The El Cortez
This is one of the oldest hotels still standing in Vegas today. The hotel opened its doors for business in November 1941 and is currently on the National Register of Historic Places. At first, everyone thought the place was a tad too far from downtown but it turned quickly into a money-making machine.
Casino bigwigs like Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Gus Greenbaum, and Moe Sedway couldn’t resist. They got together and snagged the property in 1945 for a cool $600,000 from J. Kell Houssels, the previous owner. While the interior has been revamped countless times, the exterior has remained largely the same.
The First Ocean's Eleven
Las Vegas was home to many iconic film productions, most notably, the heist film "Ocean's Eleven." Filming took place in 1959 and starred Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Angie Dickinson. Although the movie oozed "cool" in every frame, people shrugged it off as a fancy home movie for the Rat Pack.
After all, they shot this flick while juggling their nightly gigs at the glamorous Sands Hotel. The movie had all sorts of inside jokes that only the pack would get. What's more, a good chunk of the script wasn't even scripted! The Rat Pack, being the nonchalant trailblazers they were, just went with the flow and improvised their way through scenes.
Liberace Comes to Town
In 1955, Liberace visited Las Vegas for one of his iconic stints at the Riviera. He famously stopped to admire the trees at Marylin Parkway. Guests would visit the spot 32 years later for his memorial service. Liberace and Vegas went back a long way. He had his first show in November 1944.
It was a place where he shaped his amazing stage persona and evolved as an artist and human being. Liberace reigned supreme in Las Vegas for decades. When he passed away, cool vintage collectibles, custom cars, and fancy outfits went into a museum that Liberace fans and music lovers flock to today. This museum funds scholarships for aspiring musicians or artists.
Debra Paget
Actor Debra Paget was famous for performances in films like Cecil B. DeMille's classic "The Ten Commandments", "Love Me Tender" and the risque snake dance in "The Indian Tomb." But her film career had begun way before when she was just 15. The moment that changed everything for Paget was when she landed a role alongside James Stewart in the 1950 western flick called “Broken Arrow.”
She caught the attention of 20th Century Fox who offered her a contract. Paget would become one of their biggest stars. At one point in her career, Paget was regarded as the woman who received more fan mail than Marylin Monroe. 1956 rolled around, and she shared the screen with Elvis Presley in “Love Me Tender” the musical. Presley himself called her "the most beautiful girl in the world." They almost dated but Paget's mother was having none of it.
Elizabeth Taylor and Eddie Fisher Get Married
Elizabeth Taylor and Eddie Fisher tied the knot at Temple Beth Shalom on May 12, 1959. This was Taylor's third marriage and Fisher's second. Fisher at one point had his own TV show and was a successful singer too. The affair and marriage to Taylor negatively impacted Fisher's career.
They called him an opportunistic philanderer and loser, among other colorful insults. The actor was also struggling with substance abuse which affected his life and work. His last movie was “Butterfield 8,” alongside Taylor in 1960. Decades later, Fisher would share in an interview that it had never been his intention to allow his romantic life to take over every other aspect. He was aware that his legacy would forever be remembered that way.