Fly on the Wall: Recollections of Las Vegas' Good Old, Bad Old Days [Paperback]

Dick Odessky (Author), Dick Odessky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2000 | Series: Local History

Imagine what it must have been like to be in Las Vegas during its most glamorous and eventful years: the 1950s, when you could rub elbows with powerful politicians, famous entertainers, and notorious gangsters; the 1960s, when Howard Hughes' corporate invasion changed casinos forever; and the 1970s, which were immortalized by the movie Casino. Back then, "the boys" ran the town, dinner shows were a dollar, and vacant lots on what is now the Strip sold for $5 an acre. Tallulah played baccarat, Shecky shot dice, and Frank dealt blackjack.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dick Odessky was a newspaperman in Los Angeles before moving to Las Vegas to ply his trade in the early 1950s. Later, he worked as a publicist and marketing director at several hotel casinos. He lives with his wife in Big Bear Lake, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 245 pages
• Publisher: Huntington Press (June 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0929712625
• ISBN-13: 978-0929712628
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #374,323 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for any old timer and/or historian of the west., February 2, 1999

By 

[e-mail] Dick Taylor (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fly on the Wall: Recollections of Las Vegas' Good Old, Bad Old Days (Hardcover)

I arrived in Las Vegas l956. This book is just like reading my personal journal. All the incidents this author relates are factual as I remember those days well. I found the book easy to read. He writes with complete knowledge of the events and personalities... even the reformed mobsters who became well respected local residents. I can recommend this book highly.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If your a Las Vegas fan, a book you have to read!!!!!, April 16, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fly on the Wall: Recollections of Las Vegas' Good Old, Bad Old Days (Hardcover)

I found 'Fly on The Wall' the best book on the begining days of the Las Vegas boom. The book is well written by a man who has seen the highs and lows of Vegas. A 5 star book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved It., January 6, 2004

By 

Christopher Bidlack (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fly on the Wall: Recollections of Las Vegas' Good Old, Bad Old Days (Hardcover)

This is not heavy reading, just a great story about one guy in Vegas during the mob days. Gave me a way to experience a bit of history. One of the better books on Vegas.