In 1962, using a $10.6 million loan from Teamsters Central States Pension Fund, Sarno began building a resort on the 34-acres of property which Kirk Kerkorian owned through his Tracy Investment Company. It was rumored that Syndicate members Raymond Patriarca, Tony Accardo (aka Big Tuna), Sam Giancana (aka Mooney), Jerry Catena (one of Genovese's chief lieutenants), and Jimmy Vincent (aka Jimmy Blue Eyes) (a Myer Lansky associate) were also involved. I can find no facts to substantiate this but Alan King once stated about Caesars Palace "I wouldn't say it was exactly Roman - more kind of early Sicilian".

The R.C. Johnson Construction Company of Las Vegas joined with the Morey Mason Company of Miami Beach to build the resort.

Once Sarno announced his plans to build Caesars, he got arguments from everyone in town - It was too far back from the street; he'd go broke before you knew it; it was too far out on the Strip; you can't dress cocktail waitresses like that. Sarno ignored the naysayers.

Sarno was the concept and design man, the money was handled by Jacobsen. Ground breaking didn't actually start until early 1965. The Sarno family moved to Las Vegas during this year. The Palo Alto Cabana was the virtual platform prototype for Caesars.

The outer facade of the highrise was used with the "Sarno Block". Its latticework design, lowered internal temperatures while presenting an attractive front.

"My dad liked to design his hotels with a screenblock facade because he didn't like the broken-up appearance of a building that was all mixed up from some windows open and some closed, various curtain positions, and the like. Before Caesars, he used standard block patterns, but wanted to create his own that had a more elegant and lighter feel.

After working on the idea for a time, he had styrofoam models of what would ultimately come be known as the "Sarno Block" made that were full scale so he could stack them up and get a sense for how they would look. He had dozens of them in his office at the Atlanta Cabana. I remember going there when I was five or six years old and having a wonderful time with dad's big toy blocks. I would stack them up in his office and use sofa cushions for roof panels to build forts. He had a high tolerance for this sort of thing, possibly because he thought it was fun, too.

We moved to Las Vegas about the time I turned seven. Within several days of arriving there, the whole family went to the Caesars construction site to see the new hotel's progress. The first time I saw a real Sarno block I was thrilled because they were so much fun and there were thousands of them. I was startled to discover that they were not made of styrofoam, and weighed about 50 pounds apiece. Nonetheless, it was exciting to see this enormous expanse of them taking shape.

After thirty years or so, the owners of Caesars Palace decided that the place needed a fresh look, so many of the original Sarno blocks came down.

What I built in my backyard is a circular bench around a fire pit using twelve Sarno blocks recovered from the demolition scrap heap when Caesars rebuilt its facade. My sister Heidi got them from the construction workers. She got me four and my mother eight. My mom didn't get around to doing anything with hers before she died, so I wound up with twelve to work with.

So, I have seen the evolution of the idea from conception to implementation to demolition." - Jay C. Sarno, February, 2003

Sarno's hotel was originally going to be called the Cabana Palace, then the Desert Palace, then finally it became Caesars Palace, with the emblem of a chesty female dipping grapes into the waiting mouth of a recumbent Roman, fitted out in a toga, laurel wreath and phallic dagger.

Nat Jacobson was made President of the Desert Palace, Inc., Stanley A. Mallin of Atlanta, came in as vice-president, as well as bringing in Harry Wald, a general in the U.S. Army Reserve, and Casino Manager Jerry Zarowitz whose motto was giving credit to "anyone with a library card." The Casino staff was then hired comprising of Eugene "Babe" Koren, Jake Newman, Albert Faccinto, William "Red" Kilm, and George Deverell. John Dunn was the manager of the casino cage and Joe Styne, a noted Broadway composer, was brought in to prpoduce original musicals.

Subtle innovations included showrooms, shops, restaurants, and the pool entrance all radiated off the casino.

"When Caesars first opened, some of the gaming fraternity didn't give us much of a chance, partly because of the unusualness of the aesthetics. But we just opened the door and never looked back." - Harry Wald, 1979 interview

Wald then hired Gloria Brown as a secretary and trouble-shooter.

"It was absolute chaos back then. We worked out of the original construction shack, which has since been converted into our personnel office. At any given hour there wasn't a second when the phone was not ringing. And there were at least 50 people waiting for appointments around the clock. It actually came to be fun after I got caught up in the excitement of it all."

We had hired about 1,100 people and I know just about every one of them by name. It was a mass-hiring situation, though, where you'd get someone coming up to you and asking you where their paycheck was, because they had worked there for two weeks and never received anything." - Gloria Brown, 1979 interview

Nat Hart was then hired. A food expert with an international reputation, Nat Hart once was a consultant to the Japanese government and helped plan their exhibit at the New York World's Fair. He was asked by Caesars to assist them in creating their unique food services and, after his commitment to the Japanese ended, he stayed on, lending his vast experience in the culinary arts to the Hotel. He was also responsible for creating the Noshorium Coffee Shop (which in later years became Cafe Roma).

"Originally, I was the maitre d' of the Bacchanal Room. This was when Billy Weinberger, later to become Caesars President, was Food and Beverly Manager. The Bacchanal was the first restaurant in Las Vegas to offer a set meal for a set price. It was a literal feast, served in a manner befitting ancient Rome. That room because a standard masterpiece, winning every conceivable major culinary award." - Nat Hart, 1979

Sarno thought of everything, from the Roman decor and name, to the toga-like waitress costumes, the hotel logo, the parchment-like desk stationary, matchbooks and business cards with simulated burnt edges (while Nero fiddled . . .). Sarno even had long discussions about the apostrophe in "Caesar's" - which he banished because the possessive "would mean that it was the place of only one Caesar". He wanted to create the feeling that everybody in the hotel was a Caesar. "Caesars" it became.

The building of Caesars was not without its problems. Builders were amazed that in the middle of the desert, they hit water while building an underground parking lot. An engineer was hired from the East Coast to survey the problem and come up with a solution. A series of coverts were built so the water was routed and building could be resumed. The underground parking plan was abandoned though. The general construction company was Taylor International Corporation of Las Vegas who also built the Riviera and Tropicana.

Donated by Jeff Cross

Sarno, hiring Miami architect Melvin Grossman, created Caesars using the usual frontage parking lot amended by a long axis of fountains marking an entry drive. The parking lots were pushed to the side for this effect. Helping Grossman was Jo Harris, the designer who had worked at all the Cabanas and would later help design Circus Circus. Grossman's firm had designed numerous hotels including Acapulco Princess in Mexico.

"I believe very strongly that when you select a theme for a hotel, you ought to follow that theme in every aspect of the operation where it is possible to do so. . . . Jay insisted that people be in uniform from head to toe. We sketched our ideas but brought in a wardrobe mistress, as if we were costuming a show, to execute them. - Jo Harris, 1975 & 1999 interviews

In preparation of his resort, Sarno traveled to Europe and photographed columns, pilasters, rooftops and flying buttresses. He spared few expenses for his resort. When he wanted marble sculpture, he headed to the town where Michelangelo had obtained marble. All the statues were imported at the cost of $200,000 and had been specially scaled, either up or down, so that they were the same size. Thus, the huge David at Caesars was no taller than the Bacchus.

"The statuary that I used at Caesars was cut from the finest, purest, grade-A Carrera marble from Florence. You know, with one statue, the 'Rape of the Sabines,' I had to argue like hell to get the sculptor to ship it to America. He feared that it would be damaged in transit. There are also two of the finest pieces of art in the world situated near the coffee shop. These two friezes, depicting the battle of the Etruscan Hills, were made by the artist Teleki specifically for Caesars and yet hardly any knows of their great worth." - Jay Sarno

Caesars faced the Strip with a royal presence. The wings that marked the entry were more Baroque Rome than Imperial Rome. At roadside, in front of the herd of the spraying fountains stands a copy of the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The main building is set back 135 feet. The original porte cochere was a flat canopy back by a black-tiled screen, flanked by reproductions of classical soldier statues in scalloped niches.

Sarno asked for proposals from local sign companies for the sign. Young Electric Sign Company submitted an entry, designed by Jack Larsen and Kermit Wayne, which ripped a pediment, architrave, and columns off a Roman temple and placed them at right angles to the road. Originally two attraction boards laced through the four Ionic columns, later a single, bigger board and two freestanding columns for support were added.

Donated by Heidi & Emiliano Palustre

Larsen and Wayne then visited a dime store and picked out a few toy soldiers for scale, they happened to be centurions. Sarno liked them so much that he insisted that full-scale, full-color figures of vestal maids and plumed centurions be added to the base of the actual sign.

At the last moment, YESCO chief Thomas Young turned down the job because clients balked at paying half the cost before beginning fabrication. Ad-Art then stepped in and did the job with no money down for $350,000. The design was essentially the same as Young's.

Inside Caesars' entry, a vast, low casino dominated the interior. Its shallow oval-shaped dome hovered over the gaming pit which Sarno believed was conducive to relaxation. Windowless and with a blacked-out ceiling, the casino relied on sparkling trim lights to give it shape. Around this central oval spun a welter of shops, restaurants, lounges and corridors.

Others led to the sunlight, made more blinding by the dazzling white exterior. One corridor went to the 1,200 Circus Maximus, the main showroom.

"The casino was full of features that appeared to be architectural whims but were actually planned carefully. The main feature that makes it so good is that the hotel is laid out like a wheel with the casino as hub. This means the guest has to walk by the casino to get anywhere. Now, of course this makes it easy for him to gamble, but there's a second important reason for that feature. It gives the guest a sense of being where the action is all the time, and it's one of the reasons people love staying at Caesars." Jo Harris, 1975

"Over the years that I have been creating hotels, I've discovered that the oval is a magic shape . . . this is conducive to relaxation. If you examine Caesar's casino, you will find that it is oval shaped. I even incorporated the oval design into the dice tables, which affects the dice angle geometry. Because the casino is shaped in an oval, people tend to relax and play longer. And the casino's intimate feeling is no accident either; it is an optical illusion created by the 20 false columns encircling it." - Jay Sarno

Donated by Jeff Cross

The convention business was a difficult one for a new hotel break into because conventions were normally booked years in advance. But Caesars had two things in its favor: excellent facilities, which included over 25,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space, and Charlie Monahan. Monahan, who held the distinction of being one of the most successful convention sales directors in Las Vegas, joined the Caesars organization in February, 1965, to being the complicated job of selling an uncompleted hotel to major association and exhibitors across the nation.

"I had worked in Atlantic City and in Miami at the Traymore Hotel before coming to Las Vegas to work for the Convention Bureau. I remember telling Nate Jacobson that he couldn't afford me, but he could, as it turned out. In the early days, there was little shade around Caesars. In fact, we were working out of a rented trailer. One day we were showing an association executive around the construction site and we discovered that it was his birthday, so we gave him a little champagne party and he eventually booked his conventions with us. The very first meeting to be held at Caesars was in September, 1966, when the National Milk Producers held their regional affair here. It was a compliment to the many association executives to book us before we opened, because they had to trudge through dirt and cement. Some would take a chance with us, but those who booked with us originally are still coming here. - Charlie Monahan, 1979

It was noted that before the hotel ever opened Monahan and his staff had sold some $42 million in convention dates.

On August 5, 1966, Caesars Palace opened with each guest being welcomed by the official greeter, a blond 40-20-37 Cleopatra. The opening included the stage production of "Rome Swings" with Andy Williams/Elaine Dunn, and Phil Richards playing the Caesar character in the 980 seat showroom. This was show was tabbed one of the most lavish shows in the city's history. Entertainment Director Dave Victorson, and Choreographer Bob Herget scoured the New York area for 35 of its best male and female dancers to complement their broadway-style show.

The resort was described as sitting on a 34 acre complex featuring a crescent-shaped, 14 story tower with 680 rooms (the crescent shape was a function of the "magic" oval, according to Sarno), the 800-seat Circus Maximus theatre (which was patterned after the immortal Coliseum in Rome with blue walls to capture an evening mood), 18 huge fountains in the center of and to the sides of a 135 foot drive that was lined with imported Italian Cypresses (the fountains sprayed over 350,000 gallons per minute at 10,000 gallons per second), Brazilian rosewood and gold leafing throughout the lobby and reception area, an entry foyer with white marble panels surrounded by black mosaic tile, and a 90x60 foot "Caesars Forum" casino with the world's largest crystal ceiling fixture made from the finest German crystal.

Harry and Jimmy Ritz, the surviving members of the Ritz Brothers comedy team, opened the hotel's lavish 250 seat Nero's Nook. Nero's was a terraced facility shaped like an amphitheater with a reflecting pool in front of the stage.

"You absolutely couldn't get in to see us during that opening week. It was the biggest opening event I've ever seen. We did just about everything on stage you could think of. Jimmy played my straight man while I did my various characters. I was also the very first person to do the "If I Were a Rich Man number from Fiddle On the Roof during that engagement. We were originally signed to play Nero's Nook for 28 weeks and we wound up staying over two years there. At that time, in 1966, we were the highest paid lounge act ever. We received $12,500 per week, two suites at the hotel, and other complimentary items. You know it's funny: Jimmy and I have played there sine that time." - Harry Ritz, 1979 interview

Of the $25 million spent on the Palace, Jacobsen spent $1 million on a gala three-day long grand opening party that had a guest list of 1,800. In an attempt to cut costs, the opening invitations were whittled from 20,000 to 1,400. (It should be noted that years later it was rumored that $19 was actually spent on the Palace with Sarno inflating the figure to $25 million for publicity purposes.)

"We hit lightning in a bottle with Caesars. It was the nicest thing in Las Vegas and maybe in the country." - Stanley Mallin, 1999

It was noted that over two tons of filet mignon were served along with 300 pounds of crabmeat, 30,000 fresh eggs, 50,000 glasses of champagne, and the largest single Alaskan King Crab ever served, and the largest order of Ukranian caviar ever bought by a private organization.

The resort contained only two restaurants, Noshorium Coffee Shop and the Bacchanal.

Bacchanal was an experience in itself. Wine goddesses poured wine from shoulder height. After the main course, one could pause for a neck and shoulder massage. Waitresses were known to peel patrons a grape or two.

It is rumored that some of Sarno's dreams couldn't come to reality. He once hoped to put piranha in the Bacchanal's fountain pool, and at each seating to sacrifice a baby pig. The Health Department took exception to this blood sport and denied the plans.

Just two days after the opening, Caesars saw her first wedding, that of Xavier Cugat and Charo (aka Maria Rosario Pilar Martinez Molina Baeza).

Another problem he encountered was with the ashtrays. Sarno had contracted for the resort to contain ashtrays with gold around the border, and brilliant raised white lettering and figures. So many visitors were taking them as souvenirs he decided on a less expensive ashtray.

Sarno then bought the property from his landlord Kerkorian in the amount of $5 million. It was reported that as a joke, Sarno walked over to Jerry Zarowitz and remarked it was his understanding that Kerkorian must cash the check for tokens in Caesars' casino immediately. Zarowitz was quick to sanction the arrangement. For the uninformed, hotel tokens were non-negotiable outside of the casino of issue.

On September 11, 1966, Caesars hosted its first convention for the National Milk Producers.

In October of 1966, Sarno was featured in the Las Vegas Israelite. A picture was taken of Jay, Joyce, Jay C., 8; September, 7; holding baby Heidi, and John, 4.

"Sarno is now managing director at Caesars Palace. We consider him among the greatest idea men of our time. He is one who follows through with his ideas. Las Vegas should burst with pride for two reasons. First, that Jay Sarno chose Las Vegas to exploit his inevitable project of projects a brilliant promotional mind. Take it from the Las Vegas Israelite, keep an eye on Caesars Palace. Watch the promotions that eminate from there. Only you and I will know who is responsible for originating those ideas and putting them in practice - Jay Sarno." - Las Vegas Israelite, Oct. 7, 1966

In 1966, Caesars showcased Victor Borge w/Leonid Hambro and Rome Swings. It also showcased Woody Allen; Hanna Aroni; Jack Benny; Polly Bergen; Nat Brandwynne Orchestra; Petula Clark; John Davidson; Herb Eden; Mickie Finn Company w/Mickie & Fred Finn/Flying Dutchmen/The Dapper Dans/Kaye Stevens; Frank Gorshin; Damita Jo; Aliza Kashi; David Longdon; Johnny Mathis w/Our Young Generation; Misty Moore; Ann Richards; Rome Swings; Tony Sandler & Ralph Young; and Kaye Stevens.

Woody Allen had been signed to a one year contract before the opening. During his first show he stated "This is the first time I'm appearing live."

Nero's Nook showcased Xaviar Cugat; Checkmates, Ltd.; Fall Guys; Janice Harper; Eartha Kitt; Bill Norvas' Swingin' Generation; Mort Sahl; Mongo Santamaria; Stark Naked & The Car Thieves; Sweet Charity w/Juliet Prowse; and Trish Turner.

In December 1966, Caesars Personnel included: Day Shift - "Dice" - William Klim, Robert Van Holten, Olin Askew, Lou Iannuzzelli, & Nat Aurbach, "21" - Morrey Jaeger, Johnny George, Bill Maxwell, & Lucky Bayhi; Swing Shift - "Dice" - John Ashy, Hy Indes, Irving Perleman, & Bernie Resnick, "21" - Mike Velardo, Vern Stone, Bob Andrews, & Joe Paul; Graveyard - "Dice" - Ralph Agretto, Fritz Gersich, & Eddie Dickerman; "21" - Jess Lenz & Joe Gurwitz; The Bacchanal; Caesars Palace; Baccarat Manager Larry Snow; Maximus Maitre d's Jess Kirk & Jean Pardini with Captains Nelson Stover, Herbert Marrion, Wayne Gilbert, Marcel Duval, Fred Weber, Jack McNamara, Alfred Adene, Frank Smith, Alex Howell, Aldo Casanova, Henry Van Dyke, & John Itta, and Reservations Hostesses Vivian Clover & Shirley Jones; and Maximus Jean "Gino" Pardini.

On February 14, 1967, Caesars Coliseum hosted the Press Club's Installation Dinner. The guest speaker was William Rayborn, Jr.

In 1967, Jerry Poeggel was manager of the Noshorium Coffee Shop. Poeggel had previously owned and personally ran the Imperial House in Chicago on Walton Place which was rated the top restaurant in Chicago for years. After that the German born Poeggel owned the Villa D'Este in Carey, Illinois, and the Pavillion at Northbrook, Illinois. His guests over the years at his establishments were Mayors Daley and Edward Kelley, the Cudahys, the Swifts (of meat fame), Marshal Field, Jr., Piere Scott and Arthur Lehman of the Fair Store, Colonel Leon Mandel, Robert Strauss, and the Florsheims (of shoe fame).

In June of 1967, Sarno and Danielle Reausejour imitated the famous postcard while Nat Jacobson is served by a wine stewardess.

During this year it was reported that even after an estimated running cost of $40,000 a day, the owners of Caesars still expected to recoup the whole of their original investment within 10 years. It was stated that Caesars President, Nathan Jacobson, who was known as an insurance mogul, sportsman, and philanthropist, spoke only to God and the Internal Revenue. In happier days he used to speak with Jimmie Hoffa and occasionally the press. Jacobson was plagued with the rumor since Caesars opened that national crime syndicate figures had interests in the casino. Specifically, the Chicago Sun-Times alleged that Momo Salvatore Giancana, Ray Patriarcha, and Gerardo Catena, three Cosa Nostra members, each held a secret 10% interest in the resort. Jacobson denied this and demanded a retraction, which was not given. Jacobson asserted that 95% of the shares in the hotel was held by businessmen who had no connection with gambling. Among these, presumably, were to be counted the administrators of the central southwest and southeast Teamsters' Union Pension Fund who contributed $10,500,000. The remaining 5% interest had been sold to gaming experts who would run that end of the business.

It was learned that Jerome Zarowitz, credit manager for the casino, had served a 20-month jail sentence in 1947-1948 on a conspiracy conviction arising from an attempted fix of a National Football League championship game in 1946. Chairman W. Keefer of the Nevada Gaming Commission said that he had been aware of Zarowitz' background when he granted a license to Caesars. both Zarowitz and Elliott Paul Price, a host at the hotel, and Jay Sarno, managing director, were then summoned by the Gaming Commission to testify, on camera, about the illegal skimming of profits of Las Vegas casinos.

After that all was quiet until January of 1967, when a Miami bookmaker named Ruby Lazarus was summoned for questioning by a federal grand jury. The jury wanted to know the nature of a meeting Lazarus had attended, with other prominent gamblers, in October of 1966 at Palm Springs. Also at this meeting allegedly were Zarowitz and Elliott Paul Price. Lazarus refused to say whether the purpose of the meeting at Palm Springs had been to decide how the ownership of Caesars should be divided so he went to jail.

The resort was known to have palatial lodgings once known as Hoffa's suite. There were several duplex suites in the resort which were so palatial that they didn't even appear in the brochure of rates. The most that an ordinary non-teamster would pay for overnight accommodations was $116. Poolside rooms began at $24, but one could get an ordinary double with a view of nothing in particular for a popular $14.

When reporter Jane Wilson met with Sarno who was described as managing director, chief designer, and one of the principal owners of the hotel. He stated to the reporter:

"In your opinion, do I look like any designer you ever met? I would rather hang up by my thumbs! So I don't look like a designer, but see that block outside there through the window, that design that covers the front of the building? That's the Sarno Block, I've had it patented and anybody wants to use it, they got to come to me! See this office? It's elliptical. An ellipse, in my opinion, is the friendliest shape. The new convention hall we're building will be my version of the Roman circus - elliptical. I dreamed up the idea for this whole place, and I designed or supervised everything. It was a team project with Melvin Grossman of Miami Beach and Jo Harris who's an architect and interior designer. I was like the quarterback. I'm a builder and I've always been very impressed by Roman architecture. It's very romantic. You ever been in Rome? What do you think of the fountains out front of the hotel? Fantastic, eh?" - Jay Sarno, June, 1967

Sarno then went on to state that the fountains in the front of the resort worked with pumps saying they were worth $25,000 and were the largest private fountains in America.

In walking along the resort the reporter noticed that the elegant little Italian cypresses lining the driveway were looking ragged, dying from the desert heat. Sarno stated "I don't worry, as they die off I'll just keep on replacing them. People say to me, So why not have palm trees? But I say that palms just don't have the character we want here." Sarno's favorite statue was the reproduction of Giovanni Bologna's Rape of the Sabine Women. He stated: "There it is, the finest statue in North America! And all carved from one block of marble."

Sarno had stated that the huge central chandelier in the Forum cost $125,000 and contained over 100,000 crystals, and was probably the largest in the world. The resort even had crystal chandeliers in the elevators, but taller vandals, souvenir hunters and destructive losers at the tables had wreaked havoc in the seconds between floors, yanking off whole strings of metal-linked droplets.

Sarno took the reporter to the 14th, the final floor of the resort. Sarno popped his head into a doorway - "Hey, Julie (referring to Juliet Prowse) You in the bathroom? Okay if I show Miss West around for a minute? He received a muffled okay.

"I entered, to stand ankle-deep in thick, pal blue, old-fashioned wool carpeting. There was a white grand piano in the split-level livingroom, which had a very high ceiling and a gallery running along one wall. Bedrooms and bathrooms led off from this main room on all sides. It had looked very opulent, a lot of gilt and black and a kind of Florida-Florentine effect. If you happened to have a spare $116 it might almost be worth it, just to roll on that incredible carpet, play that grand piano, and nip up and down that spiral staircase leading to the gallery." - Jane Wilson, June 1967

Pat Simms, Chief Goddess, was in her early 30's, had two daughters, and was married to the pianist in the resident trio at the Tropicana. Since Caesars opened she had been Mother Goddess to the force of 55 girls who served drinks in the casino. Three-fourths of them were married, and two of them were grandmothers, ages 37 and 39. Simms explained the fabulous figures of the waitresses:

"Many of the ladies who come here comment on that. As a matter of fact we use something we call our "Thrill Pillows." The top of the costume is built into a longline strapless bra, and you just can't get much uplift with them so we use our pillows to fill them out."

Donated by Jay C. Sarno

To work as a goddess at Caesars the lady must be a member of Culinary Union Local 226, and first had lived and worked in Vegas for a year. The hotels preferred to hire union girls because of the presence of a inflating population of divorcees in Vegas. These girls would arrive, take a job without mentioning their temporary residency, get their divorce, and whizz out of town again. Ms. Simms reckoned that there were about 600 union girls working on the Strip stating "They don't change jobs very often, except when a new hotel opens. Then there's usually a reshuffle. The most wanted jobs in town now are at Caesars Palace."

It was noted that gamblers were not allowed to lose more than they could afford. When a guest arrived and applied for credit, he must state how much he intended to stake, at most, at the tables. When his credit was investigated he was allowed that sum, such as $5,000, only if he had several times that amount in his bank account. If he lost the whole amount he had set as a limit in one night, he was not allowed to extend his credit until the next morning. This way no one was ruined by desperate optimism in the wee hours.

It was also noted that after the show in the Circus Maximus, a deep voice from the ceiling would state "I, Caesar, thank you, and bid you go forth now into the Forum and revel in the other delights of this my palace."

In July of 1967, Caesars established a profit-sharing retirement plan for its full-time, salaried employees. Also during this month, Horace McMahon and Gregory Peck was spotted at the resort and took time to sign autographs for all who came up to them.

Sarno at Caesars and co-owner Nate Jacobson, singer Tony Bennett, Sarno, and Ed Sullivan

In August of 1967, Ron Amos took over as Publicity Director for Jimmie Snyder.

On August 4, 1967, Chief Goddess Pat Simms, and Goddesses Barbara Melon, Jerrie Hensley and Gayle Ravese posed for a picture.

Jay and Joyce Sarno were interviewed by a TV station at the Belafonte opening on September 14, 1967.

The Circus Maximus showcased Harry Belafonte, Milton Berle Show w/Leonard Sues/Amin Brothers/Royal Quartet, The Dunhills/John Lais/Nat Brandwynne Orchestra; Juliet Prowse in Sweet Charity w/Elaine Dunn/Peter Lombard/Paula Kelly/Joe Bellomo/Nat Brandwynne Orchestra; Woody Allen w/guest star George Chakiris; The Harry Belafonte Show; Tony Bennett; Brascia & Tybee; John Davidson Show; Fiddler On The Roof; Judy Garland; Tammy Grimes; Malmoe Girls; Jackie Mason; Lou Rawls; and Henny Youngman.

After see Judy Garland's show Etta Cortez reported "La Garland's opening night at Caesars Palace saw a standing ovation for the overture that preceded her entrance. This is a mystical rapport between this little lady and the public. The audience will commiserate with her, laugh with her, bow to her every whim. If she so desired, she could go down in the annals as the biggest star in show biz . . and that's for sure."

Garland couldn't attend her post opening night party so Sammy Davis, Jr., sent her a mammoth bouquet of roses.

During this year Caesars gifted Juliet Prowse with a streamlined Jaguar to thank her for the knock out show.

Nero's Nook showcased Bottoms Up w/Nancy Austin/Betty Bunch; Vic Caesar; The Checkmates; Marion Colby; Xavier Cugat; Susan Darby; The Dells; Herb Eden; The Fabulettes; Billy Fellows; The Fifth Dimension; Phil Foster; Rosario Galan Ballet; Paul Gilbert; Dizzy Gillespie; The Jets; Mary Kaye Trio; Kirby Stone Four; Eartha Kitt; Jackie Mason; Jana Mason; Lee Meza; The Ritz Brothers; Mongo Santamaria; Nina Simone; Scott Smith; John Veith Trio; and Jackie Winston. Mason was to appear in Nero's Nook on June 12, 1967, but was delayed when he made an unscheduled flight to Israel. Billy Daniels opened in his spot until Mason returned.

Betty Bunch returned to Bottoms Up after taking the summer off to have her baby. She received her customary dozen yellow roses from husband Joel. This time, there was a red rose right in the center from her new son Ricky. He wished Mom good luck and added "I sure enjoyed doing the show with you last winter!"

Jimmie Haskell wrote the orchestrations the Checkmates played at Nero's Nook and even flew in to conduct their opening show. Haskell had previously played as one of The Bachelors that headlined in the Hotel Last Frontier in 1949. The Jets took time off to be in the Red Buttons movie Breakout from Universal Studios to be shown on Saturday Night At The Movies.

In one Bottoms Up show Nancy Austin chased Breck Wall throughout the audience and when she caught him, took her 250 pound frame and stood on him.

The Bacchanel Room showcased Al Jarvis and his Trio. Liberace got a surprise when he made a reservation at the Bacchanel Room. Maitre d' Nat Hart greeted him with a table adorned by his trademark candelabra.

Gypsy Rose Lee and her production crew filmed an unnamed behind the scenes flick at Caesars. Gypsy was especially intrigued by the disposal of trash. Contents of waste bins were frozen and deposited into trucks headed for the pig farm. On the way, an electronic device defrosted the waste, ejected all but the edible, which was then spot-cooked for the hungry creatures.

Showing off one's chariot is not unusual on the Strip.

Donated by Jeff Cross

On December 31, 1967, Caesars played host to Evel Knievel's unsuccessful, and near-fatal attempt to make it over Caesars' fountain. Unfortunately, Knievel's motorcycle lurched out of control after it landed on a ramp at the end of the jump with Knievel landing on his head then flipping end-over-end. Knievel ended up in the hospital for 31 days with broken bones.

Donated by Jeff Cross

In 1968, Caesars created an invitation "paperweight" to Frank Sinatra's premier opening. This scan was donated by Robert Graham.

Caesars staffers Danny Stein, Dean Shendal, Joey Boston and Sol Rogers sponsored classes in the Chaparral Riding Club Show on March 31, 1968.

In June/July of 1968, Caesars acted in Where It's At starring David Janssen, Rosemary Forsyth, Robert Drivas, and Brenda Vacarro. This movie hit the big screen in 1969. Director Garson Kanin wrote the stage play "Spitting Image" then adapted it for motion pictures under the new name.

The extras in the picture enjoyed their work. The company provided them with fodder for the slot machines but the players weren't compelled to turn in their winnings.

In one scene, as Drivas feeds a $5 slot machine, the script calls for him to lose. However, the crew had to run nine takes before the machine would lose. In another scene involving extra Al Jones, the jackpots kept falling and the script had to be revised to include the shower of coins.

Unit publicist Vincent Tubbs, discussing the unusual shooting in a hotel, advised that the professionals were completely caught up in the tone and atmosphere of the resort. Whenever they heard of someone hitting a jackpot, they would wander out of the confines of the scene to root for the victors.

In the summer of 1968, Buddy Rich recorded the song Channel One Suite at the resort.

In 1968, the resort advertised 700 residential rooms, a 1,000 seat theatre-restaurant, an epicurean dining room, three other dining areas, a 2,000 seat convention hall, a large lounge for supplementary stage entertainment, two health clubs, beauty salon, barber shop, and apparel shops for men and women. Flanked by gleaming marble reproductions of such renowned works of art as The Victory of Samethrace and The Rape of the Sabine Woman, five awe-inspiring Roman fountains separate the oval, double-laned approach to the canopied entrance of the main building. Imported Italian cypress trees line the entrance roadway. To either side of the massive front doorways are additional marble statues, imported from Italy at a cost of $200,000. They include the Medici Venus, Canova Venus, Venus de Milo, David, Hebe, and the Bacchus of Michelangelo. Nero's Nook, seated 300. Close to 1,600 employees are employed in 'round the clock shifts. All employees except hotel and casino executives were garbed in special Greco-Roman costumes. The entire complex covered 34 acres, with 16 acres of landscaping and parking facilities for 1,300 cars.

The Chef during this time was Maurice Galle. The 52 year old Galle was born in La Havre, France, and served his apprenticeship in the culinary arts in the French cities of Lisieux and Rouen. He had been associated with the Meurice Hotel, Paris; Ritz Tower and Colony Club, New York City; Somerset House and Romanoff's, Beverly Hills, CA; Racquet Club, Palm Springs, CA; Brentwood Country Club, Brentwood, CA, and Balboa Bay Club, Newport Beach, CA. Galle's favorite recipe was Veal Chops Normandy (Cotes de Veau Normande). Ingredients were 6 veal chops, shallots, bacon or ham, butter, stock, white wine, egg yolks, lemon, and parsley. In a heavy skillet, brown 6 veal chops slowly with 3 to 4 spoons of butter or oleo, turning them from time to time. When the chops are done, remove them to a heated platter. Discard part of the fat in the pan and add 4 tablespoons of chopped bacon or ham, and 4 chopped shallots. Brown lightly. Deglaze with one cup of white wine and one cup of stock or chicken broth. Add salt and white pepper. Simmer the sauce briefly and thicken it at the last minute by pouring it very gradually into 4 beaten egg yolks, stirring constantly. Add a few drops of lemon juice and one tablespoon of chopped parsley. Reheat the sauce carefully without letting it boil and pour over the chops. Serves six persons. P.S. Do not flour the chops.

Bottoms Up star Nancy Austin was born on July 19th in Washington D.C.. Her family consists of a one-year old Toy Poodle. (In 1969 she married Riviera production singer David London). She was a Presbyterian and a Democrat, and was the holder of a B.S. degree from the University of Maryland. For three years in a row she received the "Best Actress" Award from the University of Maryland. She had her own drama school for two years in Silver Spring, Maryland, had traveled much in the Azores, Africa, Iceland, Bermuda, Greenland, Bahamas, and to all the military bases therein. She also taught third grade for two years and wrote children revues and musicals while teaching. She had the distinction of being the youngest member of the Professional Entertainment Branch, Department of the Army, to travel on holidays and semester breaks to entertain the military personnel stationed in remote outposts. In 1966, she ran for the Nevada State Assembly and almost won. Her father was a political leader for the Truman Administration. Her father once said that Austin got further with the president in ten minutes than he did in ten years. She co-starred with Milton Berle on the Hollywood Palace Show and was also a summer replacement for the Carol Burnett Show. Austin was named Miss C127 and Miss Grand Bahama. Her hobbies were interior decorating, furniture refinishing, designing clothes and collecting antiques.

Her favorite recipe was Nancy's Green Jazz. 1 package (3 oz) Lime Jello - Dissolve this in 1-1/2 cups hot water, add 1 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup Bordens sweetened condensed milk. Add 1 cup crushed drained pineapple, 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1 tbs horseradish - chill.(1968 Caesars' picture, as well as Wilson and Galle's picture, bios, and recipes donated by Dan Kubota).

In November of 1968, Caesars hosted a birthday party for Frank Sinatra. Pictured are Frank Sinatra with Jay and Joyce Sarno. Tina Sinatra is pictured on the left. Donated by Jay C. Sarno.

In December of 1968, when Frank Sinatra closed his engagement at Caesars, Susan Hayward, Cliff Robertson, Rosalind Russell, Claudette Colbert, Bennett Cerf, and eight time world pro tennis champ, Pancho Gonzales were in attendance. During one of his performances, Sinatra remarked that he needed a Dean Martin seat belt every time he sat on the stage stool. At his closing show, the showroom staff presented Sinatra with a special stool, equipped with a safety belt.

Besides Sinatra, Circus Maximus showcased Milton Berle Show w/Bottoms Up cast Nancy Austin/Breck Wall/Bill Fanning/Rob Barron/David Harris/Suzanne Buhrer/Bettina Brenna. Tony Curtis made his nightclub debut as he hosted The Hollywood Palace starring Tammy Grimes/Bud & CeCe Robinson, Our Young Generation, Ralph Adams & Company, and The Langes. The Maximus also showcased Tony Bennett Show w/Buddy Rich Orchestra, Nat Brandwynne Orchestra, Mama Cass/Flip Wilson, Fiddler on the Roof starring Theodore Bikel/Dolores Wilson/Paul Lipson/Kathleen Noser/Royce Lenelle/Marsha Meyers/Renee Tetro/Ilene Karnow, Jose Feliciano, Bobbie Gentry Show, Andy Griffith, Eartha Kitt, Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66, Jerry Norman Dancers, Lou Rawls, and Leonard Sues.

Susan Hayward made Caesars her vacation spot as well as starring in the Caesars' show Mame, with John Vivyan, Delphi Lawrence, Loretta Swit, Rufus Smith, Shawn McGil, Roger Ratherburn, Arsenio Trinidad, Robert Goss, Betty McGuire, Tom Batten, Ruth Gillette, and Nat Brandwynne Orchestra. Caesars presented Fiddler on the Roof starring Theodore Bikel, with Dolores Wilson, Paul Lipson, Kathleen Noser, Royce Lenelle, Marsha Meyers, Renee Tetro, Ilene Karnow, and Nat Brandwynne Orchestra.

Nero's Nook showcased Hanna Aroni, Belle Barth, Freddie Bell/Roberta Linn, Tony Bennett, Bottoms Up, Checkmates, Crazy Head Revue, Xavier Cugat Revue featuring Charo, Roberta Darren/Los Elegantes, The Dells, Billy Falbo/4 Sails, The Fabulettes, Irving Fields, Hal Frazier, Pat Galo/the Hi Lads, Gaylord & Holiday, Paul Gilbert, Gospel Jazz Singers, Glenda Grainger, Jimmy Grippo, Rhetta Hughes/Tenison Stephens, Kirby Stone Four, Eartha Kitt, Korean Kittens, David London, Lee Meza, Mary & Maoris, Mongo Santa Maria, Bob Perna Show, Angelo Picardi, Ritz Brothers, Tina Robin, Bossa Rio, Ritz Brothers, Mongo Santamaria, Scott Smith, Kirby Stone Four, Milt Trennier/Micki Lynn, John Veith Trio with Susan Darby, and Woody Woodbury. During one Meza's show at Nero's Nook, Johnny Carson, Barbara McNair, and Jack Carter were seen in the audience.

During this time the doormen were having daily pools on whether The Checkmates or Tony Curtis would commandeer the parking spot in front of Nero's Nook for their respective Rolls Royce before curtain calls.

The opening of Bottoms up went 30 minutes over the time. Co-producers Joe Peterson and Breck Wall had to work hard to cut the show down to fit the schedule. Wall had a six minute break in the show every afternoon when he goes out into the hotel and enters the lounge from the back. On the way through the casino, he dropped some nickels in the slots and ended up hitting five jackpots, which almost made him miss his cue.

The audience got a thrill during one of Belle Barth's shows when singer Tom Jones was in the audience, taking a break from his Flamingo show, when he jumped up and sang a duet with her.

The Bacchanal Room showcased Adele Gerard. Gerard gained popularity by appearing with the Dorseys and Harry James.

During this time Kitty White worked in the Publicity Office, and Larry Snow ran the Baccarat games.

In January, 1969, Harry Draisner (73) and his bride Rose Levine (65) honeymooned at the resort. Draisner was one of the last of the true silversmith craftsmen - he designed the fine cutlery found in the Bacchanal Room.

Also in January of 1969, it was reported that many investors were very enthusiastic about the Denny's Restaurant proposed takeover of Caesars. Stock wizards firmly believed Denny's was better off now that the deal was called off. An L.A. stock broker says the food chain offered too much considering the hotel earnings estimated at $3,000,000. He felt all along that Denny's was taking too big a risk getting into the casino operations which they knew little about.

Word from Wall St. was that some stock holders of Denny's were nervous about the prospect of 2,000,000 shares winding up in the hands of a few big holders here who could eventually gain control of the entire operation.

"As we got further into the deal, we mutually decided not to go ahead with it. There were a number of complicated elements, but the tax bottlenecks were probably the most difficult." - F. Wayne Withers, Denny's Financial Vice President

Withers hailed this resort city as a rapidly growing tourist area but gave no indication of trying another way of getting into another hotel deal here. The company would consider other businesses should the right opportunity present itself as motels, hotels or something to do with traveling. Hollywood broker Marvin Kaplin is another who thought Denny's offer of over 2,000,000 shares was too much for the resort.

"The casino is a gamble and it's not as controllable as one thinks." - Marvin Kaplin

Caesars' major stockholder Jay Sarno disagreed with Kaplin.

"This hotel, more than any other hotel, can expect earnings increases because we have alert, flexible management we are not afraid to makes changes." - Jay Sarno

The main point made was that the main profit from any Strip hotel is the casino and without it, no one can make any gains. In the past five years only one hotel went bankrupt and that was the Bonanza Hotel. There were few and far between struggling hotels in the area. It takes good management, control and top entertainment to make a major hotel click.

In February of 1969, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Warren Beatty arrived at Caesars to film scenes for The Only Game In Town. They also were at the Desert Inn for some more scenes.

During Sinatra's engagement in 1969, Pat Henry and Sinatra were playing practical jokes on one another. Somehow, a live lobster had found its way into Henry's bed one morning. The next night, while Sinatra was singing, Henry interrupted the performance by leading the lobster into the spotlight on a leash, with the announcement, "I have a complaint for management, I found a bed bug." While Sinatra was wrapping up an engagement, cream pies were thrown at him from "unidentified" people off stage. During this tenure Sinatra was signed to do eight shows a week.

While Petula Clark was appearing at Caesars, devout fan Tex Viean (President of TV Enterprises in Honolulu) flew orchid leis to her dressing room.

This appearance marked the first time Andy Williams appeared at Caesars since its grand opening. Williams' personal conductor Jack Feierman conducted the Nat Brandwynne Orchestra.

Anthony Newley signed Ian Frazer to stage and direct his August, 1969 show.

Mame starring Susan Hayward was held over in 1969 co-starring John Vivyan, Delphi Lawrence, Loretta Swit, Rufus Smith, Shawn McGil, Roger Rathburn, Alvin Ing, Robert Goss, Betty McGuire, Tom Batten, Ruth Gillette, and Nat Brandwynne Orchestra. In February of 1969, Hayward was stricken with a throat ailment and Celeste Holme subbed in during this time. There was a considerable emotional undercurrent at the resort when Hayward threw a farewell and thank you party for the cast, and Holme dropped in. Holme was familiar with the role having starred in the play at Chicago's Shubert Theatre for six months, followed by a national tour. Hayward then returned to Florida where doctors were hoping that prolonged rest would cure her throat ailment. Doctors told her that if she had not withdrawn from the show, she was risking a permanent throat injury.

In the beginning of 1969, Spanish film Director Pedro Vidal married Susan Diederich at the resort. The best man was Jane Fonda's husband, Roger Vadim.

Also in February of 1969, Caesars publicity staff member George King's good deed for the day backfired. King was helping someone with a flat tire when the jack slipped and rewarded his fingers with a skin graft and a web of stitches.

In April of 1969, 200 lb. Nancy Austin carried a 17 foot cypress tree on her back into Wonderland, through the store, up the stairs to Manager Herb Kaufman's office demanding I want my money back. My bush died!

Also in April, 1969, Nate Jacobson was in his Caesars office when two young Boy Scouts got around security and gained entrance to sell the tickets. Jacobson was unable to refuse their courteous salesmanship, especially since they were members of the Bonanza Troop of which Jacobson owned 20%.

In June of 1969, Frank Sinatra and Pat Henry were called to Caesars to appear for three days to take over for an unknown entertainer that couldn't make it at the last minute. The announcement went out in the early morning of that day stating Sinatra was back and was subbing in. By noon, the full quota of 1,100 reservations were sold out for the solo show that evening, with the remaining four shows sold out the following morning.

It was announced that on June 27th, Caesars was set to break ground for her new 13 story high-rise.

In July of 1969, Caesars introduced Dave Victorson who performed poolside serenading with a Hawaiian revue.

On July 15, 1969, executives broke ground for their proposed 13 story high rise, and buried a time capsule. Just one week later, they discovered someone had stolen the time capsule. The capsule contained a pair of Frank Sinatra's cuff links, a silver dollar, the original (unused) front door key, tape recordings of all Caesars' acts, a Joe Miller joke book autographed by Milton Berle, a Loser's Guide to hock shops, a plastic heart (for Tony Bennett's San Francisco), and one of Tiny Tim's plastic tulips.

In September of 1969, Frank Sinatra stated that he purchased a yacht and named it "The Roman". He said he was going to anchor it next to John Wayne's Wild Goose at Newport Beach, CA.

On September 12, 1969, rains brought a flash flood to Caesars.

During the week of September 20, 1969, Jack Wheeler brought his midnight-to-dawn Pittsburgh KDKA talk show to Caesars. Ron Amos was Caesars Publicist during this time.

On September 30, 1969, Sarno and Jacobson sold Caesars Palace to Miami restaurant owners Clifford and Stuart Perlman (of Lum's Restaurants) for $60 million thus creating Caesars World Corporation.

"It was straight economics. The price was based on 20 times Caesars earning capacity compared to the 50 times of our own Lum's stock. It was the juxtaposition of those two facts that created a good economic climate for the transaction. We had a special problem though, because there was not a lot of money readily available within Caesars itself; so we had to increase our profits from our operation by making each square foot of the hotel more productive. We did this by doing two things: number one, we stressed the more affluent customer, and, number two, we devoted most of our development monies to promotions of many different forms, such as television, movies, and sporting events." - Clifford Perlman, 1979

A few stories made it around Vegas regarding this sale. One story was that Sarno had the first check for that purchase, something over $1 million, and went downtown to play. He went into the Horsehose and wanted to know their limit. Benny Binion said "Let him bet the check", but Sarno was only having fun with him, and backed away from the crap table.

During this year, Caesars appeared in the film Where Its At. Joel Snow was Gaming Executive in the Baccarat Room.

In October of 1969, Betty Hughes who wrote articles for Cleveland Free Press, dressed in a Goddess costume and put in an afternoon's work to research a cocktail waitress' work day (and tribulations) for an upcoming article.

Also during this month, Caesars Chef Laszlo Doragi, famous for his sugar sculptures, was finishing a plastic mold of the entire resort, including the fountain area and the high rise, depicting the way Caesars will look in May or June of 1970. Doragi's sculpture was displayed in the lobby, and then transferred to the airport.

In December of 1969, a broken water pipe caused an indoor flash flood that washed the Convention Sales Staff out of their offices.

Maximus showcased Marty Allen Scene w/The Celebration & Gloria Mills; Belle Barth; Louis Bellson & His Orchestra; Tony Bennett; Milton Berle Show; Blood, Sweat, & Tears; Blue Crusaders; Bottoms Up Revue; Nat Brandwynne Orchestra; Brascia & Tybee; Burgundy Street Singers; Petula Clark; Duke Ellington; Eddie Fisher; Stu Gilliam; Jose Greco & Co.; Cornell Gunter & The Coasters; Bob Melvin; Stanley Myron Handelman; Woody Herman Orchestra; George Kirby; Anthony Newley; Osmond Brothers; Juliet Prowse; Monte Rock; Jimmy Rodgers; Rossi & White; Sugar Train; Jerry Van Dyke; Andy Williams; and Woody Woodbury. The Maitre d' was Jess Kirk.

The Roman Theatre showcased Art & Honey; Bottoms Up '69; Bottoms Up Revue; Blue Crusaders; The Boys In the Band; Dave & Diane; Duke Ellington; Judy Lynn; Little Richard; Mongo Santamaria; Terri Rinaldi.

Nero's Nook showcased Nancy Austin Show; Bernie Allen; Pete Barbuti; Checkmates Ltd.; Glen Covington; David The Red Sea Singer; Gaylord & Holiday; Cornell Gunter & The Coasters; Woody Herman; The Kirby Stone; Eartha Kitt; Little Richard; Ernie Menehune; Angelo Picardi; Terri Rinaldi; Rossa Rio; Tina Robin; Monte Rock; Seven Souls; Jimmy Smith Trio; Sugar Train; Terri Stevens; Woody Woodbury; and in the afternoons Follies on Ice.

The National Military Bowl Classic Tournament was held at the Showboat. The boys selected five Caesars' Goddesses as their queens with Head Goddess Jerrie Hensley wearing the Navy banner, Barbara Mellin for the Army, Peggy Walker for the Coast Guard, Rowena Buttenweiser for the Air Force, and Ruth Angione for the Marines.

On October 25, 1969, the USA amateur boxing team faced the USSR team in the first of the many boxing contests that would quickly bring Caesars recognition as a world center of quality boxing.

For the holiday season, Caesars took out an ad in the Fabulous Las Vegas magazine. In addition, Larry Snow and Joel Snow took out an ad and the casino personnel took out another ad. In 1969, the casino personnel consisted of Ralph Agretto, Bob Andrews, John Ashy, Nate Auerbach, Chris Becker, Joe Boston, Mandy Campo, Ed Dickerman, Al Faccinto, Dave Geiger, Johnny George, Fritz Gersich, Chico Graxiola, Hy Indes, Joey Jacobson, Morrey Jaeger, Bob Lassoff, Jess Lenz, Mike Margolies, Al Marshall, Bill Mazwell, Jake Newman, Irving Perlman, Al Portugese, Kenny Reed, Dan Rowan, Bill Shindler, Marv Sillman, Oscar Thacker, Bob Van Holten, Mike Velardo, Nick Vuceta, Charles Walsh, Billy Wilkinson, David Yick, and Casino Manager Danny Stein.