ent000899-001

The life and times of the legendary Las Vegas producer 0fo^jnk|.SeLneS?╟╓ show Producer whose career in high SCh0??1?╟╓came t0 Las SLK ?tbe opemng of the Desert Inn. Throughout the decade, while owning the famous Moulin Rouge nightclub in Hollywood, he commuted 3nd Nevada> Meeting entertain- ment for the Desert Inn, and later, the Stardust and Frontier as well. This is the third chapter of a 3-part story on Sennes?╟╓ life and career. " CONCLUSION ByDEECOAKLEY WHEN the Desert Inn owners took over the trouble-plagued Stardust in 1958, the hotel naa a casino and a record-breaking 1000 rooms which would be promoted at $6 a nfght It JJJJJ * glgaatlc show- and Desert Inn entertain- ment director Frank Sennes was asked to come up witn one. r taihed to the Lido people from Paris about exchanging shows with my Moulin Rouge club in Hollywood, but I didn?╟╓t like the terms ?╟Ñ rialls Sennes today. ?╟úBut I knew Las Vegas needed a big production, and we negotiated to bring the Lido de Paris to the Stardust.?╟Ñ The lavish ?╟÷ and topless ?╟÷ show from Paris started making history immediately. To house it Sennes worked with designers on the construction of a huge, enormously complicated stage, with three elevators, 60 fly loft lines, and an orchestra area off to one side. . ?╟ ?╟ The orchestra was always in a pit at the front of the stage m those days,?╟Ñ says Sennes. ?╟úI had the idea of using the pit area for tables - bringing customers right up to ringside, so that?╟╓s what we did. The Lido show was created in Paris by Pierre- Louis Guerin and Rene Fraday, but the actual staging of the fabulous production was done by American Donn Arden, a longtime associate of Frank?╟╓s, who produced the DI shows and the revue fit Sennes?╟╓ Moulin Rouge. P?·?Par%*ions for the Stardust spectacular got underway, and word spread around Las Vegas about the sensational Bluebell Girls arriving for re- foMrsab under the direction of Margaret Kelly, Stardust opening became sprobably the m<&f eagerly awaited debut in Las Vegas entertainment history. Especially interested were city and countv of- ficials, when they heard the Lido would,TsfL in the Paris production, feature nude showgirls "f- ^member, the 1950s, when chorus lines 7Z\pretty, 9??vered up. Just in case, Sennes ordered iirii SKG?1fi bras heId in reserve for the topless girls, but they proved unnecessary. ?╟≤ f mvited the sheriff and other officials to a preview performance, and they loved the show, tames ?╟ÑVaS ?╟Ñ?? mbre about censoring the cos-. The Lido show became the hottest ticket in town. OVER at the Desert Inn, Sennes and Donn Arden continued to produce winners ?╟÷ such hits as Hello, America?╟Ñ and ?╟úPzazz ?╟╓68?╟Ñ played to packed houses. Howard Hughes had come to town in 1966, acquiring; first the Desert Inn, later the Sands and Frontier. Sennes added the Frontier entertain- r ment department to his responsibilities. ?╟úIfav!d them $1.4 million a year when I took over the Frontier, he said recently. To the Frontier he g^lS*C?uacts as the SuPremes, and it was on that stage that the original Supremes made their last ?╟╓ appearance together. Diana Ross was dropping out to launch a solo career, and Sennes, on the last night of the engagement, introduced her from the stage as a young lady who will be one of our greatest sters ?╟Ñ This item has not been digitized in its entirety. The original item is available for research and handling at the UNLV University Libraries. Additional digitization is available upon request. Please contact Special Collections to request additional digitization or with any questions regarding access at special.collections@unlv.edu. Jlinaani