Pauly Shore’s dad has own comedy career, and it’s taking off

By Jerry Fink

Monday, Aug. 4, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Most folks have started slowing down by the time they reach 78, but not comedian Sammy Shore. Shore, best known to the younger generation as the father of comedian Pauly Shore, has had a resurgence.

He has more engagements than ever and a new book, “The Man Who Made Elvis Laugh.”

About a year ago, Shore moved from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. He’s so busy now he doesn’t have a lot of time to enjoy his new digs.

“I owe it all to Vegas,” says Shore, who recently returned from Laughlin, where he opened for Tony Orlando. “When I was sitting in L.A., nothing was happening. I was auditioning for grampa parts. ‘Why am I doing this?’ I asked myself. Then I decided I wasn’t going to sit there and rot away. I was going to go where I could enjoy the last few years of my life.”

Vegas was always good to him, so now he’s here — some of the time.

“I’m signing a five-month contract to perform at the Tropicana in Laughlin, Thursdays through Sundays, November through March,” he says. Shore will perform with two other Las Vegans — comedian Kathleen Dunbar and impressionist Kathy Walker — in an act called “Two Gals and A Geezer.”

This month Shore was in L.A. working with kids at the Skateboard Convention. He’s scheduled to perform on a “Larry the Cable Guy” Christmas Special that’s taping in Nashville. He’s booked at the Eastside Cannery, a resort on Boulder Highway scheduled to open this month, and a couple of dates at the Rampart.

But he’s most excited about his autobiography, “The Man Who Made Elvis Laugh,” to be released in a week or two.

Shore was Elvis Presley’s opening act for about four years.

“The book isn’t a tell-all,” Shore says. “It’s my time with Elvis, when I opened for him, but it’s also about the people I’ve worked with over the years — there’s an interview with Milton Berle and Sid Caesar. The book is a lot about me as an older person, how I deal with what’s going on, my attitude.”

He will be in Memphis from Saturday through Aug. 17 for Elvis Week, the annual celebration of Elvis’ life that takes place around the time of his death on Aug. 16, 1977.

“The whole thing is opening up,” he says. “It’s the same old story. You hit on a little something like the book and get a little publicity and suddenly everyone wants you.

“I’ve gotten calls from Europe wanting me to come over to talk about the book — England, Germany, Israel, Sweden. There are millions of Elvis fans around the world, and everyone wants the book.”

More Elvis

The Cannery celebrates Elvis Friday and Saturday with performances by Jamie Aaron Kelley and the Imperials.

Kelley began his musical career at age 3. By 21, he was a well-known Elvis impersonator.

The Imperials backed Elvis in Las Vegas and on road tours and joined Elvis in the studio for hits such as “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto.” They are in the Gospel Hall of Fame.

Terry Blackwood, lead singer, and Joe Moscheo, bass singer and manager of the original group, are joined by Sherman Andrus and Gus Gaches. The Imperials were featured at the concerts in Memphis commemorating the 20th and 25th anniversaries ofElvis’ death.

Other guests will include Elvis’ friend and bodyguard, Sonny West; Elvis’ “Kissin’ Cousins” co-star Cynthia Pepper; “Blue Hawaii” co-star Darlene Tompkins; and “Elvis on Air” DJ Steve Christopher.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; the Cannery; $15

Around town

Reggae band UB40 celebrates “Red Red Wine” at the Red Rock on Saturday. (8 p.m.; Red Rock’s Backyard, a standing room only venue; $42.50; stationcasinos.com) ... Vocalist and acoustic guitarist Michal Whitton performs at the Thunderbird Lounge as part of the “Resodence” showcase, held the first, third and fifth Thursdays of each month. (8:30 p.m. Thursday; Thunderbird Lounge, Aruba Hotel, 1215 S. Las Vegas Blvd.; $5 at the door) ... “Dreamgirls” star and two-time Grammy winner Jennifer Holliday joins George Wallace at the Flamingo Aug. 19-30.