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Kelepecz, Dolly
Dolly Kelepecz was born January 22, 1956 in Covina, California. She traveled with the Los Angeles Ballet Society as a young dancer and eventually her career opportunities would allow her traverse the globe as a dancer and a circus entertainer. Kelepecz was hired as a dancer in the Bluebells at 19-years-old. She proceeded to become a Las Vegas showgirl, crossed paths with Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal, worked with Fluff LeCoque, and became a dancer in Stardust Hotel and Casino’s Lido show.
Person
Stearns, Dave
Dave Stearns was a gambler and entrepreneur who owned and operated several casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1935 he bought the Meadows Club on Boulder Highway with his brother Sam Stearns and Larry Potter. By 1941, the Stearns brothers also operated the Northern Club in downtown Las Vegas, which Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel invested $18,000 in.
Gragg, Larry D. Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel: The Gangster, the Flamingo, and the Making of Modern Las Vegas. Santa Barbara: Praeger, 2015.
Person
Funkhouser, Cindy, 1958-
Cindy Funkhouser was born July 29, 1958 and grew up in Iowa and Nebraska. Funkhouser moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1982. When not working as a cocktail waitress at the Four Queens Hotel and Casino—where she was employed for 14 years—she pursued her interest in vintage items as a part-time business. She opened an antique store business, Funk House, in 2001. She is one of the forces behind the development of First Friday and Downtown’s arts movement that is deeply rooted in the John S. Park Neighborhood’s sense of community.
Person
Meiklejohn, Patrick, 1943-
Patrick W. Meiklejohn was born in Redlands, California in 1943. After completing a degree in film production, he began a career as a child abuse social worker in Los Angeles, California. Since retiring, Meiklejohn has returned to film, taking acting roles and working to produce an independent film.
Source:
Greg Cappis, "Former Redlander Returning Home to Film Movie," The Sun, 15 November 2013, https://www.sbsun.com/2013/11/15/former-redlander-returning-home-to-film-movie/
Person
Boag, Tina, 1940-
Tina Boag was born in New Your City, New York to Gabrielle Sirocky and Maghoub Hanafi. Her mother was born in Paris, France and worked as a dancer there. Her father was born in Port Said, Egypt and worked as a magician there. Tina moved to Las Vegas with her family as a teenager because of her father's magician career. She then left Las Vegas to continue her education. She returned to Las Vegas after a divorce and started working at Sands Hotel and Casino.
Person
Allan Stump oral history interview
Oral history interview with Allan Stump conducted by Jack R. Hall on February 18, 1980 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. In this interview, Stump discusses growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada and his career as a firefighter in the Clark County Fire Department. Stump describes how Las Vegas has changed and the construction boom during the 1960s. He goes on to discuss his life as a firefighter and tells several anecdotes about his calls.
Archival Collection
David and Heidi Straus oral history interview
Oral history interview with David and Heidi Straus conducted by Barbara Tabach on November 06, 2015 for the Southern Nevada Jewish Heritage Project. The Straus family talks about growing up in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Rancho Nevada Estates neighborhood, and changes in the city since the 1960s. David and Heidi talk about their parents and their careers as a lawyer and business owner, respectively.
Archival Collection
Southern Nevada Neon Survey Records
The Southern Nevada Neon Survey Records (2002-2003, 2016-2018) are comprised of digital photographs and survey forms documenting neon signs in Las Vegas, Nevada. The records represent work done for the Neon Survey, which was a collaborative project conducted by the Neon Museum and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries Special Collections and Archives. The survey forms document information on each sign such as the name and address associated with the signs, physical condition, artistic significance, and general history. The collection represents the efforts of two cultural heritage organizations in Las Vegas to document and preserve the artistic and historical significance of Nevada's neon heritage.
Archival Collection
Renee Lee Papers
The Renee Lee Papers span from the 1950s to 2012 and document the life of singer and actress Renee Lee through photographs, her original music scores, newspaper clippings, and a mid-career resume. The collection also includes an alphabetized card catalog of the private performances Lee booked from 1998-2012.
Archival Collection