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Cancela, Yvanna, 1987-
Yvanna Cancela (born 1987) arrived in Las Vegas the summer of 2009. Fresh off a summer internship with Sen. Harry Reid in Washington, D.C., she was hired to work on Reid’s reelection
campaign. Yvanna’s political talents were blossoming as was her affection for southern Nevada.
Born in Phoenix, Arizona, and raised in Miami, Florida, Yvanna’s parents immigrated from Cuban. She received her Bachelor of Arts in communications in 2010 from Northwestern University.
Person
Glusman, Freddie, 1937-
Frederick (Freddie) Glusman was born in 1937. Glusman grew up near Vancouver, Canada and moved to Los Angeles, California with his family when he was thirteen. He moved to Las Vegas in 1957 and had a variety of jobs. He sold carpeting and drapes to the Dunes, and owned retail stores at the Tropicana, International, Flamingo, and Stardust during the 1960s and 1970s. In 1974 he became business partners with Allen Glick and later took over his athletic club, The Sporting House.
Person
Letizia, Marla R.
Marla Letizia was born January 17, 1953 and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada when she was two years old. She grew up in Las Vegas and was a former president of Congregation Ner Tamid, as well as a founding member of the board of trustees of the Meadows School in Las Vegas. Letizia founded Big Traffic Mobile Billboards in 2001 after leaving a successful broadcast journalism career to raise her two children. She met her husband, Tom Letizia, while working at KLAS-TV channel 8 as an assistant production manager.
Person
Irwin, Stan
Stan Irwin was born March 28, 1920 in New York City, New York. His life story spans many decades and includes attending New York University, doing stand-up comedy, being a pilot during World War II, working at Club Bingo in Las Vegas, Nevada, and building up the entertainment at the Sahara Hotel and Casino. Irwin was an entertainment manager active in Las Vegas from 1946 until the late 1970s. For many years, he served as the vice president and executive producer of entertainment for the Sahara.
Person
Apcar, Frederic, 1914-2008
Frederic Apcar transformed Las Vegas entertainment with his French style shows. Born in Paris, France on September 16, 1914, he trained in dance and became a chorus boy in “Folies Bergere.” After World War II, he formed an adagio act and performed at the “Lido de Paris.” He later expanded the production and brought it to the United States, appearing on the “Ed Sullivan Show” and in the “Folies Bergere” at the Tropicana. He then opened “Vive Les Girls” at the Dunes.
Person
Unger-Wadkins, Mindy, 1965-
Mindy Unger-Wadkins was born August 10, 1965 in Los Angeles, California, and her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada two years later when her father, Joseph Unger, was relocated by his employer. At the age of twelve, after both her parents had passed away, she moved in with her brother Bob Unger and his wife, Aydie. While studying at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Unger-Wadkins took a clerk job based at Yucca Mountain, and was eventually hired as a full-time public relations officer.
Person
Friedman, Phyllis, 1941-
Phyllis (Herwitt) Friedman (1941- ) is the former director of the Nevada region office of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the former foundation director of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas, Nevada. Born July 8, 1941, in Chicago, Illinois, Friedman grew up in Chicago and attended the University of Illinois. She was the Midwest director for the American Friends of Hebrew University when she was recruited to be the first foundation director of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas around 1997.
Person
Clancy, Alan
Alan Clancy was born on April 05, 1949 in Sidney, Australia. His parents enrolled him in the Shirley de Paul Studio to learn gymnastics, tap, ballet, and Jazz. Clancy also became a soprano singer. He moved to the Rudas Acrobatic Studio and was eventually contracted by Tibor Rudas to join The Las Vegas Dancers. Clancy went on a 2 1/2 year international entertainment tour with that group. Eventually Tibor Rudas offered Alan a contract to work in the Folies Bergère at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Person
Blankinship, Jerome Goss, 1933-2015
Jerome Blankinship was born in Hollywood, California in 1933 to Herman and Helen Blankinship. Jerome grew up as an only child a in suburb of Los Angeles called Huntington Park. He spent his entire childhood in the suburb and finished high school there as well. Then he went on to attend the University of Southern California. He received a degree in education and wanted to be a school teacher, but after a short stint in teaching at the Los Angeles City School District, he discovered that it was not for him.
Person