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Stardust Resort and Casino Records

Identifier

MS-00515

Abstract

The Stardust Resort and Casino Records (1950-2006) contain materials of the Stardust Resort and Casino, which operated in Las Vegas, Nevada from 1958 to 2006. The collection contains materials on events hosted by the Stardust, the resort and casino's corporate history, interior and exterior building design, and performers. The collection also includes photographs, negatives, and slides that document the history of the resort and casino. Newspaper and magazine clippings, advertisement and marketing materials related to the Stardust's venues, shows, entertainers, and events are also present in the collection. The collection also contains a significant amount of audiovisual material, including VHS tapes, audio cassettes, optical discs, film reels, and cassette tapes containing footage and audio recordings of Stardust show promotions, news broadcasting clips, interviews, and commercials featuring the Stardust.

Archival Collection

Transcript of interview with Jan Kennedy by Barbara Tabach, September 7, 2011

Date

2011-09-07

Description

Jan Kennedy was born (1924) Janet Parmelee, the daughter of a Connecticut physician and a homemaker. In high school she met Norman Kennedy, who she would marry after both had attended college and to whom she was married for 64 years. Until 1963, their roots seemed to be taking hold in the Seattle area. That is until Norm was offered an attractive career opportunity as a weather man at the Nevada Test Site. They settled in and enjoyed a zest-filled life with their four sons and a dynamic group of friends who they often entertained at their cabin in Mount Charleston. In addition, Jan managed to volunteer for a list of organizations including UMC Hospital/Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital; Clark County Museum Guild; Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary; church deacon; Assistance League; Red Hats—keeping herself ever busy and joyfully satisfied.

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Transcript of interview with Burton Cohen by Claytee White, January 9, 2009

Date

2009-01-09

Description

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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Transcript of interview with Stephen Nasser by Barbara Tabach, January 17, 2018

Date

2018-01-17

Description

At the age of thirteen, the incredible life journey of Stephen “Pista” Nasser (b. 1931 - ) is preserved in his heart. His ordeal begins when his family are ripped from their home to be interred in a Nazi concentration camp in 1944. Fifty years later, he sits in his Las Vegas home and reflects on his calling to write and speak about his survival and losses. His ordeal is preserved in his book My Brother’s Voice (2013) and in his follow up stage production Not Now Pista. He is also the author of a companion memoir, Journey to Freedom. Stephen and his wife Francoise are tireless in their travels throughout the United States and the world. At the time of this 2018 oral history interview, Stephen had done over 1092 presentations about his harrowing life story to thousands of people of all ages and denominations. Each presentation fills a spot in his heart as he honors his brother and reminds listeners that such devastating episode in history should not be forgotten, and should never occur again. The timing of this interview also coincided with the premiere of a 20-minute documentary based on his writings and the play production. It was shown at the 2018 Las Vegas Jewish Film Festival. Note: the photo above of Stephen and Francoise Nasser was taken shortly after this interview on their next cruise. (2018)

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University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) 41st commencement program

Date

2004-12-20

Description

Commencement program from University of Nevada, Las Vegas Commencement Programs and Graduation Lists (UA-00115).

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Pair A Dice Mobile Home Park Neon Survey document, September 12, 2017

Date

2017-09-12

Description

Information about the Pair A Dice Mobile Home Park sign that sits at 2067 N Las Vegas Blvd.
Site address: 2067 N Las Vegas Blvd
Sign owner: Peyman Masachi and Pair A Dice Estates LLC
Sign details: Originally construction was in 1956 for a Manufactured Homes park. This location offers 137 spaces for mobile homes and have 42 permanent parked homes.
Sign condition: 3.5- paint has faded drastically
Sign form: Pylon
Sign-specific description: This pylon has 2 plastic back lit red dice on the top of it with the one on top with the number 5 and the lower one reads 2 to make the lucky number 7. To the non-road side of this double sided sign is a yellow circle plastic back lit sign that has painted black letters stating "Pair A Dice". Below this is an orange triangle shape that has channeled neon white steel letters near the top of it stating "Trailer Park" in a block type font that illuminate white at night. Below these letters are a white plastic back lit sign stating "R.V.'s Welcome" with their phone number posted underneath. Below is another plastic back lit sign that is yellow with a black font stating "Senior Park". Below this is a skeletal neon arrow that points to their driveway that illuminates yellow at night.
Sign - type of display: Neon and plastic back lit signs
Sign - media: Steel and plastic
Sign - non-neon treatments: Plastic Back lit portions
Sign animation: Chasing, flashing, oscillating
Notes: The logo cabinets which adorn the entrances on the elevated walkways: The letters start with both rows of text in the off position. The top row flashes on, while the bottom row is dark then the bottom row illuminates, as the top row goes dark. Once the top row flashes off it flashes back on so that both rows of text are briefly illuminated simultaneously before they both go dark and the sequence stars over again. While this is going on the incandescent bulbs which line all of the raceways are chasing each other from left to right on the horizontal planes, while the arched sections chase each other downward. The triangular peaks which radiate around the top of the logo sign, flash on and off in a sequence which chase each other downward. First the top center peak flashes on, then the next sequential triangular channel on both sides illuminate simultaneously, flash off, then the next two in the series illuminate. The resultant effect is a chasing pattern starting from the top. The sister animation is located on almost the exact same design on the porte cochere. I would think the previous smaller sign would be based on the larger porte cochere. The other variance besides obvious size difference is the that the channel letters are filled with incandescent bulbs instead of neon. The animation is a bit simpler as well. The incandescent bulbs oscillate continuously while the triangular pan channels which create the radiating crown, animate. The neon in the channels chase each other as described in the smaller walk way version, while the text continues until the entire text flashes off, then on, off, then begin to animate once again. All of the bulbs, which line the raceways of the exterior edge of the porte cochere, as well as the encrustation of bulbs on the brass bull nose portion, animate in rapid succession. All the raceway bulbs chase each other while the bulbs on the brass portion continually oscillate. Animation continues on the east face of the building with the entrances first. The principle for these two signs is oscillation and chasing. All bulbs on the underside of the entrance, as well as in the logo, oscillate rapidly. All bulbs on the raceways chase each other. Further on the surface of the building as well, the Pepsi cola wall sign is found displaying a very unique form of animation, seen here on the strip. The signage for the Pepsi ad is located on the eastern wall. (Detailed in specific description) The Incandescent bulbs which fill the inside of the text that spells Pepsi, chase each other from left to right, leaving all the bulbs in its path illuminated, as if writing out the word Pepsi. The neon bars located within the tilted bottle of Pepsi are illuminated, and chase each other downward, leaving the bars it its path dark. As this sequence in taking place, the waving tubes of neon illuminate, flashed subtly making the neon appear as soda pouring out of the bottle. As the tubing flows then the vertical neon bars in the cup illuminate one at a time making the cup appear as if it is filling up. The text above each of the painted fires head, flashes back and forth as if talking to each other as well. ESPN ZONE animation: The letters in the vertical blade portion of the ESPN Zone illuminate one at a time, starting from the top. Once the entire phrase is lit, in flashes off then on then off, before restating. The orange and red neon tubing which resides inside the pan channels that represent flames flash on and off in a relaxed manner as if to animate the flickering of the flames. The small incandescent bulbs on the black portions above the main matrix reader board flash on and off subtly.
Sign environment: This location is in North Las Vegas along Las Vegas Blvd. It is north of Jerry's Nugget by about a mile.
Sign manufacturer: There is a marking for "BMS" on this sign which is a sign manufacturer in Minneapolis, Minnesota but could not get in contact with anyone to see if this is the correct manufacturer/maintainer or if it had a different meaning.
Sign - date of installation: Has been up since at least 2007 but does look a lot older than that
Sign - thematic influences: The triangle in this sign does have a mid-century modern theme (50's/60's) to it with curved geometric shapes.
Sign - artistic significance: The theme of Pair A- Dice plays perfectly with the theme of Vegas since for many table dice games you need a pair of dice. Though you are also in paradise here in Vegas particularly since the incorporated area of Vegas which we all know as the strip is technically the city of "Paradise". Also the Pair O' Dice was the name of one of the first casino's down on the strip when gambling was re-legalized in the state of Nevada in 1931.
Survey - research locations: Assessor's Page, Loop Net- Information on what the property offers http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/18840376/2067-N-Las-Vegas-Boulevard-Las-Vegas-NV/ , _Las Vegas Sun article https://lasvegassun.com/news/2011/mar/01/2-southern-nevada-contractors-file-bankruptcy/_, google maps satellite and roadside view
Survey - research notes: With the BMS sticker on this sign, it could be a sign company but the only one found online was in Minnesota. Unless if there was a BMS in Las Vegas but was bought out by a bigger sign company.
Survey - other remarks: The Pair A Dice LLC company went bankrupt in 2011 which this Las Vegas Sun article discusses https://lasvegassun.com/news/2011/mar/01/2-southern-nevada-contractors-file-bankruptcy/
Surveyor: Emily Fellmer
Survey - date completed: 2017-09-12
Sign keywords: Neon; Plastic; Backlit; Steel; Roadside

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