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In this interview, Burton Cohen discusses his involvement in the Las Vegas casino industry, including booking entertainment for various hotels.
Burton Cohen's long casino executive career began in the mid-1960s when he accepted a proposition to become involved with the transformation of the Frontier Hotel. He left his south Florida roots and law practice to become a co-owner/general manager of the Frontier Hotel. Thus, began his highly regarded Las Vegas presence. For nearly four decades he served in the management of some of the Strip's most famous casinos: Flamingo, Dunes, Circus Circus, Caesar Palace, Thunderbird and the Desert Inn, which remains his favorite. In this interview, Burt reflects on the positions he held, the celebrities he hired and befriended, and offers a unique look at the behind the scenes marketing and entertainment strategies that he helmed. He shares stories of becoming entrenched in casino operations, his reflections of union experiences, and even anecdotes about moving his mother to Las Vegas.
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From the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas, OH-01039. On March 25, 1981, collector Sonny Neighbors interviewed his mother, Margo Knowles (born October 13th, 1935 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa) at her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. Margo speaks about growing up and going to school in Las Vegas. She also discusses her work as a telephone operator in Las Vegas, and at the Nevada Test Site in Nye County, Nevada.
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The "Brandeis National Committee Las Vegas Chapter records" series mainly consists of planning documents, correspondence (including emails), event programs, newspaper clippings, reports, and newsletters created or collected by Miriam "Mimi" Katz in the course of her work for the chapter from 2006 to 2012. Materials document events and activities such as general meetings, the installation of officers, and Book and Author Luncheons.
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The "Temple Beth Sholom Women's League records" series mainly consists of by-laws, correspondence, invitations, newsletters, meeting agendas, meeting minutes, profit and loss statements, photographs, and event planning documents created or collected by Miriam "Mimi" Katz in the course of her work for the league from 2001 to 2006.
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The "Other community involvement records and personal papers" series mainly consists of materials created and collected by Miriam "Mimi" Katz from the 1940s to 2015 that document her involvement in the Las Vegas, Nevada community. This series contains a substantial amount of political campaign materials documenting Katz's volunteer work for state and federal candidates such as John Kerry, Dina Titus, Bill Clinton, and Al Gore. Katz was involved in the League of Women Voters and Temple Beth Sholom's Meet the Candidates nights, which is reflected in records and planning documents in this series. Records of other special events that Katz helped to plan for Temple Beth Sholom and its Active Adults program, as well as the Jewish Community Center of Southern Nevada, are also included in this series. The history of the local Jewish community is described in compositions by George Katz and Jerome D. Countess. Finally, this series includes some personal items documenting Katz's life, including photographs, certificates of recognition, and her obituary and memorial service program.
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