From December 4th-Feb. 14th, 2015, the Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas News Bureau and the City of Las Vegas are presenting an exhibit at the Charleston Heights Art Center Gallery called The Midcentury Las Vegas Stage: Acts that Built the Entertainment Capital of the World.
Be sure to check it out for some rare, candid photos of this bygone era.
Don't forget our Special Sale on The Story of Classic Las Vegas is still going on! Details can be found here:
"Shecky Greene was almost single-handedly responsible for keeping the hotel (the Riviera) in business." recalled Riviera publicist Tony Zoppi. "He consistently brought the high rollers to his show and to the hotel."
Shecky Greene is one of kind.
He was on the opening bill with Elvis Presley, when the young singer opened for the Freddie Martin Orchestra at the Frontier Hotel in 1956.
He rotated as part of the "Party That Never Stopped" at the Casbar Room at the Sahara Hotel where the line-up included Don Rickles and Louis Prima, Keely Smith, Sam Butera and the Witnesses. It was the hottest room in town in those days.
He came onstage one night at the Casbar dressed only in a robe, laid down on the stage and did his act from there. Buddy Hackett, sitting in the audience, was so taken aback, he stripped down to his boxers and joined Greene on stage.
The rest of the story is here: