The Elvis Collection
Yet another batch of unusual investments . . .
Scheduled later this month at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is an auction of the “Esposito/Elvis” personal collection, a batch of Elvis Presley memorabilia the King gave to longtime pal Joe Esposito.
Selling for $15,000 to $20,000 is Elvis’ “makeup case.” Esposito says it contained Elvis’ personal items and prescription drugs, traveling everywhere with the King.
Then there is a “Pulsar watch” for $4,000 to $5,000, which Elvis bought after admiring one worn by entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. But, the auction catalogue says, “Elvis didn’t like the watch because it was too heavy on his wrist, and (he) gave it to Joe for his birthday.”
Then there is Elvis’ .45-caliber pistol, which the King bought at a Beverly Hills sporting goods store so he could give it to then-President Richard M. Nixon when visiting the White House in 1970.
Esposito says he ended up with the pistol because rules prevented Nixon from accepting such gifts.
No Room at the Inn
One moment you’re cutting a $600-million deal, next you’re out on the street.
That’s what happened last week to Blockbuster Entertainment’s top executives when they traveled to New York from their Florida headquarters to seal a $600-million investment in Viacom Inc., which is battling QVC Network for control of Paramount Communications.
Shortly after the pact with Viacom was made final, the Blockbuster crew returned to the St. Regis Hotel, only to find they were being kicked out. Seems the group had not made plans for staying another night, and the St. Regis was booked.
Blockbuster Vice Chairman Steven Berrard said things turned out all right: The St. Regis moved the group to the Peninsula Hotel.
All the Company’s Men
Historians at Mutual of New York have researched the policies of some of the life insurance company’s more famous clients as part of its 150th anniversary.
One problem: The company says privacy rules prohibit it from discussing policies of people not yet dead 50 years.
One MONY client was Louisiana politician Huey P. Long. A report on whether the company should insure him notes that “the history of the applicant’s ancestors is very good, and the record is free from serious illness or unnatural deaths.”
Long, of course, met an unnatural death when he was assassinated in 1935. At the time, he had a $20,000 policy with MONY.
Briefly . . .
Update: The Learning Annex has scrapped an upcoming class mentioned here last week that was to be taught by Los Angeles investor Stephen J. Murphy, who the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission alleges defrauded investors. . . . A Santa Barbara nutritionist touts herself as “Healthy Lifestyle Adviser to the Stars.” . . . Where Is He Now Department: Agreeing to pay $1.7 million last week to settle federal insider trading charges was software executive Les Crane, who competed against Johnny Carson and the “Tonight” show in the 1960s as host of a talk show on ABC.
