Fabulous Las Vegas in the 50s: Glitz, Glamour & Games [Hardcover]

Fred E. Basten (Author), Charles Phoenix (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1999

A treasury of retro Las Vegas of Rat Pack days, when Liberace's candles flamed and Elvis was an opening act. Readers learn how a dusty desert town became the world's favorite playground and entertainment capital. Filled with glamour and intrigue, this collection of anecdotes tells the true story of the town where gangsters and glamour mix -- how Sinatra got his break there, why Ann-Margret became a star -- the stories only insiders know, plus tourist photos, collectibles and remarkable celebrity photographs.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 127 pages
• Publisher: Angel City Pr; 1st edition (October 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188331805X
• ISBN-13: 978-1883318055
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,002,190 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A visual fantasyland, December 4, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Fabulous Las Vegas in the 50s: Glitz, Glamour & Games (Hardcover)

I've been to Vegas a dozen times, but the stores are always sold out of this fabulous book. So I was glad to get it here. It's a great, visual tour of old Las Vegas--the place my mom and dad used to go and bring me souvenirs. I like the pictures very much, as well as the artwork from the period, and the brief captions were enough to whet my appetite for more. I want to collect poker chips now! The fabulous shot of Elvis and Liberace, as well as the shots of Sinatra and Mae West are all unbelievable treasures. I don't know how these guys found all this stuff, but my hat is off to them. And actually reading Keely Smith's words after listening to her music for years was a great honor. I recommend this book whole heartedly

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Only a photo album, November 1, 2001

By 

Alastair Dallas - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fabulous Las Vegas in the 50s: Glitz, Glamour & Games (Hardcover)

I'm sorry to be negative--I'm a big fan of some of Mr. Basten's other books--but this was a disappointment. I expected more (or at least some) text. Hardcover, but only 127 pages, and many of the photos are blown up so that their pixels or scanner artifacts show. The book's graphic style is "Annoying Fifties," which is appropriate, but the caption text is rendered in brush script. Another reviewer said that the first half was all about the early history of the first casinos--would that this were true.

There are lots of "mood" photos, and Charles Phoenix' collection of matchbooks and swizzle sticks are amply presented, but the text is filled with "mid-fifties" and "late 1940s." Call me obsessive, but I like a bit more precision in my history. The book starts with a mention of "Helldorado Day," a tradition that evolved into a four-day annual celebration. Wonder what time of year it occured or whether or not it is still occurring? Me, too.

So, if you'd like to see several dozen historical photos with reasonably good captions, here's your book. Keely Smith's introduction is entertaining. But as another reviewer mentioned, Alan Hess' Viva Las Vegas is better for a real history with actual, um, facts.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book for anyone!, April 3, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Fabulous Las Vegas in the 50s: Glitz, Glamour & Games (Hardcover)

This fabulous book concentrated on the history and glitz of old Las Vegas, and I loved it! Very informative, and very exciting! I'm only 25 years old, so I especially loved comparing the glamour of old Las Vegas with the city that I know today. I gave this book to my dad to read after me, and he loved it for completely different reasons... mostly because he remembers those fabulous days from the 1950s. The photos and stories are unbelievable, including the Rat Pack, Mae West, and my personal favorite: Elvis performing with Liberace! This is a great book for anyone who loves Las Vegas, who wants to know the history of sin city, appreciates good entertainment, or who just likes to travel. The whole book is fun, and I even learned something from reading it! I'm telling everyone, young and old alike, to buy this book.