Chris talks about living in Las Vegas since he was 6 months old. He also talks about starting his own valet parking company while he was in college. Later Chris talks about Silver State Film Productions, a film company he founded. The schools Chris attended during his childhood were located in Las Vegas, Nevada at that time. Film producer Chris Ramirez moved from Colorado to the east side of Las Vegas in 1973, when he was six months old. Son of Greg Ramirez, owner and founder of Viva Zapatas restaurants, Chris and his family moved to Rancho Bel Air, where he completed his school years, in about 1980. Chris and other Clark County School District students of his age participated in a school desegregation program unique to Las Vegas. After completing fifth grade at Howard Wasden Elementary School, Chris and his classmates rode a bus for one year to Mabel Hoggard Sixth Grade Center in North Las Vegas. After sixth grade he attended Hyde Park Middle School and Bishop Gorman High School. Chris’s family and school connections combined with the barter culture in Las Vegas combined to create an emphasis on “who you know” rather than “what you know.” Chris formed his film companies on the basis of his Las Vegas knowledge and his contacts and credits Las Vegas for allowing him to be in the right place at the right time to meet and work with celebrities and become an entrepreneur. Chris enjoys the urban excitement of living, doing business, and participating in the revitalization of downtown Las Vegas.
The Norman Kaye Papers span the years of 1952 to 1969 and are comprised of material from the career of Norman Kaye, a Las Vegas lounge entertainer and longtime poet laureate of Nevada. The materials contain correspondence, newspaper clippings, music manuscripts and poetry, and audio recordings from the Mary Kaye Trio.
The Tony Costa Sheet Music and Music Scores (1936-1995) consists of printed sheet music and hand-written scores composed by entertainer, songwriter, and Las Vegas, Nevada orchestra conductor Tony Costa.
The Mike Miller Papers (1971-2014) include advertisements, books, and paintings by Las Vegas, Nevada-based artist and graphic designer Mike Miller. Materials include photographs, art prints, advertisements, newspaper clippings featuring Miller's advertisements, casino advertisements, and books designed, written, or illustrated by Miller.
The Norman Kaye Photograph Collection (approximately 1950-1970) consists of black-and-white photographic prints of Norman Kaye and the Mary Kaye Trio in performance at the Hotel Last Frontier in Las Vegas, Nevada.