A portrait of Judy Bayley, the location is unknown, but was most likely taken in Las Vegas, Nevada. Judith “Judy” Bayley, namesake of the Judy Bayley Theatre at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was once known as “The First Lady of Gambling.” Judy and her husband Warren “Doc” Bayley opened the Hacienda Hotel and Casino on October 17, 1956. After Warren’s unexpected death from a heart attack on December, 26, 1964, Judy Bayley took over the ownership and operations of the Hacienda. By doing so, she became the first woman in Nevada history to be the sole owner and operator of a hotel-casino. After Judy’s death from cancer on December 31, 1971, the Hacienda was sold in 1972. The Hacienda’s doors closed to the public on December 10, 1996. The hotel was imploded on December 31, 1996 on the 25th anniversary of Judy Bayley’s death, and was broadcast on the Fox news network as part of their New Year’s Eve 1996 telecast. In March 1999, it was replaced with the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino.
Attorney Mahlon Brown begins by talking about his family. His dad was a senator for Nevada, his grandmother was an "amazing, strong, powerful, and insightful" woman, and his mother he describes as beautiful, well-read, and a music lover. He reminisces about his undergraduate days at Howard University and the job he held as a Capitol policeman during the sixties. This included guarding JFK's casket. Mahlon recalls many notable Nevadans that he knew personally, worked closely with, or came up against in meetings or trials. He shares many anecdotes and stories about his contact with Judge Foley, Ronald Pollock, Kenny Guinn, Father Vitali, and Earl White, to mention just a few. He also shares memories of women like Ruby Duncan, Mary Wesley and Maya Miller. Attorney Brown describes the duties of the office of Justice of the Peace which he held for a few years, as well as some of the cases he and Jack Anderson handled when they worked in Legal Services. He also describes the poverty workshop he and Jack ran for three or four years, which gave welfare recipients a chance to air their opinions. Mahlon shares his opinions, insights, and firsthand knowledge of the Mob, Howard Hughes, Mayor Oscar Goodman, Malcolm X, James Brown, integration on the Strip, and many other topics. His personal connections and lengthy history of working and living in Las Vegas make for knowledgeable and entertaining reading.