the MGM Grand Hotel fire for “MGM Spells Disaster” came primarily from the book by Deirdre Coakley with Hank Greenspun, Gary C. Gerard, and the staff of the Las Vegas Sun, The Day the MGM Grand Hotel Burned (Lyle Stuart, 1982); official investigative reports by the Clark County Fire Department, undated, and the National Fire Protection Association, January 15, 1982; and a comprehensive aftermath story by the Los Angeles Times, by Bob Secter, Gaylord Shaw, and Ronald Soble, “A Fire Dissected: What Caused the MGM Grand Blaze?” December 21, 1980.
2. All details about the MGM fire aftermath attributed to Mike Agassi come from interviews with the author.
Chapter 27: Villain of the Actuaries
1. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
2. Robert Dallos, “Columbia Sues Kerkorian, Directors at 2 Firms,” Los Angeles Times, December 11, 1980.
3. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
4. The story of Scoshie from interviews with Ron Falahi.
5. Myrna Oliver, “MGM Grand Set to Battle Its Insurers, Case Expected to Last 8 to 10 Months, Cost $342,000 a Day to Try,” Los Angeles Times, May 18, 1985.
6. Interview with William M. Shernoff.
7. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
8. Rose Nisker, “Ms. Glaser, I Presume?” Southern California Super Lawyers, 2007 at https://www.superlawyers.com/california-southern/article/ms-glacier-i-presume/eacd4f1f-3159–4a6d-9346-b118638a71ed.html.
9. Interview with William M. Shernoff.
10. Ibid.
Chapter 28: One Roll of the Dice
1. Unless otherwise noted, details about Kirk’s gambling portrayed in “One Roll of the Dice” were provided by Jerry Perenchio in a rare interview with the author. Like Kerkorian, Perenchio avoided the media. His motto: “Stay out of the spotlight; it fades your suit.”
2. Interviews with Ron Falahi.
3. Ibid.
Chapter 29: Ted Turner’s Ticking Time Bomb
1. Unless otherwise noted, the narrative account of negotiations between Kerkorian and Turner in “Ted’s Ticking Time Bomb” was drawn from the book by Ted Turner, Call Me Ted (Hachette, 2010).
2. Interview with Michael Milken.
3. Al Delugach, “Turner Acknowledges MGM Merger Trouble: Firms Renegotiating,” Los Angeles Times, January 14, 1986.
4. Interview with Arthur Bilger.
5. Interview with Michael Milken.
6. Interview with Stanley Mallin.
7. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
8. Al Delugach, “MGM Deal Could Cost Turner His Own Firm,” Los Angeles Times, January 23, 1986.
9. Interview with Michael Milken.
10. Interview with Terry Christensen.
Chapter 30: A Burial at Sea
1. The telephone exchange and oth
er details about Turner’s money troubles in “A Burial at Sea” come from Turner’s book, Call Me Ted, unless otherwise noted.
2. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Bart, Fade Out.
6. Kirk Kerkorian in videotaped interview with Jennifer Grant, 2006.
7. Bill Wundram, “The night Cary Grant died in our arms,” Quad-City Times, November 29, 2011.
8. Interviews with Una Davis.
9. Jennifer Grant, Good Stuff, A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant (Alfred A. Knopf, 2014).
Chapter 31: Among the Billionaires
1. Unless otherwise noted, details informing the narrative account of Kirk Kerkorian’s launch of an earthquake relief airlift were provided in interviews with Harut Sassounian, the leading force behind that project.
2. Interviews with Alex Yemenidjian.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. N. R. Kleinfield, “Forbes Hunt For Richest 400,” New York Times, September 11, 1982.
6. Donald Trump with Charles Leerhsen, “Forbes Carried Out Personal Vendetta in Print,” Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Part 4 of 5 parts, October 4, 1990.
7. Interview with Bob Dole.
8. Interviews with Harut Sassounian.
9. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
Chapter 32: Babe Ruth at Bat
1. As Kerkorian’s lead negotiator, Alex Yemenidjian played a key role from beginning to end in Kirk’s Chrysler bid. Unless otherwise noted, the author’s interviews with Yemenidjian provide the narrative detail in “Babe Ruth at Bat.”
2. Interviews with Alex Yemenidjian.
3. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
4. Howard Stutz, “Kerkorian Negotiated Blockbuster Deals But Shunned Limelight,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, June 17, 2015.
5. Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513.
6. Liz Smith syndicated column, August 19, 1987.
7. Interviews with Ron Falahi.
Chapter 33: The Iacocca Nuisance
1. No journalist in the country did a more thorough job of covering Kerkorian’s bid to buy Chrysler than Detroit News reporter Bill Vlasic. His work informs much of this narrative. Unless otherwise noted, the primary source for details in “The Iacocca Nuisance” come from the book by Bill Vlasic and Bradley A. Stertz, Taken for a Ride: How Daimler-Benz Drove Off with Chrysler (William Morrow, 2000), and from the author’s interviews with Alex Yemenidjian.
2. “Mr. Iacocca’s New Bottom Line,” New York Times editorial, April 14, 1995.
3. Mike Hiltzik, “A Bold Play by Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside,” Los Angeles Times, April 13, 1995.
4. “Mr. Iacocca’s New Bottom Line,” New York Times editorial, April 14, 1995.
5. Bill Vlasic, “Iacocca: Still Need Cash for Deal—Kirk Kerkorian Needs ‘to get cranking on financing. It’s not there yet,” Detroit News, April 16, 1995.
6. Gabriella Stern, “Chrysler Ends Plan for Holder Meetings to Spur Resistance to Kerkorian Moves,” Wall Street Journal, May 3, 1995.
7. Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513.
8. Terry Christensen interviews.
Chapter 34: She Persisted
1. This anecdote is based on the late Wendy Falahi’s account as told by her husband, Ron Falahi, in interviews with the author.
2. Interviews with Alex Yemenidjian.
3. Los Angeles Superior Court case #BP-164011.
4. The voluminous archival record gathered over the years under Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513 was contained in more than sixty bankers’ boxes and kept in storage three floors beneath the Los Angeles County Hall of Records. In those files are tens of thousands of pages of sworn declarations, depositions, financial accounting records, claims, and counterclaims—the bulk of which have been reviewed by the author. Unless otherwise noted, it is from those official documents that the narrative account of Kirk’s romantic relationship and long-running legal battles with Lisa was drawn.
5. Interviews with Gene Kilroy.
6. Maureen Donaldson and William Royce, An Affair to Remember: My Life with Cary Grant (G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1989).
7. Una Davis described her first impressions of Kirk and their early romance in interviews with the author.
Chapter 35: Rifle Right Takes Iron Mike
1. Interview with Daniel M. Wade.
2. Interviews with Gene Kilroy.
3. Rory Holloway with Eric Wilson, Taming the Beast: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson (Rough House, 2014).
4. Interviews with Alex Yemenidjian.
5. Interview with Don King.
6. Interviews with Ron Falahi.
7. Holloway with Wilson, Taming the Beast.
8. Interview with Don King.
Chapter 36: Genocide and Generosity
1. Harut Sassounian was Kirk’s only companion on the billionaire’s first trip to Armenia and his account provided in interviews with the author informs the narrative in “Genocide and Generosity” unless otherwise noted.
2. William C. Rempel, “Racing to America,” Los Angeles Times, July 4, 1998.
3. Tracy Seipel and Camille Mojica, “Ellison Sails Through Testimony: Billionaire Recounts Search for Mega-Yacht,” (San Jose) Mercury News, July 22, 2000.
4. Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513.
Chapter 37: Wynn and Lose
1. Interviews with Ron Falahi.
2. Photos from the party are part of the court file in Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513.
3. By far the most impressive coverage of Kerkorian’s bid for Wynn’s Mirage holdings was under the byline of Wall Street Journal reporter Christina Binkley. Unless otherwise noted, narrative details in “Wynn and Lose” rely on her book, Winner Takes All: Steve Wynn, Kirk Kerkorian, Gary Loveman and the Race to Own Las Vegas (Hyperion, 2008).
4. Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513.
5. Lisa Kerkorian letter to Kirk’s business manager Anthony Mandekic, submitted as an evidentiary exhibit, Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513, dated September 6, 2000.
6. Lisa Kerkorian, Stephen A. Kolodny, and Jeff M. Sturman Reply Declarations, Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513, filed March 14, 2002.
7. “Warbling Wynn Shocks Wall St.,” New York Post, November 10, 1999.
8. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
9. Interview with Michael Milken.
Chapter 38: Fateful Attraction
1. Unless otherwise noted, narrative details in “Fateful Attraction” come from litigation files in Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513, including the sworn declarations of Tracy Kerkorian and Katherine Savala, each dated March 7, 2002.
2. Interviews with Ron Falahi.
3. Details of the encounter were provided in interviews with Una Davis.
4. Lisa Bonder Kerkorian letter to Kirk’s business manager Anthony Mandekic, submitted as an evidentiary exhibit, Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513, dated September 6, 2000.
5. Anne DuPont sworn declaration, Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513, dated March 7, 2002.
6. From interviews with Nick Behnen, Guy Hudson, and Alda Lanzone at the Las Vegas Country Club.
7. Interviews with Una Davis.
8. Steve Bing sworn declaration, Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513, dated August 14, 2002.
9. Sworn declarations of Tracy Kerkorian, and Katherine Savala, Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513, both signed on March 7, 2002.
10. Ibid.
11. Kirk Kerkorian sworn declaration, Los Angeles Superior Court case #DB-308513, dated March 8, 2002.
12. Interviews with Terry Christensen.
Chapter 39: A God Among Deal Makers
1. Details about the DNA sample collection are from various documents in Los Angeles Superior Court case #BD-308513, including the sworn declaration of Steve Scholl, dated May 10, 2002.
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