Las Vegas was home to many iconic film productions, most notably, the heist film “Ocean’s Eleven.” Filming took place in 1959 and starred Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Angie Dickinson. Although the movie oozed “cool” in every frame, people shrugged it off as a fancy home movie for the Rat Pack.
After all, they shot this flick while juggling their nightly gigs at the glamorous Sands Hotel. The movie had all sorts of inside jokes that only the pack would get. What’s more, a good chunk of the script wasn’t even scripted! The Rat Pack, being the nonchalant trailblazers they were, just went with the flow and improvised their way through scenes.
The Flamingo
After multiple failed developments, the Charles Pop-owned site was sold and the Flamingo Hotel and Casino were erected in 1946 by Bugsy Siegel. Siegel was particularly drawn to Las Vegas in 1945 thanks to his keen interest in legalized gambling and off-track betting. He bought the El Cortez hotel for $600,000 and sold it for a $166,000 profit.
Thanks to this money and a little help from his buddies in organized crime, Siegel took over the Flamingo Hotel project. It was the first luxury hotel in the area and was supposedly named after Siegel's girlfriend Virginia Hill who was nicknamed "Flamingo." Why flamingo? Because she had flaming hair and legs that supposedly went on for miles.
Louis Prima With His Wife and Musical Partner Keely Smith
The Louisiana native, Louis Prima AKA "the King of Swing" was a popular entertainer in Vegas lounges in the '50s. The trumpeter even moved there with his wife, Keely Smith. Success came calling for Prima during the roaring 1920s when he rocked the stage with a seven-piece New Orleans crew. The maestro moved and grooved with the times.
The 1930s saw him leading a swing combo and by the 1940s, he was conducting a full-blown big band. But here's where it gets really interesting: in the 1950s, he swapped his big band vibes for a swanky lounge band that lit up the Las Vegas nights. The club in which he performed was constantly packed. Prima was even invited by Sinatra to perform at Kennedy's inauguration party.
Liberace Comes to Town
In 1955, Liberace visited Las Vegas for one of his iconic stints at the Riviera. He famously stopped to admire the trees at Marylin Parkway. Guests would visit the spot 32 years later for his memorial service. Liberace and Vegas went back a long way. He had his first show in November 1944.
It was a place where he shaped his amazing stage persona and evolved as an artist and human being. Liberace reigned supreme in Las Vegas for decades. When he passed away, cool vintage collectibles, custom cars, and fancy outfits went into a museum that Liberace fans and music lovers flock to today. This museum funds scholarships for aspiring musicians or artists.
The El Cortez
This is one of the oldest hotels still standing in Vegas today. The hotel opened its doors for business in November 1941 and is currently on the National Register of Historic Places. At first, everyone thought the place was a tad too far from downtown but it turned quickly into a money-making machine.
Casino bigwigs like Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Gus Greenbaum, and Moe Sedway couldn't resist. They got together and snagged the property in 1945 for a cool $600,000 from J. Kell Houssels, the previous owner. While the interior has been revamped countless times, the exterior has remained largely the same.