Skip to main content

Search the Special Collections and Archives Portal

Search Results

Display    Results Per Page
Displaying results 21211 - 21220 of 22161

Mike Meade interview, February 28, 1977: transcript

Date

1977-02-28

Archival Collection

Description

On February 28, 1977, collector Steve Gortz interviewed Mike Meade (b. September 16, 1950 in San Francisco, California) about his life in Nevada. Meade speaks about growing up in Tonopah, Nevada before its decline in population, his move to Elko, Nevada and eventually to the city of Las Vegas. Moreover, he talks about the development of the Strip, the differences between Las Vegas and rural Nevada, as well as the changing environmental landscape. Meade also spends time discussing the controversy surrounding the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) dormitory at the time of this interview, the attitude of locals, and his opinion on brothels and prostitution. Lastly, Meade talks about the city’s pollution, the sports and recreation throughout the whole of the state and ends by reading a poem about Nevada from a Bicentennial book.

Text

Barbara Millington interview, March 2, 1980: transcript

Date

1980-03-02

Description

On March 2, 1980, collector David Mowrey interviewed Barbara Millington (born July 3rd, 1937 in Oak Creek, Colorado) at her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. In this interview, Mrs. Millington discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada with her family and working various jobs including at Vegas Village and becoming a bookkeeper at a construction firm. She also speaks about the changes she has seen in Las Vegas, such as how casinos were when she first came here compared to how they are now. She ends the interview talking about the need for Las Vegas to find industry outside of gaming. She discusses the need for young people to come back after going away to college to improve the city.

Text

Transcript of interview with Daniel Kaminski by Brian Corcoran, March 14, 1978

Date

1978-03-14

Description

On March 14, 1978, Brian Corcoran interviewed Twenty-One dealer Daniel Kaminski (born November 17th, 1947 in New Jersey) about his life in Southern Nevada. The two discuss Kaminski’s occupational history and gambling practices amongst tourists. They then go in depth on the rise of gambling establishments across the United States and the impacts it may have on Las Vegas. The interview concludes with a discussion on the role of dealers in casinos.

Text

Transcript of interview with Kenny Kerr by Dennis McBride, May 29 & 30, 2001

Date

2001-05-29
2001-05-30

Archival Collection

Description

In the years following this interview, Kerr continued entertaining, although he never returned to the Las Vegas Strip. Kerr performed at OUTfest Phoenix, at Palm Springs’ Awesome August celebrations, Las Vegas’ National Coming Out Day event, and for the Gay and Lesbian Community Center’s Youth Service’s Division. Kerr also gave shows at small bars and restaurants such as Café Nicolle and DeStefano’s in Las Vegas, the Wilde Goose in Cathedral City, California, and the Plush Room in San Francisco. There were rumors that Kerr was set to replace emcee Joey Arias in Cirque du Soliel [2004] and Frank Marino in La Cage [2005], but neither turned out to be true. Instead, Kerr performed in such local gay nightclubs as Flex, Sasha’s, Krave, Suede, and, on July 31, 2012, at the Onyx Theatre in Commercial Center. In 2006, Kerr made peace with his former rival, Frank Marino. Kerr’s son, Kristin Vidal, made Kenny a grandfather with his own son, Alexander. It was clear during his July 2012 performan

Text

Transcript of interview with Marian Beltran Decaro by Frank Murillo, March 27, 1977

Date

1977-03-27

Description

On March 27, 1977, Frank Murillo interviewed housewife Marian Beltran Decaro (born September 7th, 1914 in Flagstaff, Arizona) in her home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview covers the history of Las Vegas, Nevada’s first Mexican restaurant. Mr. Decaro is also present during the interview. Additionally, Mrs. Decaro recalls the first atomic bomb test in Las Vegas and also offers an overview of the growth of the area, overall, including the development and demographic details of such distinct historical communities as the Westside.

Text

Transcript of interview with Isabella Jessie Curtis by Andrew B. Levy, February 15, 1979

Date

1979-02-15

Description

On February 15, 1979, Andrew Levy interviewed Isabella Jessie Curtis (born 1922 in Monroe, Wisconsin) about her experiences in Southern Nevada. Curtis first talks about her career in waitressing at several restaurants and casinos in Las Vegas before describing some of the early businesses in the Downtown Las Vegas area. The interview then moves to discussions on Curtis’s involvement in politics, her early recreational activities, and the atomic testing. The two later discuss the first telephones in Las Vegas, the Helldorado celebration, and her work at the Tropicana Las Vegas. The interview concludes with Curtis’s description on living in Sandy Valley, Nevada, and some of her first memories of the Union Pacific train depot in Las Vegas.

Text

Transcript of interview with Elinor Horden by Valerie Fujii, February 13, 1930

Date

1980-02-13

Description

On February 13th, 1980, collector Valerie Fujii interviewed dancer, Elinor Horden, (born May 21st, 1930 in Ohio) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. This interview covers local entertainment in the 1950s and the social and environmental changes that have occurred in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Text

Transcript of interview with Deanne Alterwitz-Stralser by Barbara Tabach, November 1, 2014

Date

2014-11-01

Description

Interview with Deanne Alterwitz-Stralser with contributions from her son Daryl Alterwitz on November 1, 2014. In this interview Deanne talks about her Jewish upbringing near the Illinois-Indiana state line, meeting her first husband Oscar, with whom she had four children, and the difficulties with keeping kosher. The family moved to Las Vegas from Gary, Indiana for opportunities in the furniture business. Daryl weighs in on his father's personality, business decisions, and their move to Las Vegas. They discuss the location of the store the Alterwitz's bought (Walker Furniture) and purchasing the building from Jackie Gaughan, and the different tastes in furniture in Las Vegas. Then they talk about the Jewish community and the division between the east and west sides.

On New Year's Day, 1931, Deanne Alterwitz-Stralser was born Deanne Friedman in Hammond, Indiana, the daughter of an insurance salesman and a stay-at-home mom. Deanne spent her childhood in Calumet City, just across the state line in Illinois, and was raised with a strong Jewish identity. At the age of sixteen, she met her first husband, Oscar Alterwitz, at an Alpha Zadik Alpha (AZA) dance in Gary, Indiana, and the two were married in 1950. Deanne and Oscar settled in Gary, where they had four children?Aimee, Larry, Daryl and Linda?and took over the Alterwitz family furniture business. Eventually, the couple grew the business to three successful retail furniture stores. However, a decline in the city's safety and opportunities forced the Alterwitz's to consider relocating, and in 1973, after a family vote, Deanne and Oscar moved their family to Las Vegas. Upon arrival, Deanne and Oscar bought Walker Furniture from original owners, George and Ruth Walker. Deanne used her artistic eye and training from the Art Institute of Chicago to lead the design and merchandising elements of the business. Socially, Deanne integrated into the local Jewish community, and ensured her children participated in Jewish life as well. Deanne and Oscar's children still remained involved in Walker Furniture operations, including Daryl, who serves as the company's general counsel; Larry, who is the company's president; and a daughter who now oversees the store's design and merchandising.

Text

Transcript of interview with Jacqueline Baskow by Barbara Tabach, October 24, 2016

Date

2016-10-24

Description

In 1976, Jacqueline "Jaki" Baskow was an aspiring actress when she and a friend accepted an invitation to worked in a movie studio in Las Vegas. She had three-hundred dollars to her name, a dream and lots of dynamic energy. Though the movie studio offer did not quite materialized as she hoped - the invitation had come from Batman co-creator Bob Kane - Jaki's trajectory into Las Vegas, working with talents and planning events became an over forty year career. In this interview, she talks about growing up Jewish in Camden, New Jersey where her father was a murder victim; her tenacious effort to find the perpetrator included the help of celebrity detective Joe Schillaci. She shares stories of the colorful array of A-list entertainers she has worked with to build her successful business, Baskow and Associates. She has built a niche of handling large corporate events, hiring talent and attention to details for exciting events. She reflects on the people and moments that impelled her on; mentors such as Bobby Morris and Frank Sinatra and Jilly Rizzo.

Text

Transcript of interview with Joseph Gemma by Dan Murphy, March 1, 1979

Date

1979-03-01

Description

On March 1st, 1979, collector Dan Murphy interviewed Anderson Dairy production manager, Joseph Gemma (born on October 25th, 1934 in Norwalk, Connecticut) in his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview covers the history of Las Vegas, including employment opportunities, construction work, housing developments, and the hotels on the Strip. Joseph also recalls social and environmental changes and local recreation, including sports and the importance of gaming in Nevada.

Text