On March 14, 1981, collector Perry L. Smith interviewed police officer, John L. Houck, (born May 11th, 1944 in Butte, Montana) in his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview offers an overview of the history of Las Vegas and insider details on early Las Vegas police work. The interview concludes with a discussion on Henderson and Boulder City.
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In this interview, George reflects upon his life in Las Vegas, particularly the period as ma?tre d? of the Sand?s Copa Room. Joined by his daughter - and former United States Democratic Congresswomen-Shelley Berkley, George shares stories of working in the gaming industry during this unique era, including those of Frank Sinatra and Wayne Newton. He also talks about his life as a professional gambler.
Born on February 28, 1925 in Sommerville, New Jersey, George Levine?s family moved to his childhood home, Manhattan?s Lower East Side, when he was six months old. George served on a United States Navy aircraft carrier for thirty months during World War II. After returning home, he met his first wife Estelle, with whom he had two daughters, and soon moved to Kiamesha Lake, New York to work at the Concord Resort Hotel. In 1963, George and his family moved to Las Vegas and took his first job at Mr. Sy?s Casino. Six months later he began waiting tables at the Sands Hotel and Casino. He worked his way up the ranks and was ma?tre d' from 1979 until the hotel closed in 1996.
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On March 11, 1978, Roberta Farmer interviewed Sally Halko (born 1921 in Gowen, Oklahoma) about her life in Las Vegas, Nevada. Halko first talks about her family background, education, traveling, and church membership. She later talks about the development Las Vegas casinos, racial minorities, housing growth, Lake Mead, and the first theaters.
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Oral history interview with Jessica Hutchings conducted by Barbara Tabach on March 21, 2018 for the Remembering 1 October Oral History Project. In this interview, Jessica Hutchings discusses her experience flying to Las Vegas, Nevada on the night of the October 1, 2017 mass shooting. She speaks of her flight's detour to Phoenix, Arizona, and her discovery of the shooting. Hutchings explains how Congregation Ner Tamid, where she is a cantor, contributed to the community healing after the tragedy, including their organization of vigils, a music fundraiser called "Vegas Strong in Song," and discussing the event with teenage Hebrew School students who had questions and concerns about the shooting.
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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