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California Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Tax Evasion Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling: Bookmaking Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service Hy Goldbaum It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada McNeil Island Corrections Center (WA) Stardust (Las Vegas, NV) West Hollywood--California

Bookies' Bookies Not So Good With Numbers

1945-1955 In the late 1940s, three bookies — or commissioners, as they preferred to be called — operated on California’s Sunset Strip in West Hollywood under the name, Golden News Service. Hy Goldbaum, George Capri…

Did You Know? Las Vegas--Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact - Women, Oh, No!

1905 A Las Vegas, Nevada newspaper commented on the increasing popularity of gambling among ladies: “Gambling made fashionable among women is a rather serious matter. It is bad enough among men, but when the mania…

Allen Smiley Club Savoy (Las Vegas, NV) Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling Laws / Regulations Games / Races: Craps It Really Happened Jack Durant Las Vegas--Nevada Louis "Russian Louie" Strauss Norman Khoury

Dirty Dealings in Las Vegas

1949-1953 Only months after Cleveland bar owner, Norman Khoury’s 1949 acquisition of Club Savoy in Las Vegas, Nevada, California mobster/gambler Allen Smiley, an associate of the then-deceased Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, unexpectedly approached him. Smiley introduced…

Gambling: Shills It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Quick Facts Sin City (Las Vegas)

Quick Fact - Preacher Shill

1958 Reverend Maurice D. Tulloch, 50, a Kansas man, gave up his Baptist ministry for shilling in a Nevada casino. Feeling as though his life was suffocating him, a month earlier he’d walked out of…

Bluebell Girls Dunes (Las Vegas, NV) El Rancho Vegas (Las Vegas, NV) Entertainment Golden Hotel (Reno, NV) Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission It Really Happened Las Vegas Strip / S. Las Vegas Boulevard Law Enforcement / Judicial System: NV Attorney General Roger Foley Politicians / Politics: NV Governor Grant Sawyer Reno--Nevada Riverside Hotel (Reno, NV) Stardust (Las Vegas, NV)

Bare Bosom Brouhaha

1958-1961 The debut of topless showgirls in Las Vegas roused disapproval — not surprising given it occurred early in the Leave it to Beaver era. The Stardust was the first to abandon bras and tops,…

Fremont Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV) It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Marilyn Monroe Nevada Philip Paval Publicity Stunts / Promotions / Advertisements Sandra Giles

The Lady Of Chance … Au Naturel

1956 The Fremont in Las Vegas commissioned a large oil painting that depicted a “lady of chance” to grace a wall in its casino. The hotel-casino’s press agent, Shelly Davis, asked aspiring actress Sandra Giles…

Bluebell Girls Did You Know? Entertainment Las Vegas Strip / S. Las Vegas Boulevard Quick Facts Stardust (Las Vegas, NV)

Quick Fact - Bluebell Girls

1958 Sixteen glamazon, primarily English dancers from Paris’ Lido Club troupe were imported to open Las Vegas’ Stardust hotel-casino. The Bluebell Girls’ show broke all attendance records; about 1,400 people left the gaming tables and…

Did You Know? Entertainment Ethnic Groups: African Americans International Hotel (Las Vegas, NV) Las Vegas Hilton (Las Vegas, NV) Las Vegas--Nevada Natalie Cole Quick Facts

Quick Fact - Natalie Cole

1976 Natalie Cole made her Nevada performance debut at the Las Vegas Hilton hotel-casino (formerly the International Hotel) on a double bill with Bill Cosby in April.

Caesars Palace (Las Vegas, NV) Frank Sinatra Gambling Games / Races: Baccarat Howard Hughes It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Sands (Las Vegas, NV)

Frank Sinatra's Hissy Fits

1967 & 1970 Apparently, the beloved crooner Frank Sinatra, Sr. had a temper, which he sometimes unleashed when casino operators denied him additional, excessive amounts of credit when gambling. In one instance when Sinatra lost…

Did You Know? Entertainment Las Vegas--Nevada Quick Facts Royal Nevada (Las Vegas, NV)

Quick Fact - Dancing Waters

1955 A dancing waters routine at the new Royal Nevada hotel-casino upstaged big-money entertainers — Carmen Miranda, Danny Thomas, Liberace and others — in Las Vegas, Nevada. The five fountains of colored water (30 tons…

Casino, Gambling Saloon, Card Club, Slot Route Owners / Operators / Licensees / Gamblers Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Did You Know? Gambling Games / Races: Bingo Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Las Vegas--Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact - Playing Incentives

1947 To keep players gambling at their clubs, Las Vegas, Nevada casinos boosted incentives with offerings such as double odds on craps, bingo prizes of $1,000 ($10,900 today), extra slot machine jackpots and brand new…

Casino, Gambling Saloon, Card Club, Slot Route Owners / Operators / Licensees / Gamblers Did You Know? Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Las Vegas--Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact - Slot Keys

1942 The Las Vegas, Nevada Board of Commissioners ordered all commercial slot machine owners to drop off to the local police station a master key for each of their devices to: • Ensure the devices…

Did You Know? Gambling Gambling Currency: Chips Las Vegas--Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact - Chip Deposit

1948 A guest of the Flamingo hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Nevada accidentally took home a $5 ($50 today) gambling chip then deposited it into the Bank of Arizona. The bank mailed to the Flamingo the…

00 (Double-0) Club (Las Vegas, NV) Arcade (Las Vegas, NV) Arizona Club (Las Vegas, NV) Block 16--Nevada California Hotel-Casino (Las Vegas, NV) Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder / Killing Gambling Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Poker Games / Races: Roulette Gem (Las Vegas, NV) It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Prohibition Red Onion (Las Vegas, NV) Sin City (Las Vegas) Star (Las Vegas, NV) Turf (Las Vegas, NV)

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