The Man Who Invented Las Vegas [Paperback]

III, W. R. Wilkerson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2000

This book corrects a popular misconception and explains that it was W.R. Billy Wilkerson Jr., founder and publisher of The Hollywood Reporter, and not Benjamin Bugsy Siegel who created the Vegas Strip. This compelling, richly-researched book was written by Billy's son, W.R. Wilkerson III, and it finally uncovers the secrets behind the building of the Flamingo Hotel and the death of Bugsy Siegel.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Ciro's Books is delighted to welcome the new millennium with a compelling narrative which corrects one of the biggest popular misconceptions of the last. To put it simply, Bugsy Siegel did not create either The Flamingo Hotel or the Vegas Strip. That honor belongs to another man. In these pages, author and composer Willie Wilkerson delves into his father's secret files to set the historical record straight. Willie's discoveries, and the weight of evidence presented in this powerful book, are little short of astounding.

In line with Billy Wilkerson's top-drawer approach to business and life, we've taken special care to ensure that this book is a quality production. The book's striking cover, created by the designer of the "Titanic" movie poster is a piece of art in its own right. Nor was any expense spared in the production process. Intended to last for many years, this archival paperback is printed on acid-free, 80# stock and illustrated with more than twenty high-quality photographic reproductions.

From the Author

After my father's death in 1962, I began hearing family stories about his pivotal role in Las Vegas history. For this reason, I eagerly anticipated the Warren Beatty film "Bugsy" which was released in December 1991. Sadly, the story on-screen bore little relationship to my treasured family memories.

I launched a one-man media campaign to publicize my father's story. Initially, I encountered a stone wall. Enchanted by the persuasive power of filmed legend, the press was reluctant to criticize "Bugsy's" factual basis. Getting the truth out was a slow, uphill battle. Finally, on Academy Award Night in 1992, many papers, including a few national dailies, ran accurate accounts containing elements of my father's story.

Although my efforts had paid off, I felt that the battle was just beginning. There was so much of my father's story still to be told. I decided to take some time off and uncover the full story behind the Flamingo Hotel.

I began my research by trying to prove the Bugsy myth correct. I was unable to find a shred of evidence to support either Bugsy's or the filmmakers' claims. I then turned to my father's well-documented life. Methodically piecing together everything from family interviews to cancelled checks, generated such a compelling paper-trail that I could not understand how history had gone so far astray.

I packaged all this material into a voluminous manuscript and sent it to British biographer, Robert Lacey. Lacey, who created the definitive account of organized crime in America with the 1991 publication of his Little Man a biography of Meyer Lansky, suggested trimming the manuscript down into a much smaller, but no less persuasive book

"Stick exclusively with your dad's story," he recommended. "That's what's never been told before." Six years later, as I look back on four years of research and two years spent actually writing "The Man Who Invented Las Vegas," I realize that Lacey's words were very, very good advice.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Ciro's Books; 1st edition (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0967664306
• ISBN-13: 978-0967664309
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #898,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Complete disappointment, January 3, 2003

By 

D. Brooks "Cardinals fan" (Little Rock, AR USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Man Who Invented Las Vegas (Paperback)

This is a sketchy at best account of a powerful man during his time. The book is short and did not give me enough details to his insight on Vegas except that he was a gambloholic. It left me wanting to know more about this man and his rise to power. Honestly I enjoyed more his accounts as the publisher of the Hollywood Reporter and the power he had there than his accounts of trying to build the Flamingo. I thought the book would give more insight on early Vegas but to me gave more to early Hollywood.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GAMBLER GONE GOOD...FINALLY, May 27, 2001

By 

Brady Buchanan (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Man Who Invented Las Vegas (Paperback)

Whatta story! If Mr. Wilkerson only had control of his addiction there is no telling what he could have accomplished. This is a talented man who had half the world by the tail, but couldn't get that 2nd half. He was able to accomplish a lot and was the creator of modern casinos in Las Vegas. This is a short story, but filled with interesting information. Highly recommended.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Top Notch Read, March 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Man Who Invented Las Vegas (Paperback)

This is a top notch read. It is hard to find books of this caliber about the mob. The research is scholarly but still accessible. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the birth of Las Vegas and the gritty details of Hollywood history in general.