https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-hYQ6dyRwM
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Cool.
1993 was a huge year for Vegas, as that's when so many of the entertainment-themed hotels opened in the second half of the year.
I'm not sure if this video was taken in 1993. Looks like it might have been 1992, especially since it indicated MGM Grand would open "next year", when in reality it opened in December 1993.
There are a lot of these "strip drives" on YouTube from various years. They're pretty cool.
In the last few minutes of the video you can see the half built Stratosphere Tower. In August 1993 I walked out of Atomic Liquors downtown to see the top of the half built tower in flames. I laughed and thought Stupak must have lit it himself.
I was first in Vegas in 1994. Hard to believe it looked like that! If not for the presence of the Mirage it looks like the 1970s.
The strip is just one huge clusterfuck now.
Man I sound old!! I was first there in 1976.
I don't know who Eddie Rabbitt is? (headlining at Bally's) But in 25 years Rich Little has traveled 3 miles south from Rivera to Tropicana. lol.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebt0BR5wHYs
That's Eddie Rabbit
Ok, then....next question: What is a rainy night? :confused:
Do you know today is day 115 with no a drop of rain for Las Vegas. :rolleyes: Broke like an 80 year record 11 days ago. Not the kind of record we want to break. :( Forecast is for some rain, Monday and/or Tuesday, so maybe we will get one of those Eddie Rabbitt "rainy nights". :)
Eddie Rabbit was a country singer who ironically was from New Jersey. He died pretty young of brain cancer I think.Quote:
Originally Posted by kewlJ
When the Strat Tower caught fire it was about as tall as it was in the video here. So my guess is this video was filmed about the time of the fire which wiki says occurred in Aug. 1993. When it was burning it looked like a roman candle. The whole top of it was ablaze.Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeycrimm
Poor quality, but here's a news story and video about the fire.Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeycrimmWhen the Strat Tower caught fire it was about as tall as it was in the video here. So my guess is this video was filmed about the time of the fire which wiki says occurred in Aug. 1993. When it was burning it looked like a roman candle. The whole top of it was ablaze.Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeycrimm
https://youtu.be/HYHMFvYl-p4
I really like this one:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XseD_CbYJqMQuote:
Originally Posted by Dan Druff
Last I saw the name Rich Little, he was doing a fair gig in my county.
I dont know who he does imitations of now,,,but unless he is working to a crowd of people my age...I dont think anyone else would know carson, tracy, fonda, stewart, cagney, bogart, groucho, armstrong, durante president kennedy, nixon, wayne,...he was amazing..the top of his field. Maybe he still is amazng....but like all of us every loses a step or 2 with age
I think you're selling the next generation short (assuming you are over 60).Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryS
I'm almost 46, and I know all of those people (and what they sound like).
I agree that people around 30 will not know most of these impressions.
its not selling people short. Its just that with all the choices for cable....people arent going to watch black and white movies or even color movies from the 60s and 70s.
People who grew up as teens and pre teens with the MTV generation and cable TV,,,,in the late 70s. as kids....probably wont know who Rich Little is immitating. I think you are on the boarder line. Honestly I dont think most people in their 40s know the move "on golden pond" with fonda and hepburn in their last or one of their last movies. That was 35 years ago. And MOST OF the rest I mentioned were before that. I think at 46 you are more well rounded than most if you remember those names and not just remember them but are able to appreciate an imitation ofthem which involves knowing how they talked and their tendencies.
as a kid i would watch black and white movies on our 7 channel tv before cable and marvel that all those actors would live forever because they will constantly be shown on tv over and over. Little did I know that cable and 150 channels was around the corner. I marveled that some actor with even a small part would be seen over and over like i would see these movies over and over.. Now these movies are basically for film students to see.
others that are long forgotten that Rich Little DID
William F Buckley
Carrol channing
Walter Cronkite
David Brinkley
Sammy Davis
Bette Davis
Henry Kissinger
maybe younger peopleup on the news might know the dialect that Kissinger has since he has done talk shows over the years.
But I would be hard pressed to find many 40 something people who know 80 percent of the people I listed. Its not a knock. The old gets replaced by the new. Life goes on.
I'm 42 and I still watch black and white movies. I have a large collection of black and white movies on DVD. Do people still use dvds? I miss 8 tracks. I don't think I'm well rounded but it's hard not to appreciate those type of movies. Even the bad ones are better stories with better actors compared to modern days. Do actors really act today or is it all CGI?
Rich Little is still great but not for the younger generation... just too slow for them. I seen him at the Hilton for free a few years ago when he was doing a tribute on Jimmy Stewart's life. I also have most of Stewart's movies as well. He did most of those impressions you listed. I enjoyed his show compared to Gilbert Gottfried who was in the same room but talk about dated material lol. We did like the Aristocrats joke at the end though but very vulgar to get to the punchline.
I also was in town when the tower was being built but I missed the fire. I was here in 91 but left and came back in 93. Yes I was 16 when I first came here and got broke playing 1-5 stud at the MGM... I liked the theme and feel of the MGM and it was like being in the Wizard of Oz. I liked that circle bar and sports book. First time I ever seen 8 large screen TVs in a row on the wall.
Of course I haven't done much work in my life and have had more time to read books, watch movies, go to the ballet, symphonies, opera... etc. I haven't had much money in my life but I have basically lived the Life of Riley.
This movie, www.imdb.com/title/tt4209788/ looks intriguing so I think I am going to see it on $5 tuesday at the Cinemark theaters.
If more 40 year olds were like you, he wouldnt need to do the state fair circuitQuote:
Originally Posted by monet
Honestly he should hang it up. I'm sure he doesn't need the money. He is from that workaholic generation like my grandfather. I wouldn't pay money to see him. He most likely has a problem of letting go of the fame or just wants to keep working instead of just watching TV all day. This reminds me of when I hear great actors voices on my orange juice commercials.
Actors, performers, they never really retire. It's in their blood to be on stage. They don't do it for the money either. And the proof of that is the 99% of actors and performers who never made significant money ever.
I just seen Rich Little on TV a couple of weeks ago doing impressions. He's still great as ever. They said he was doing a regular gig at the Tropicana.
Its very hard to pull off an entire show of impersonations. For that there was Rich little at the top and no one else even close. There was Frank Gorshen ...second rate in comparison.
There have been comedians like Dana Carvey that incorporate impersonations here and there into an act. But no one as talented as Little to last this long and do what he did.
A one of a kind. He had to have the timing of comedians to tell jokes, but also do it at the same time he was in character of a famous person.
The trop is a very small plain room. Maybe 200 people. I saw louie Anderson there maybe 5-6 years ago. Nothing wrong with the small rooms. I saw brenner, Rudner. in small rooms as well.
Whether Little is contemporary or not he once said the hardest voice for him to do was Bruce Springsteen.
I was in Las Vegas when Casino was being filmed. I think it was the fall of 1994. In the movie I recognized a lot of locations. In the opening scene Ace Rothstein is walking to his car. See the pics below. Can you identify the location where this scene was filmed?
Ah The Riddler - the guy was brilliant in this role and that high-pitched chortling laugh was priceless.Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryS
Too Easy mickeycrimm. Many more difficult filming locations in that movie compared to Main Street Station. Of course his car was really blown up at the Tony Romas on East Sahara but Hollywood doesn't always go for accuracy.
MSS had a Tony Roma's back then too.
It'll get harder as I go. Doing the easy ones first.Quote:
Originally Posted by monet
if u are a fan of that show there is a nice 2 year old documentary on Adam west out there.....nicely done before he died. He finally while alive, got a star in Hollywood after people kept pushing for it, and it kept being refused. It was nice to see
It seems like the funniest actors were those who were a couple cans short of a six-pack , like Frank Gorshen (since it really helps with the zaniness). Yes I really liked the deadpan comedy of Adam West and Burt Ward and am glad to hear that Adam got a star. However the new Batman '66 pinball machine from Stern is terrible and does not give the show the homage it deserves in terms of the playfield layout and rules. I'm surprised that none of the previous Batman pinball machines from Data East, Sega, and Stern (Batman the Dark Knight) were very good, but at least they weren't as terrible as this new Batman 66'.Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryS
I remember a batman pinball machine maybe in1990..it was one of the first that had something like an LED lighting moving characters like the joker on a screen. I remember liking it . I dont remember seeing it in the pinball museum in vegas.(addams family is old but still a fave)
Yes the first pinball machine with a dot matrix display was Checkpoint from Data East (before that all pinballs had alpha numeric scoring displays), closely followed by the game you are talking about - Batman from Data East (http://www.ipdb.org/machine.cgi?id=195).There was a bat cave video mode on that one. I like the one from Sega (Batman Forever) the best of the four batman pinballs, relatively speaking, followed by Data East Batman. The clever over-the-top villain insertions (King Tut, Shane, etc.) on the liquid crystal display (looks just like a TV screen) of Batman '66 cannot rescue the game. The Addams Family sold over 20000 units. I haven't been to the new pinball hall of fame. The last time I visited was when it was 3300 East Tropicana. I heard the new location has over 500 machines, but that the condition of many of them is shit. The Pacific Pinball Museum in Alameda might be of interest to you since you are in northern California.Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryS
I was there last year(alameda). Its a flat fee to enter, and you can play as long as you want. The one on tropicana is free entry but you feed quarters.
The new location(vegas) is bigger for sure..the older location looked like it was in an old laundramat. I didnt find the machines to be poorly maintained, but that was 3 years ago. My first pinball machine was in early 60s, with a metal pinball pitched through a flap in the center and you hit a button to swing the bat, and the ball went through flaps that said out, single double triple, and if u hit it on a ramp it went to an upper level homerun. Sometimes carboard stickmen ran the bases , sometimes it was just a lighted diamond showing electronic movement around the bases.
I am not an historian like you....I just have enjoyed them over the years. batman, pinbot,addams fam,Lord of the rings.
Before it was Main Street Station it was Church Street Station. Some Florida developer, Bob Snow, sunk like 80 million into remodeling the building. A lot of expensive antiques hanging around the place. There was a Tony Roma's in the place. But the dude didn't know anything about the casino business. One of his bad moves was paying even money on blackjack. The place shut down is less than a year which I think was about 1991.Quote:
Originally Posted by monet
The place was still shuttered when they filmed Casino. The opening scene started with the first screen shot here and panned down to the 2nd screenshot. You can see the bottom of the doors in the first pic and see they match the doors in the 2nd pic.
Boyd bought the place and reopened it about 1996 with the name Main Street Station.
The car bombing scene was filmed in the parking lot of Main Street Station. The building in the background is the California Club. That's the way it looked in 1994.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...XjMxQPYNTYI8M6
Then you might like this game from Jersey Jack pinball:Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7au8XmwhCJU
And this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFlCw3qSxwA
Re: Casino
Ginger and Ace in a restaurant. Can you name the restaurant?
Hey Mickey! Hope all is well! I’ve been checking things out over here and decided to chime in.
Not sure what the restaurant was then but it’s now Oscars at the Plaza.
Welcome Boz.
Hey, Boz! It's about time you showed up over here. Oscar's used to be the Center Stage. The last time I ate there was about 2004. To me it was the best price to quality ratio downtown. Damn good steaks for $20 a plate. And a nice view down Fremont Street. You can see in the screenshots the Fremont Street Experience wasn't built yet when they filmed Casino.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Boz
Man, you've got some really deranged libtards to contend with in that Trump thread at WoV.
Nikki Santoro entering a sports/horse book. Can you name the book and do you know where it was located?
Thanks for the welcome Mick and KJ. It’s a never ending battle with liberals and others who never understand you get out of this life what you put into it. Always filled with excuses for how their life turned out or they had the better than you mentality that you could never get where they did and you need their help. It really is that simple when dealing with them.
Love the old Vegas discussion, was just out last week and always find something new and interesting. I was at the new Teneya Creek Brewery on Bonanza , close to downtown and the Mission you have written about before. Anyways I never knew the vacant lot across the street was the former Moulon Rouge Casino. I have read a lot about it over the years but never knew that was the spot.
Again Thanks for the welcome and I’ll try to keep it civil.
Here's the problem with that: we're animals, but not beasts.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Boz
Beasts are subject to natural selection.
People are not, due to "civilization."
We don't cull the herd.
Actually we do via war, but it is indiscriminate.
Yesh, Babs complains about "Trump's lies" but here's some lies she didn't seem to mind:Quote:
Originally Posted by The Boz
"If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan you can keep your health care plan. This act will cut health care premiums by 30%."
Yes, the Moulin Rouge was in a rough area. My first camp spot in Vegas was at the corner of Bonanza and MLK. Every night when the 9 PM bingo let out at the Western Casino I would walk over to Bonanza then walk west under the viaduct past the Las Vegas Rescue Mission and the Moulin Rouge to MLK. The Moulin Rouge was integrated back in the day. Frank Sinatra used to go there. But when I was camped out there in 1992 it was nothing but black folks. There was always talk of restoring the place to it's former self but it never happened.
I qued up many a day at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission for a bowl of beans, milk and bread. You never had to ask what was on the menu. It was always the same.
Okay, so I'll give a little clue as to where the location might be. The link is the film clip out of the movie where Nikki Santoro walks into the book.Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeycrimm
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...7ox4IA0WLqqEO7
Okay, you can partially see the name of the book in this next screenshot. Leroy's was the last stand alone book in Las Vegas. It was on 1st street behind the Pioneer and across the street from the Golden Nugget. It was known for having the sharpest lines.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeycrimmOkay, so I'll give a little clue as to where the location might be. The link is the film clip out of the movie where Nikki Santoro walks into the book.Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeycrimm
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...7ox4IA0WLqqEO7
I can see a reflection when he walks in of the lights at the old Westward Ho. So either he is there or across the street at the Rivera. I assume I’m very close.
Ok I did freeze it at the start and see Binions in the background and the GN. Those lights reminded me of the old Westward Ho lights that looked similar. I remember a “Ho Dog” from one of my first trips many years ago.
I ate many a one pound hot dog for a buck at the Westward Ho. It was so rancid I had to cover it in condiments to cover up the taste.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Boz
Speaking of which, I loved the $1.50 giant hot dog special at the Gold Spike Casino and the coins dropping into the pan from VP hits.Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeycrimmI ate many a one pound hot dog for a buck at the Westward Ho. It was so rancid I had to cover it in condiments to cover up the taste.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Boz
Slots A Fun had a huge hotdog for a while and Casino Royale still has a $1.99 Jumbo Dog at a small stand in the back.
None are worth seeking out. Now the $2.50 Beer and Dog at Stage Door, that’s a treat.
I remember swearing off jumbo hotdogs after eating one at Slots A Fun. Had a great time at the craps table though. Maybe the coolest location of any table I have ever played.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Boz
Yeah, I ate a lot of those dogs too. And we used to get a free one pound dog at Lady Luck once a week.Quote:
Originally Posted by tableplaySpeaking of which, I loved the $1.50 giant hot dog special at the Gold Spike Casino and the coins dropping into the pan from VP hits.Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeycrimmI ate many a one pound hot dog for a buck at the Westward Ho. It was so rancid I had to cover it in condiments to cover up the taste.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Boz
Mick, I read of your trips in the past year and they were incredibly interesting. Was there any thought of stopping back in Vegas to see the changes or is that of no interest to you? I know time is money but I think you would be surprised at some of the changes and other areas are probably the same as you remember them.
I like being a diamond in the rough instead of being surrounded by people that do the same thing I do. That's why I avoid Las Vegas. I'm not ruling out a visit though.Quote:
Originally Posted by The Boz