Abstract
The Maria LaCavera Papers (1947-2017) contain the papers of professional dancer Maria LaCavera. The collection documents the career of LaCavera dancing in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Flamingo Hotel in 1947, and the Last Frontier Hotel in 1949 as one of the Ramona Girls dancing in the Danny O'Neil Varieties Act. Materials include photographs of LaCavera and other Ramona Girls, newspaper clippings, correspondence, LaCavera's American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA) employment contracts, Fabulous Las Vegas magazines, and hotel receipts. Other items of note include photographs of the 1949 Helldorado parade, a Frontier Hotel Ramona Room menu, and Frontier Hotel ephemera. There is also a copy of a self-published biography of LaCavera, written by her daughter-in-law Kristin Meyer entitled From Bon-Air to the Last Frontier. The collection also contains the digital images used to illustrate the book.
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Scope and Contents Note
The Maria LaCavera Papers (1947-2017) contain the papers of professional dancer Maria LaCavera. The collection documents the career of LaCavera dancing in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Flamingo Hotel in 1947, and the Last Frontier Hotel in 1949 as one of the Ramona Girls dancing in the Danny O'Neil Varieties Act. Special guests on the Varieties show include Victor Borge, The Modernaires, Jan Hart, Cass County Boys, Ilona Massey, Eddie Peabody, Liberace, and the Philharmonic Trio. Materials include photographs of LaCavera and other Ramona Girls, newspaper clippings, correspondence, LaCavera's American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA) employment contracts, Fabulous Las Vegas magazines, and hotel receipts. Other items of note include photographs of the 1949 Helldorado parade, a Frontier Hotel Ramona Room menu, and Frontier Hotel ephemera. There is also a copy of a self-published biography of LaCavera, written by her daughter-in-law Kristin Meyer entitled From Bon-Air to the Last Frontier. The collection also contains the digital images used to illustrate the book.
Access Note
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.
Arrangement
Materials are arranged chronologically.
Biographical / Historical Note
Maria LaCavera was born June 27, 1923 in Chicago, Illinois to Charles and Carmella LaCavera. As a young girl, LaCavera was enrolled in dance and violin classes, and by the age of 15 was a member of a dance pageant which performed during the 1938 Chicagoland Music Festival. LaCavera's professional career began while she was in high school, when she joined the "Belles of Bon-Air" chorus line at the Bon-Air County Club in Wheeling, Illinois. Her early career saw her work extensively with dancer and choreographer Dorothy Dorben, and she would travel throughout the United States and Canada during her years as a professional dancer. LaCavera also appeared frequently in the Boulevard Room at the Stevens Hotel in Chicago, Illinois
In February 1949, Maria appeared on stage at the Last Frontier Hotel as part of the Ramona Girls (staged by Dorothy Dorben) in the Danny O'Neil Varieties. She performed in Las Vegas for about eight months and would continue dancing until spring 1950 when she retired from professional dancing. LaCavera relocated back to Chicago, where she met and married Clayton Meyer in May 1952 and together they had three children: Charles, Dean, and Christopher. Maria LaCavera died on November 26, 1978 at the age of 55.
Source:
From Bon-Air to the Last Frontier (2022) by Kristin Meyer.
Preferred Citation
Maria LaCavera Papers, 1947-2017. MS-01139. Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada. http://n2t.net/ark:/62930/f1sz0w
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Acquisition Note
Materials were donated in 2023 by Kristin and Christopher Meyer; accession number 2023-006.
Processing Note
In 2023, Sarah Jones rehoused the collection and created the finding aid description using information available on existing folders. Tammi Kim ingested the digital files and Sarah Jones created access copies. No additional work has been done.
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Appraisal Note
Acquired by Su Kim Chung, curator, as part of UNLV Special Collections and Archives holdings on entertainment in Las Vegas. All material that formed the original gift has been retained.