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neo000013-004
Description
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The text fascia sign just to the north of the giant glass display illuminates with a background of neon tubing which chases from right to left. The pattern of colors running across are a sequence banks of red, pink purple and blue vertical neon tubing, chase each other creating a pulsating movement of the individual banks of these colors. While they are animating, the channel letters, which spell "Riviera," are dark and proceed to light up one letter at a time. Once all lit they remain lit, until the background stops with all the bars illuminated. Once all the bars are lit, the interiors of the letters turn off one at a time starting on the far right. The giant mirrored section of the building, advertising for the Splash stage show. The sequence can be best described from its dramatic powering up. The entire sign comes alive with a rapid upward chasing pattern covering the surface of the tower. Once alive, small white bulbs grow out of the end of the space on the top and bottom of the end of the "Splash" text. Once all the previous elements are illuminated, the letters in the Splash logo shut off, illuminate one letter at a time in red neon, then the white neon figure of the seal balancing a ball on the end of it's nose, lights up. The neon bordered circular raceway, then animates with the bulbs in the center chasing each other in a clock-wise sequence. Once lit the vast array of white bulbs grown out of the end of the text begin to gently oscillate, as well as the sparse assortment of floating and attached incandescent bulbs on the wall of the tower. Once the bulbs animate for a few seconds, the entire wall chases downward, becoming black as night, except for the Slash logo text. Underneath the entire front side of the western face of the Riviera, the incandescent bulbs which cover the entire surface oscillate in a wildly, while the ringed entablature on the wall animates quietly in comparison. The multi-colored rings of neon tubing chase each other from left to right, chasing the distance then repeating. The sequence then changes direction and chase from left to right. Creating the tops and bottoms of the entablature are raceways lined with incandescent bulbs that chase each other from left to right. On the surface of the west wall incandescent bulbs chase each other along the raceways which run horizontally around the internally lit cabinets. The small vertical raceways which run inside the clear plastic boxes chase each other from top to bottom, but all the raceways are offset to each other by a few seconds. At the North end of the property the signage for the Riviera's, "Nickeltown" gambling attraction, dominates the corner. He animation on the large exploding sculptural fountain lights up the entire corner. The three rocketing pieces of steel are wrapped in repeating bands of their corresponding colors of blue, purple and yellow. All three simultaneously chase from bottom to top, until completely lit. Then they begin to animate in a chasing pattern from bottom to top. After a few moments of chasing, they chase from beginnig to top once more, leaving al the tubes dark in its path. Along the circular entablature, which runs the circumference of the top mass of the fountain, incandescent bulbs chase each other from right to left, but only on the side which faces the casino. The wall, which faces north, contains the multicolored banks of vertical neon bars that animate in a specific pattern. They chase each other from right to left, then only the purple neon tubing illuminates, they chase again, then only the blue neon tubing illuminates. They chase once again, and then only the gold bars illuminate. The bars chase yet one more time, then all of the tubing illuminates, thus ending the sequence. The main entrance to nickel town is adorned with neon text and images, but only the stars higher up on the wall itself animate. The incandescent bulbs elevated above the surface of the mirrored wall, animate in a soft oscillating pattern, adding the twinkling effect. The larger five pointed stars are animated on the interior by a center of oscillating incandescent bulbs, while concentric neon shapes echo outward in the yellow, purple and blue colors seen on the adjacent wall facing north. The smaller snow-flake esque star shapes are alive with oscillating incandescent bulbs. Looking upward along the north face of the closest tower, the giant vertical, Riviera channel letters animate one character at a time, oscillate then shuts off.
Notes: The text fascia sign just to the north of the giant glass display illuminates with a background of neon tubing which chases from right to left. The pattern of colors running across are a sequence banks of red, pink purple and blue vertical neon tubing, chase each other creating a pulsating movement of the individual banks of these colors. While they are animating, the channel letters, which spell "Riviera," are dark and proceed to light up one letter at a time. Once all lit they remain lit, until the background stops with all the bars illuminated. Once all the bars are lit, the interiors of the letters turn off one at a time starting on the far right. The giant mirrored section of the building, advertising for the Splash stage show. The sequence can be best described from its dramatic powering up. The entire sign comes alive with a rapid upward chasing pattern covering the surface of the tower. Once alive, small white bulbs grow out of the end of the space on the top and bottom of the end of the "Splash" text. Once all the previous elements are illuminated, the letters in the Splash logo shut off, illuminate one letter at a time in red neon, then the white neon figure of the seal balancing a ball on the end of it's nose, lights up. The neon bordered circular raceway, then animates with the bulbs in the center chasing each other in a clock-wise sequence. Once lit the vast array of white bulbs grown out of the end of the text begin to gently oscillate, as well as the sparse assortment of floating and attached incandescent bulbs on the wall of the tower. Once the bulbs animate for a few seconds, the entire wall chases downward, becoming black as night, except for the Slash logo text. Underneath the entire front side of the western face of the Riviera, the incandescent bulbs which cover the entire surface oscillate in a wildly, while the ringed entablature on the wall animates quietly in comparison. The multi-colored rings of neon tubing chase each other from left to right, chasing the distance then repeating. The sequence then changes direction and chase from left to right. Creating the tops and bottoms of the entablature are raceways lined with incandescent bulbs that chase each other from left to right. On the surface of the west wall incandescent bulbs chase each other along the raceways which run horizontally around the internally lit cabinets. The small vertical raceways which run inside the clear plastic boxes chase each other from top to bottom, but all the raceways are offset to each other by a few seconds. At the North end of the property the signage for the Riviera's, "Nickeltown" gambling attraction, dominates the corner. He animation on the large exploding sculptural fountain lights up the entire corner. The three rocketing pieces of steel are wrapped in repeating bands of their corresponding colors of blue, purple and yellow. All three simultaneously chase from bottom to top, until completely lit. Then they begin to animate in a chasing pattern from bottom to top. After a few moments of chasing, they chase from beginnig to top once more, leaving al the tubes dark in its path. Along the circular entablature, which runs the circumference of the top mass of the fountain, incandescent bulbs chase each other from right to left, but only on the side which faces the casino. The wall, which faces north, contains the multicolored banks of vertical neon bars that animate in a specific pattern. They chase each other from right to left, then only the purple neon tubing illuminates, they chase again, then only the blue neon tubing illuminates. They chase once again, and then only the gold bars illuminate. The bars chase yet one more time, then all of the tubing illuminates, thus ending the sequence. The main entrance to nickel town is adorned with neon text and images, but only the stars higher up on the wall itself animate. The incandescent bulbs elevated above the surface of the mirrored wall, animate in a soft oscillating pattern, adding the twinkling effect. The larger five pointed stars are animated on the interior by a center of oscillating incandescent bulbs, while concentric neon shapes echo outward in the yellow, purple and blue colors seen on the adjacent wall facing north. The smaller snow-flake esque star shapes are alive with oscillating incandescent bulbs. Looking upward along the north face of the closest tower, the giant vertical, Riviera channel letters animate one character at a time, oscillate then shuts off.
Photograph of Mayor Oran K. Gragson, his wife Bonnie with Gene Kelly, circa 1960s
Date
1960 to 1969
Archival Collection
Description
Las Vegas Mayor Oran K. Gragson, his wife Bonnie with film star Gene Kelly. Pictured L-R: Gene Kelly, Mrs. Bonnie Gragson, and Mayor Oran K. Gragson. The location where the photograph was taken is unknown. Oran Kenneth Gragson (February 14, 1911 – October 7, 2002) was an American businessman and politician. He was the longest-serving mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada, from 1959 to 1975. Gragson, a member of the Republican Party, was a small business owner who was elected Mayor on a reform platform against police corruption and for equal opportunity for people of all socio-economic and racial categories. Gragson died in a Las Vegas hospice on October 7, 2002, at the age of 91. The Oran K. Gragson Elementary School located at 555 N. Honolulu Street, Las Vegas, NV 89110 was named in his honor. Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director, producer and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style, his good looks, and the likeable characters that he played on screen. Best known today for his performances in films such as An American in Paris (1951), Anchors Aweigh (1945), and Singin' in the Rain (1952), he was a dominant force in musical films until they fell out of fashion in the late 1950s. His many innovations transformed the Hollywood musical and he is credited with almost single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences. Kelly received an Academy Honorary Award in 1952 for his career achievements. He later received lifetime achievement awards in the Kennedy Center Honors (1982), and from the Screen Actors Guild and American Film Institute. In 1999, the American Film Institute also numbered him 15th in their Greatest Male Stars of All Time list.
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