20. Brigitte Bardot
One of the most famous cities in the world, Las Vegas has a very interesting history. But things were different in the ’50s and ’60s from what you see today in Vegas. What made it so famous over the years and how did it all begin? What did the city look like before it became transforming? We might not know everything about the city – because what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but some rare photos can say a lot about the place dubbed as the Sin City. Here’s a glimpse into its golden years, when the most famous people would even gather at the same table!
In 1966, one of the most beautiful women in the world – Brigitte Bardot, was walking on Fremont Street with her husband, a wealthy German industrialist Gunther Sachs Von Opel. Vegas is where they got married, just like this couple at #9.
19. Evel Knievel
One year later, Evel Knievel would jump over the fountains at Caesars Palace. It was a 141 feet jump, but unfortunately, he didn’t make it. He crashed and stayed in a coma for 28 days making him even more famous! Believe it or not, but he lived until the age of 69 when he died of pulmonary disease…
18. Noel Coward
The playwright and performer had, according to Time magazine a “sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose, and poise.” Noel Coward performed at the Wilbur Clark’s Desert Inn. In this photo, he is posing in front of the hotel marquee that bears his name, probably promoting his show.
17. Swim and Gamble
Where else in the world can you swim and gamble at the same time? The answer is always Las Vegas! The Sands Hotel redefined the phrase “fun in the sun” in 1954 and gamblers didn’t take much to do for a dip and place their bets. But how would you keep that cash dry?
16. Elvis Presley and Liberace
Two of the biggest performers in the golden age are seen in the same photo, which is quite a rare encounter! Elvis has sold out shows in Las Vegas hotels from 1969 to 1976 and Liberace was present on the Las Vegas strip for two decades. This photo was taken in 1955 when the two just attended each other’s performances.
15. The Sands Hotel
The dance show at the Sands Hotel in December 1952 was entertaining people, who also got to see Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Dean Martin perform over the years. Las Vegas slowly became an entertaining attraction for people that wanted to see famous people and shows.
14. The Bluebell Girls
These dancers would come from Paris, from the Lido Nightclub and dance up on platforms to dazzle the patrons in Lido Nightclub. They had a mesmerizing show that made everyone’s worth their journey to Las Vegas. This photo is from 1958, showing the Bluebell Girls as if they were flying creatures.
13. Sammy Davis Jr.
The famous Sammy Davis Jr., singer, dancer and actor was having the time of his life in Las Vegas. And why wouldn’t he, when he was the star in the Sin City when the Rat Pack was so famous?
The Rat Pack favored places like the Golden Steer restaurant, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and Atomic Liquors.
12. The Copa Girls
The Copa Room had showgirls called the Copa Girls. It was the Sands Hotel’s nightclub that offered the ultimate show to entertain people. Mane of the famous people to perform in the Copa Room was Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Edith Piaf, and Frank Sinatra, and many famous members of the Rat Pack.
11. The King Elvis
This photo shows Elvis Presley signing autographs for his fans at the Sahara Hotel. He was very busy, but still took time to spend with his fans. It was really an honor to be so close to Elvis!
And talking about things that only happen in Vegas…
10. The Sultan of Swoon
Women were not that famous in Las Vegas, or at least they didn’t dominate the scene like Frank Sinatra and other men from the Rat Pack. They brought the entertainment to the dusty Vegas, and this photo from 1955 at the Dunes Hotel shows the Sultan of Swoon surrounded by beautiful women.
9. Love in Las Vegas
Today maybe people are spontaneous and marry in Las Vegas, but back in 1958, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward chose the place to have a romantic wedding and stayed together for over 50 years until Newman died in 2008!
Here’s another famous wedding at #4.
8. Frank Sinatra and the Showgirls
The American crooner and the first pop star in the world, Frank Sinatra is photographed surrounded by the Copa Girls. He starred in his own Las Vegas shows, and here he was in the Sands, in 1963. His shows started ten years earlier at the resort and helped make Las Vegas what it is today.
7. The Queen of Rock and Roll
We know Elvis is The King, but there is also a Queen: Lillian Briggs. She became the first female rock star in the early ‘50s and blew away the crowd during her first shows. She sold a million copies of her debut single “I Want You To Be My Baby.”
6. Vegas in 1906
This photo is from 1906 when Las Vegas was nothing like the one in 1956 and a million years away from the 21st century! In this photo, this city was a small Wild West town, with no casino to gamble, but with a drug store and a place where you can do laundry…
5. The Gabor Sisters
The Sin City was also a place for famous women, not just for men. So the glamorous Gabor sisters had to be there. They’re photographed in 1955 at the Last Frontier Hotel. The three actresses came from Hungary and became famous in Hollywood. Zsa Zsa is on the left, Magda is the one in the middle, and Eva is on the right.
4. Betty Grable and Harry James
Harry James and Betty Grable married in Las Vegas on July 14, 1943. They had a glamorous wedding, nothing like the fast and cheap ones we see today. These stars came to Vegas to be part of the famous city that Vegas started to become.
3. The Bluebell Girls
This rare photograph is just a glimpse into the backstage where the Bluebell Girls got ready for the show at the Stardust Hotel. Imagine this entertainer going on the stage in just a few minutes to offer the crowds the show of a lifetime!
2. The Cool Table
So many famous at one single table! Starting with the left, you can see Humphrey Bogart, Sid Luft, Lauren Bacall, Judy Garland, and Jack Entratter who was the manager of the Sands hotel. On the right, you have Mike Romanoff, Frank Sinatra, Gloria Romanoff, David Niven, and Hjördis Niven.
1. Audrey Hepburn And Her Friends
This rare photo shows Hepburn hanging out with her friends in Las Vegas in 1956. She was with her husband Hepburn (on the right), and between the pair, there is Mike Romanoff and Frank Sinatra. Those were great times!