His real name is Emperatori, but to anyone involved in the entertainment business in Toronto, he's just Gino. He is the prototype of the public-relations man, from the clients he has dealt with (Tony Bennett, Anne Murray) to his singular hair and clothing. This month, Gino Empry publishes his reminiscences in I Belong to the Stars (Mosaic Press), a collection of tales ranging from procuring banned substances for Peter O'Toole to dealing with Sir Ralph Richardson's practical jokes. Here are some of Empry's dispatches from the celebrity trenches.

On Jane Russell:

"She didn't lack for a sense of humour. At her media conference a few days after she arrived, there was an overload of photographers, TV cameras, reporters and onlookers all being very polite. I was standing beside her and she whispered in my ear, 'How do we relax them?' Having learnt how witty she was, I responded, 'Make a funny crack!' One of the real nosy and not very likable women columnists piped up with, 'What did you say to him?'

Jane was taken aback for a split second and then said with a deadpan look on her face, 'I was telling Gino that he is the first man I've met who has a nose big enough to fit my cleavage.' "

On Tony Bennett:

"Tony picked up a guitar case that I had not noticed before. He took out a guitar and started to strum it.

'Something new, Tony?' I asked. He had never played any instrument and he couldn't read music.

'Yeah, I thought I would try and learn a few chords. It might help with the tougher musical phrases,' he said.

I was feeling jaunty. 'Going to get yourself a little soul!' I said jokingly.

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

'Tony, I was just joking!'

'Making fun of me? What kind of a joke is that? You don't think I've got soul in my music?'

Tony wasn't much on showing his affection. Most Italian men think it shows weakness. And in his mind I had made fun of him trying to play guitar."

On Xaviera Hollander:

"I remember another time when we were sitting side by side in the Sutton Place lobby waiting for Engelbert Humperdinck who had asked me for an introduction. 'Not for sex. Just for curiosity,' he said. 'I don't want to end up in her next book.'

While we waited we were discussing a production of Tosca we had seen a few days earlier which we both found very emotional. She had her hand on my thigh and was rubbing it while making a point. Suddenly she exclaimed, 'Why do you turn off on me every time I get physically friendly?' I realized that I had done this to her before and was embarrassed.

I recovered by saying, 'Because, X, I don't know where your mouth has been!' "

On Anne Murray:

"Shortly after the Royal Alex engagement, I arranged for [Murray] to go and see Helen Reddy, who was playing the Imperial Room. John Davidson was the next star in the room and Anne had been on the same bill as he was. He had come into town early so I arranged for all three of us to see Helen's show. I remember the spotlight hitting them both when Helen introduced them from the stage and remarking to myself, 'My God, he's just as pretty as Anne!' "