Search the Special Collections and Archives Portal

Search Results

Display    Results Per Page
Displaying results 16121 - 16130 of 17481

Transcript of interview with Betty Bunch by Joyce Marshall, January 9, 1996, February 7, 1996, & February 13, 2002

Date
1996-01-09
1996-02-07
2002-02-13
Description

Betty [Rosenthal] Bunch began dancing as a child. By the time she was nine years old she decided she would have a dancing career. At 18 years she began to work in stock theatre productions. Within a short time, she had joined the Moro-Landis dancers. She landed her first job in Las Vegas in 1956 at the Sahara Hotel as part of the opening line for Donald O'Connor. Following the Sahara, she worked as a dancer at the Riveria, and then returned to the Moulin Rouge in Hollywood. In 1961 while vacationing in Las Vegas, she landed a job dancing at the Dunes. She continued to dance, sing and do comedy until after the birth of her second child. At that time, she retired from the Las Vegas showroom, but not from show business. Her involvement in both film and stage has remained rich and varied. This interview focuses on the time Betty spent performing on the Las Vegas strip, including her long involvement with the acclaimed afternoon show Bottoms Up. The interview provides information on workin

Text

Transcript of interview with Mitchell A. Cobeaga by Raymond E. Frey, March 14, 1976

Date
1976-03-14
Description

On March 14, 1976 Raymond E. Frey interviewed Vice President of Nevada State Bank, Mitchell A. Cobeaga (born December 11, 1917 in Lovelock, Nevada) at Mr. Frey’s home in Las Vegas, Nevada. This interview covers early life in Nevada and the history of the Nevada State Bank. During this interview Mr. Cobeaga also discusses education in Nevada in the twenties and thirties, and Southern Nevada’s influence over the rest of the state.

Text

Transcript of interview with Andrew and Debbie Levy by Barbara Tabach, September 12, 2016

Date
2016-09-12
Description

Andrew (Drew) Levy was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, where his family became prominent civic and real estate leaders. His grandfather was Harry Levy, a former Las Vegas City Commissioner, and his father Alvin Levy was a former councilman. Drew is always proud to say that he never left Las Vegas and of partnering with his father in the Levy Realty Company. While growing up, Drew it was easy for a teenager to enjoy the perks that could accompany his family?s civic persona?such as casino shows, events and meeting early Las Vegas casino executives like Moe Dalitz. After graduation from Clark High School, Drew attended Arizona State University. It was in Tempe that he met Debbie Cheek, his future wife. When Debbie arrived in Las Vegas, she enrolled at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she finished her degree and started her accounting practice. She ran her business for ten years before opening Art Starts Here, an art school. In the 1990s, Debbie?s passion for art led her to be involved in the creation of First Friday, a local monthly art festival. She also teaches a summer art camp for the Adelson Educational Campus. Drew and Debbie became deeply involved in the many Jewish congregations in Las Vegas. Blossoming first at Temple Beth Sholom where they were married in 1980, Debbie sat on the preschool board and oversaw the temple board, while Drew was the advisor for the youth group. The couple later joined Congregation Ner Tamid where Drew was congregation president from 1999 to 2000 and Debbie was board treasurer in 2001. Debbie includes stories of her conversion to Judaism and keeping kosher. In this interview, Drew and Debbie Levy reflect on changes they see in Las Vegas, from when Drew was a kid to the times they raised their own daughters, Sarah and Jenna, here. Looking at the larger picture of the city, they describe booms in the real estate market and growth in the artistic and cultural aspects of Las Vegas. They provide a perspective of the growth of the local Jewish community.

Text

Transcript of interview with Patricia Becker by Claytee D. White, April 15, 2014

Date
2014-04-15
Description

Patty Becker’s recollections concerning her law career shows her determination and enthusiasm in encouraging women to enter the field. Beginning during a period when few women were accepted to study law, she not only passed the Nevada Bar with high marks but was chosen by Governor O’Callaghan in 1979 to become deputy attorney general. In 1985 she was chosen by Governor Richard Bryan to be the first and only woman selected to serve on Nevada’s Gaming Control Board. She also recollects arguing before the Nevada Supreme Court the case that put Tony Spilotro in the Nevada’s Black Book and working with many proficient attorneys like Oscar Goodman, Patty left the Nevada Gaming Control Board to become general counsel for Hurrah’s Entertainment where she served for nine years and then began Chief of Staff for Governor Bob Miller from 1993 through 1995. Patty also served as senior Vice President of corporate affairs and legal adviser for Aladdin Gaming as well as sitting on several corporate boards. Patty began Patricia Becker and Associates and continues to serve on the board of Fitzgerald’s Hotel and Casino, serves her own clients, as well as teaching at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in gaming. She encourages women to enter gaming, keep a sense of humor and not to be afraid to speak up for themselves. Meanwhile she challenges herself intellectually and believes that one should always continue to grow personally and professionally.

Text

Transcript of interview with Stanley and Sandy Mallin by Barbara Tabach, January 7, 2015

Date
2015-01-07
Description

Stanley Mallin (1923- ) was a native of Kansas City, Missouri; the son of Bess and Louis Mallin. His mother was a homemaker and his father was an industrious immigrant from Ukraine who earned his US citizenship through combat in World War I. Stan was the middle child of their three. It was while Stan attended the University of Missouri that he met Jay Sarno. The two men’s fast personal friendship made them solid business partners. Their first endeavor was in Florida with a tile business. It was during a holiday stay at the Flamingo that the two dreamed a bigger, better hotel-casino. The result was Caesars Palace. He has lived and helped develop Las Vegas since 1968. In 1982, Stan married his wife Sandy (neé Jacoby) Mallin. Sandy grew up in New York and arrived in Las Vegas in 1977. She has provided dynamic leadership in the Jewish community. For several years she was President of the Women’s Division of Jewish Federation. She then followed this as the first woman to be President of T

Text

Transcript of interview with Jim Olson by Stefani Evans and Claytee D. White, February 2, 2017

Date
2017-02-02
Description

As Las Vegas native Jim Olson looks back on his law career, he keeps returning to the case that gouged a sooty scar on his memory, altered legal practice and technology in Southern Nevada, captured the world's imagination, and changed international building codes-the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino fire of November 21, 1980, that killed 85 people and took eight years to litigate. Olson became involved with the litigation because his firm, Cromer, Barker, and Michaelson, represented the MGM Grand's insurance company, INA, Insurance Company of North America. Juggling thousands of claims, Olson ended up working with the MGM's corporate counsel in Los Angeles, a legal firm in Denver, Lloyd's of London, and a special master; renting additional office space for taking depositions; hiring graveyard-shift transcribers, and purchasing the legal world's latest technological marvel-a fax machine. As a first grader, five-year-old Jim was known to walk home during the school day whenever the St. Joseph nuns scared him. As an attorney whose career path was inspired by Perry Mason and augmented by his argumentative streak, Jim offers insights into litigation about some of Southern Nevada's most iconic buildings, signs, and spaces. In this interview, he recalls his mentors, Al Gunderson, George Cromer, Bill Barker, and Kent Michaelson. He talks of construction defect cases including his first MGM Grand litigation, in which his firm represented the architect, Martin Stern, when faulty siding fell off the building, and the 1994 lawsuits that followed when the top of the newly constructed, 365-foot Las Vegas Hilton sign blew down in a windstorm. He shares tales of legendary fellow attorney Mike Hines and his annual Nevada Bar Association parties on the Mike Hines Ranch, and he speaks to litigation between Hank Greenspun, Howard Hughes, and Hughes Tool Company.

Text

Transcript of interview with Joanne Pattiani Molen by Irene Rostine, January 25, 1997

Date
1997-01-25
Description

Interviewed by Irene Rostine. In July of 1955, Joanne Molen's husband was offered a job at Nellis Air Force Base, so they moved from Alturas, California, to Las Vegas. Joanne had worked for Citizens Utilities in Alturas as a Western Union teletype operator, so she got a job with the Southern Nevada Telephone Company. She was the only woman to hold some of the positions she held. She worked for the telephone company, which became Sprint, for more than forty years, ending up as a main engineer. Joanne also was a volunteer and was active in community organizations including the American Ex-Prisoners of War and the Disabled American Veterans organizations, which lead to her being appointed by Governor Richard Bryan to the state of Nevada's Veterans Advisory Commission where she became the first woman to hold the position of chairman for the Commission. She was also voted Women of the Year four times by the local chapter of the American Business Women's Association for her work with veterans.

Text

Transcript of interview with Jim Hodge by Claytee White, April 13, 2009

Date
2009-04-13
Description

Jim Hodge describes an active and success filled life in this narrative. Born and raised in the South, Jim enlisted in the Navy at the young age of 17, just as World War II was winding down. His primary job was that of a cook. He became smitten with the life of an entertainer after participating in a play and headed for Hollywood in 1952. It was there that he auditioned for Donn Arden, who organized and directed Las Vegas shows. Though he didn't get the part, he did get hired to be a singer for a show featuring Betty Grable. Thus his career was launched and would span the heyday of Las Vegas entertainment from the 1950s to the 1970s. Jim talks about the people, shows and places that touched his life. He also offers thoughts about the changes in the Vegas entertainment scene as well as shares his relationship with his church over the past 40 years.

Text

Transcript of interview with Courtney Mooney by Suzanne Becker, July 30, 2007

Date
2007-07-30
Description

Courtney Mooney is the Urban Design Coordinator for the City of Las Vegas. Her job description includes a knowledge of historic preservation, which is her passion. In this interview she shares her professional and personal thoughts about John S. Park Neighborhood. She moved to John S. Park in 2002. As a professional she explains that "how I look at preserving neighborhoods or buildings, is more of a community preservation, not saving the individual building for the individual building's sake..." Courtney offers a big picture of the neighborhood's past, present and future. John S. Park, like so many other Las Vegas neighborhoods, was built during World War II and has been affected by history of segregation and the wave of changing demographics, and the work that went into the plan and requirements to be designated a historic neighborhood. Courtney provides a summary of the story about the land, its ownership and what lead to the foundation of the neighborhood: from John S. Park to George Franklin and John Law, to Mary Dutton and explains how the proposed development of the land differed from other communities being built to FHA standards and specifics that declared Las Vegas a Defense City in the 1940s. She lists the factors that made the neighborhood a logical and important target for the historic designation, a small neighborhood tucked away, that is "a snapshot of the types of people that were coming here," filled with community leaders, entrepreneurs, blue-collar and casino workers. She also mentions about the missed opportunity of the Las Vegas High School neighborhood for preservation while supporting the John S. Park designation.

Text

Transcript of interview with Hanford Searl by Dennis McBride, November 2, 1996

Date
1996-11-02
Description

Dennis McBride interviews Hanford Searl about a number of things: his being gay, his being gay in Las Vegas and other places, religious issues. Also, some information about working at the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and for Bob Brown at the Las Vegas Valley Times.

Text