I love Gangsters Inc and am a long time subscriber. Today they shared this cool virtual tour of The Mob Museum in Las Vegas! Cool!!
The Coronavirus is keeping all of us locked up in our homes. Realizing we can’t come to them, the nice people at The Mob Museum in Las Vegas are offering a new virtual tour of their wonderful place. This tour is a three-part series of all four floors of the Museum's highlighted exhibitions and artifacts that take you on a journey through the underworld. Full story here.
LAS VEGAS (August 2018) – On Wednesday, Aug.8, Cannabition, Las Vegas’ first and only immersive cannabis museum and the world’s only cannabis-themed experience of its kind, took delivery of its most historic and iconic artifact — “The Red Shark” — Gonzo Journalist Hunter S. Thompson’s beloved 1973 Chevrolet Caprice convertible.
This marks the first time Thompson’s car will be on public display, courtesy of Thompson’s widow, Anita Thompson. Keneh Ventures, Cannabition’s investment partners in New York and Aspen, Colorado, facilitated the deal to exhibit the Red Shark and provided the introduction to Anita Thompson at Owl Farm.
The Red Shark was memorialized in Thompson’s seminal book, “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” In 1991, dear friends of Thompson presented him with the red 1973 Chevrolet Caprice—intended to be his own personal version of the Red Shark he referenced in the book.
It was Thompson’s personal car that appeared in not only the 1998 film adaptation of the book, but also on the covers of two subsequent Thompson books, “Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie” (1994) and “Hey Rube: Blood Sport, the Bush Doctrine.”
Adventures in this car have been chronicled by Thompson in his memoir, “Kingdom of Fear,” and various ESPN articles and letters. Depp, Ralph Steadman, Walter Isaacson, Bill Murray and other good friends have also chronicled adventures in the Red Shark.
Anita Thompson says she chose to make “Hunter’s big and beautiful” car part of Cannabition, where it will be on public view, to coincide with the growing prevalence of legalized recreational cannabis.
“Now is the time to celebrate the decriminalization of cannabis and remember those who are still in jail. We are all on this journey together. Over the years, I have had many offers [for the car]. I know Cannabition is the right place for my husband’s car and this is the right time for his fans to see it,” says Thompson. “For me, the Red Shark has so many great memories—it was where Hunter proposed to me! He absolutely loved his car and I know it will be great in hands.”
When Cannabition opens later this month, the Red Shark will be on display and surrounded by never-before-seen photos and home videos of Thompson with his car.
ABOUT HUNTER S. THOMPSON
Born in 1937 in Louisville, Kentucky, and known as one of the most important writers of the 20th century, Hunter S. Thompson was a journalist, author and the founder of gonzo journalism, a type of writing free of objectivity in which the journalist becomes part of the story. His famed literary works include “Hell’s Angels” (1967) and “The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved” (1970). He is best known for “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1972). The latter was eventually adapted into two films. Thompson died at Owl Farm in Aspen, Colorado, in 2005.
ABOUT THE RED SHARK
In 1991, dear friends of Thompson presented him with the gift of a red 1973 Chevrolet Caprice—an homage to “The Red Shark” referenced in his most famous book. (The car referenced in the book was a rental car, not owned by Thompson.) This spectacular classic car, also dubbed “The Red Shark,” appeared not only in the film adaptation of the book, but also on the covers of two subsequent Thompson books, “Better Than Sex: Confessions of a Political Junkie” (1994) and “Hey Rube: Blood Sport, the Bush Doctrine.” When Thompson’s car arrives in Las Vegas next month, it will be the first time it will have left Owl Farm since 1999.
ABOUT CANNABITION
Cannabition is Las Vegas’ first and only immersive cannabis museum and the world’s only cannabis-themed experience of its kind to date. Opening in late August, Cannabition will feature elaborate cannabis-inspired installations created by leading experiential exhibit and event designers.
The House Always Wins: A Vegas Ghost Story (Huntington Press). Las Vegas isn’t all bright lights, slot machines and Elvis Presley preachers. There’s a lot more to the town and its history — good, bad and ugly — than the average gambling tourist realizes. Rouff , who now lives in Vegas, knows all-too-well the local side of Sin City, one full of scandal, mystique and a rich past. It is this true version of Las Vegas that weaves deeply into all his novels.
The House Always Wins follows a young reporter in a dead-end job. When she falls in love, the couple pulls up stakes and moves to Las Vegas, into a big fixer-upper. The couple soon realizes that they’re not the only ones living in that old, historic home — it’s haunted by the ghost of a famous Sin City racketeer.
Despite this unusual and unexpected extra resident, Anna pours her heart and soul into renovating the home. So, when she receives a letter from a corrupt casino owner that he’s buying up all the properties on her street to make way for a parking lot, she digs in hard to fight the system – not the easiest of tasks in a city where bribery, mayhem, and murder are standard operating procedures.
Can Anna’s tough-guy ghost provide the help she needs to prevail in this dangerous cat-and-mouse game? Or will Anna’s life be left in ruins — or worse?
A lot of people who visit Las Vegas do so because they want to partake of the gambling on offer in this casino hot spot. They are often attracted by the film and television portrayals of these casinos, which depict them as dangerous, exciting and glamorous, but they are not all that the city has to offer. In particular, Vegas is a music city, with many of the top musicians in the world choosing to perform there.
It was during the 1950's and 1960's that Las Vegas truly developed its reputation for hosting major music stars. During the 1950's, flamboyant stars like Liberace made the city their own, but it was the arrival of the Rat Pack during the early part of the following decade that made history.
Combining crooning jazz and easy listening tunes with banter, the Rat Pack packed crowds in at casino/hotel resorts such as the Sands and the Riviera. The leader of the Rat Pack, Frank Sinatra, became particularly associated with Las Vegas and continued to perform there throughout the rest of his career.
Vegas continued to be a hugely popular place for big stars to perform in as well, with the likes of Tom Jones making their debuts there during the 1970's and helping to establish the reputation of the resort for adult-oriented, easy listening music.
While this is the kind of music that many still associate with Las Vegas – and indeed singers of that type like Celine Dion and Elton John still perform lavish concerts at venues like the Colosseum in Caesars Palace, drawing crowds of thousands – Vegas has also attracted more edgy, experimental musicians during the last decade or so. One notable example of this was the late funk-pop star Prince, who took to the stage of the Rio towards of the end of 2006.
His residency there proved an enormous success and featured collaborations with the likes of Chaka Khan, with his presence helping to give the Vegas music scene a hipper image. The likes of Jennifer Lopez have followed in his wake, as she set up home at the Planet Hollywood complex there, proving that Vegas is not just for older music fans. Indeed the current era is seeing cutting edge dance acts like Afrojack choosing to perform there – as this DJ performed a successful set to packed crowds at the Wynn Las Vegas.
The next few months will see stars ranging from older singers like Rod Stewart, to younger ones such as Keith Sweat taking to stages in Las Vegas, proving that it is truly a musical center.
The Mob Museum has a cool new interactive website! CHECK IT OUT HERE
About The Mob Museum
The Mob Museum, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit dedicated to the history of organized crime and law enforcement. It is a world-class destination in downtown Las Vegas.
The Mob Museum provides a world-class, interactive journey through true stories. From the birth of the Mob, to today’s headlines. Shadows and whispers. G-Men and Made Men. Whether you like it or not, this is American history. This eye-opening, authentic view of organized crime’s impact on the world reveals an insider’s look at the events and characters of the continuing battle between the Mob and the law.
Many people have seen Ocean’s Eleven and can probably recite George Clooney’s every line in the 2001 classic casino heist movie. The movie boasts numerous world famous actors, including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, and Andy Garcia, and it is set in some of the most stunning places in Vegas. However, while everyone enjoys a great heist movie, many people do not know that Ocean’s Eleven is actually a remake of a very similar 1960s film, not surprisingly titled Ocean’s 11. While Vegas has changed a lot in fifty years, the fundamental elements of the movie are the same, and it is a must see for any fan of organized crime movies.
Vegas really began to grow into what it is today with the construction of the Hoover Dam in the 1930s, when Boulder City was developed to entertain the construction works from the Dam project. While gambling and alcohol were illegal in the prohibition days, many mobsters began providing this form of entertainment to workers.
Upon seeing how profitable the gambling business was, the state of Nevada began issuing gambling licenses, and El Rancho Vegas became the first resort in Las Vegas in 1941. As World War II wound down, gangster Bugsy Siegal and mob boss Meyer Lansky worked together to open The Flamingo in 1946, and many more resort casinos were to follow.
This is the same time period that Ocean’s 11 is concerned with, as the story consists of World War II 82nd Airborne veterans who work together to pull off heists at five of the leading resorts in Vegas: the Sahara, Riviera, Desert Inn, Sands, and Flamingo. This is an interesting time period for the movie to take place in, as it is a classic organized crime flick. After all, the casino industry was heavily driven by mobsters to begin with, and Ocean’s 11 is all about a group of intelligent friends committing organized crime—does it get any more gangster than this?
Of course, if you’ve seen the 2001 adaptation, you already have a good idea of what the plot is. There are several key differences, however. While the idea for using a “pinch” to knock out the power was directly inspired by the original, in which they knock out the power to the Strip, the reason for this changes. In 11, they do not use the power outage to skip past security. Instead, they use it to open the casino cashier cages. Rather than steal the money and walk out in person, they dump it in the trash and have one of their boys drive the garbage truck to collect the loot.
The ending is different as well and a better twist than what is found in Eleven, but I won’t ruin the surprise for those who haven’t seen it. If you were a fan of the “Ocean’s Trilogy” in the 2000s, you owe it to yourself to check out the 1960 film that started it all. The film is definitely worth a watch even for organized crime fans, as it is one of the first big mobster movies in the history of film. The characters in 11 might not have been actual mobsters, but they sure pulled off a mobster heist!
Movies have come a long way in the past fifty years, for sure. While you might not see many producers draining half a lake to create a single shot in 1960—I learned that lil' movie fact gem here—this movie boasts high production value in its own right. Starring the “Rat Pack,” including Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, 11 had no shortage of famous actors to give it some impressive star power, and they do not fail in earning their reputation (Sinatra was even quoted for saying “forget the movie, let’s pull the job!”).
Boasting a star cast that rivals that of the 2001 remake, 11 is sure to impress and captivate audiences even in our modern age. With a video port in 2010 that boasts high reviews, you have nothing to worry about in giving the '60s a few hours of your time.
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, and your closet is full of movies you have already seen dozens of times, spend some time learning the history of great modern films. You never know what might surprise you, and many fans of gangster and thriller movies claim that 11 is better than its modern remake. Even after fifty years, Ocean’s 11 remains a masterpiece and will live on for generations as a classic.
Beatles arrive in Las Vegas 1964 Photo by Las Vegas Sun
My pals at Vegas.Com are guest posting tonight for my readers....They did such a great story I am using it as it....I did edit a bit of stats out of the story so if you'd like more click.. THE FULL STORY
This video is live footage of the Beatles in Vegas...check it out.....
The Beatles head toward their room on the 47th floor of the Sahara Hotel and Casino in 1964. In the 1960s, Vegas was no stranger to performers with devoted fans. At the Sands Hotel and Casino, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop were selling out the Copa Room as early as 1958. Rat Pack fans were willing to sleep in their cars and hotel lobbies on busy weekends, just for a chance to see the crooners.
But nothing had prepared LAS VEGAS for Beatlemania.
Above: The Beatles enjoy a slot machine brought to their room at the Sahara Hotel and Casino in 1964. Crowds of fans prevent the group from enjoying the casino as a normal guest. Photo by Las Vegas News Bureau
When booking agents first approached Las Vegas hotels on behalf of The Beatles, they were turned down. Stan Irwin, Director of Entertainment at the Sahara, had the foresight to realize what a Beatles' concert would mean to both the Sahara and Las Vegas.
In a 1989 interview with newspaper columnist Mike Weatherford, Irwin said "I'm the only one who seemed to have known about the Beatles, so I bought them."
Weatherford, in his book "Cult Vegas: The Weirdest! The Wildest! The Swingin'est Town on Earth," reasons that it was more likely that the hotels considered The Beatles an act appealing only to teenagers. Casino owners had seen the indifference Las Vegas audiences had toward an earlier teen idol. In 1956 Elvis Presley failed to capture the interest of audiences and critics when he performed at the New Frontier Hotel and Casino.
Whether it was foresight or luck, Irwin and the Sahara managed to secure the hottest ticket in Las Vegas when they booked The Beatles.
"I'd been thinking of putting them in our main showroom, the Congo Room, but it held just 600 and there was no way to get any more seats in the place" Irwin told John Romero in his book "Las Vegas, the Untold Stories." "I said, hold it, these guys belong in the Convention Center and I rushed over there to check the seating. They told me they could put 7,000 a show in the rotunda. I said that was still too small, and asked for the balcony too. They agreed and that pushed the total seating for each show to 8,408."
Crowd estimates range from 11,000 to 16,800 total for the two shows -- a record in Las Vegas at the time. Today, Celine Dion performs to an audience of 4,100 at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and only high capacity venues like the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mandalay Bay Events Center and Thomas & Mack Center can boast capacity of 14,000 or more.
"When I walked on stage at the Convention Center to introduce the first show, only four words left my mouth: 'Ladies and gentlemen, the --" and all hell broke loose," Irwin told Romero. "Like the rest of us from the Sahara who were there, I never heard a note. The screaming drowned out everything."
The Las Vegas Sun reported that the stage was surrounded by police officers and guards, some from as far away as Phoenix. The show was almost inaudible. A poor sound system and screaming fans drowned out the group as they performed their hits and songs of fellow artists including "She Loves You," "Do You Want To Know a Secret, " I Want to Hold Your Hand," "All My Loving," "Twist and Shout" and more.
Thirty minutes after taking the stage, the Fab Four were done, leaving the screaming fans in their wake. "I'll never forget a girl who came running down the aisle toward the stage," Irwin related to Romero in "Las Vegas, the Untold Stories." "One of our muscle guys picked her up and carried her out of the rotunda. Close behind her came a second girl who got the same treatment. As they carried this one out she kept screaming, 'Put me down you idiot. I'm her mother.' "
A few hours later, The Beatles left Las Vegas, never to perform as a group in the city again.
One of my top 5 favorite movies of all time is Casino. Guess Marty Scorsese and I go way back. Most people know the true back story behind Goodfellas and the fictional similarities to real life characters in The Godfather but most know little about the real people in Casino. I thought I would add a bit from the internet on the real players in CASINO. This Slots LV casino review will help you learn all you need about playing slots and testing your luck at an online casino.
Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal (Ace Rothstein Robert DeNiro part)
Read the great book Casino by Nicolas Pileggi who also wrote Wiseguy.
For much of his professional life, the Chicago-born and casino-bred, Rosenthal has been the country's top handicapper. He was one of a handful of men who literally set the line for thousands of bookmakers from coast to coast.
During the 1970s and early eighties, Rosenthal ran four Las Vegas casinos simultaneously, including the world-famous Stardust Hotel and Casino. Rosenthal is also credited with creating the first Race & Sportsbook (Parlor) in Las Vegas.
Frank and Geri (GInger) Rosenthal
Despite resistance from the traditional casino bosses, who believed exclusively in terms of table games, Rosenthal had spent decades in and around the sports world to know that it could be the mother lode of casino betting. He created a space-age theater-like Race and Sportsbook at the Stardust Hotel & Casino that was copied by every casino on the strip. Few if any people knew more about the world of gambling than Frank Rosenthal.
Geri Rosenthal and Tony Spilotro
Anthony Spilotro, Protégé of Mad Sam DeStefano made his bones in 1962 when he put small time burglar Billy McCarthy's head in a vise and cranked it tighter and tighter until one of his eyes popped out. “The Ant” Later became the outfits man in Vegas and Basis for the Nicky Santurro character played by Joe Pesci in the movie Casino he would also eventually whack Mad Sam.
Wife of Las Vegas sports handicapper, Frank Rosenthal. Born Geraldine "Geri" McGee, she met Anthony Spilotro, the best friend of Frank Rosenthal, at a gambling convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where she began an affair with him. She made her living as a "chip girl" (a good looking woman who hustled gamblers for a chip or two in exchange for temporary companionship) and as a part time topless dancer and occasional prostitute, hanging around the high rolling gamblers in the casinos, where she would move from gambler to gambler. Anthony Spilotro, who introduced Frank to Geri, and soon they were were a couple.
Geri and Ace
Frank did a very successful TV show while in Vegas much to the disapproval of the upper management of the mob. Great interview with Frank HERE
Though Ant and his brother died a horrible beating death and Geri died young from a suspected hot dose of heroin. Frank died at age 79 while living in south Florida.
Frank states on his website that the torture scene in the movie was accurate. Yuck! Read more on his website. How exciting Frank had the great promoter sense to build a fabulous website before he died.
