Oral history interview with Sasha Semenoff conducted by Claytee D. White on April 29, 2009 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Semenoff begins the interview by discussing his early life in Latvia and learning to play the violin as a child before the Nazi invasion. He describes being a Jewish Holocaust survivor, surviving the ghettos and concentration camp where he was held, and explaining how he immigrated to the United States after he was liberated. Semenoff then discusses moving to New York City, New York, where he joined the musician's union before moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1959. He details his career as a prominent lounge and big band violinist in Las Vegas, where he played at several different casinos, including the Desert Inn Lounge, the Dunes Hotel and Casino, and the MGM Grand Hotel. Semenoff also talks about the musicians he has played with, such as Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, his work at the time of the interview, and the presence of organized crime in Las Vegas.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dr. Jack Cherry conducted by Lowell Christie on June 17, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Cherry discusses environmental change in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cherry also recalls experiencing an atomic bomb test.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Frank Bondi conducted by Janice Koukel on June 20, 1972 for the Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas. Bondi discusses his personal history, early above-ground atomic testing, and economic, environmental and societal changes in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Nancy Mallette conducted by Dennis McBride on December 02, 2006 for the Las Vegas Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Archives Oral History Project. Mallette opens her interview explaining that she was born in Montreal, Canada and that a job with Cirque du Soleil brought her to Las Vegas, Nevada. She recalls meeting other lesbians in a community group in Ottawa, Canada. Mallette then describes her membership in Lesbian Voice magazine and how she helped create a social branch for the organization. She describes the group she created, Betty's Outrageous Adventures Social and Active Fund for the Lesbian Community, and how she opened the group to family and friends of lesbians and transgender individuals. Mallette then discusses the degree to which Las Vegas is a suitable city for subcultures, and how lesbians and gay men differ from each other. Lastly, Mallette suggests if Las Vegas had a more prominent arts community that more LGBTQ people would be interested in moving to the area.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Dr. Michael Green conducted by Michael Geeser on October 10, 2005 for the I Remember When: Recollections from Las Vegas Jewish Leaders Oral History Project. Green talks about the history of Jewish people in Las Vegas, their social clubs and religious temples, and their involvement in the running of casinos and in organized crime in Las Vegas. Dr. Green also answers questions from the audience.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Charlie McLean conducted by Lisa Gioia-Acres on December 14, 2007 for the All That Jazz Oral History Project. McLean discusses making a living playing for the Ice Capades—traveling entertainment shows featuring theatrical ice skating performances—and in jazz bands after graduating from college. He also discusses moving to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1960 and playing at hotels such as the Frontier, Desert Inn, Riviera, Sahara, and the Tropicana.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Jimmy Mulidore conducted by Claytee D. White on March 23, 2009 for the All That Jazz Oral History Project. Mulidore discusses his career as a jazz musician in Las Vegas, Nevada and working with musicians such as Sammy Davis, Jr., the Rat Pack, and Nat King Cole. He also discusses working in the El Rancho Hotel and Casino before the fire, and going on tour with the Billy May Band.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Bradley Rothermel conducted by Claytee D. White on July 31, 2006 for the UNLV @ 50 Oral History Project. Rothermel discusses his career as a coach for the Chicago Cubs and athletic director at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) from 1981 to 1990, as well as the history of the athletic programs at UNLV.
Archival Collection
Oral history interview with Alice Key conducted by Claytee D. White, with Joyce Moore and two unidentified individuals on November 11, 2004 for the African Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this informal interview, Key talks about her early education, sharing anecdotes along with more serious comments. She continues talking about her early activism, beginning with housing discrimination in Los Angeles, California, the work of President Lyndon Johnson on equal rights, her work on the Clark County Nevada Economic Opportunity Board, and the issue of hiring Black front-of-house employees at the casinos and hotels. She continues chatting about families who own or owned casinos in Las Vegas, different church leaders in the city, and ends talking about early Black entertainers, including Dorothy Dandridge and the Barry Brothers and her own experiences as a dancer.
Archival Collection
Oral history interviews with Richard Kunkel conducted by Patrick Carlton on October 11, 2002 and November 06, 2002 for the Boyer Early Las Vegas Oral History Project. Kunkel opens his interview by explaining his higher education career in the 1970s throughout the Midwest. He then discusses being hired as Dean in 1978 for the in the College of Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He then describes the faculty at UNLV at the time, his leadership style, and the different administrations at the Nevada Department of Education. Kunkel then talks about serving on the Land Grant Deans Association and some personal conflicts he had with fellow deans from the association. He recalls being an active voice in the local community while at UNLV, and creating the School of Physical Education within the College of Education. Lastly, Kunkel describes the administration staff at UNLV during the 1980s, and how different administrations impacted the image of the university.
Archival Collection
