The year 1955 was big in Vegas with the opening of three resorts all within a month of each other. The Riviera opened on April 20, 1955, and the Dunes opened on May 23, 1955. The third resort was owned and built by Frank Fishman, and operated by Easterners Albert B. Moll, Herman E. Kohen, Joe Leibman and Sid Wyman.
Architect Paul Williams was working with architect/engineer John Replogle on the low-rise motel tradition. The Royal Nevada featured a curving entry canopy and a large fountain-like sculpture of neon.
In March of 1955, the Nevada Tax Commission issued licenses to Roberta May Simon - 10%, A.B. Moll - 76%, Joe Leibman - 2%, Herman Kohen - 7-1/2%, and Barnett Rosenthal - 4-1/2%. The partners reached an agreement whereby they agreed to pay Frank Fishman $200,000 for debentures he held in the hotel over a 20-month period without interest; and the resort announced the following posts: President - Al B. Moll; Co-Owner in charge of gaming - Sid Wyman; General Manager of the hotel - Dick Happell; Operations manager - Jack Denison; Assistant Operations Manager - Sidney Kaye; Credit Manager - Leonard Marxen; Casino Manager - Carl Maier; Hotel Maitre d' - John Morelli; Publicist - Morey Brodsky, Pit Boss - Ted Gagliano; and Bar Manager - Sam Winnaker. It was noted that at the time Simon obtained her gaming license, she was the only woman in the state to do so.
The night before the opening, atomic soldiers were treated to a pre-opening party.
The Royal Nevada opened north of the New Frontier on April 19, 1955, as the "Showplace of Showtown, U.S.A.". The resort's crowning glory was the crown which sat on top of the resort.
Opening night entertainment was provided by opera star Helen Traubel in the hotel's magnificent Crown Room with the Dukes of Dixieland in the lounge. The opening was attended by the mass with Mayor Baker in attendance.
Bottom donated by Dick Taylor
Very few people knew that when they attended the Riviera's show with Liberace and his brother George, and then attended the Dukes of Dixieland at the Royal Nevada Lounge, that they were actually seeing Liberace and George's brothers, Frank and Fred who were the co-leaders of the group.
Reporters came to attend the opening of both the Royal Nevada and Riviera including Frank Funge of the San Francisco Examiner, and May Mann of Fabulous Las Vegas magazine, escorted by movie idol Steve Cochran.
During the week of April 23, 1955, Al B. Moll and Sid Wyman took out an ad thanking everyone, and Acme Hardware of Los Angeles, CA took out an ad welcoming the resort.
In June of 1955, Royal Nevada showcased Marilyn Maxwell, The Novelites, The Coetsches, The Coronet Dancers, Jerry Fielding, and Anna Maria Alberghetti.
Bud Harris opened the largest Strip gift shop in the resort. He specialized in imported, domestic and western items. The showcase and fixtures were hand crafted by Mormon converts from Europe.
The Royal Nevada was host to the Sealy Mattress Convention. Mattress Queen Jean Armstrong was photographed relaxing on a mattress raft in the pool.
In July of 1955, John Morelli and the Royal Nevada made all the arrangements and hosted the fifth wedding anniversary of Fabulous Las Vegas magazine editors Jack and Etta Cortez. Jack and Etta are the first two on the left side of the table.
Sometime in late 1955, Fishman signed a temporary lease on the resort with Jake Kozloff.
For the holiday season of 1955, various Royal Nevada people took out ads (Notice that the resort is called Bill Miller's Royal Nevada). Set 1: Mr. & Mrs. Bill Miller, Mr. & Mrs. Al B. Moll, Mr. & Mrs. Eddie Rio - Entertainment Director, Management & Personnel including Comptroller Leonard Marxen/Resident Manager Morris Glass, Charles Spellman, Irwin Gordon, The Jerry Fielding Orchestra, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Rich, Maitre d' John Morelli/Assistant Maitre d' Larry Carro/Captains Bob O'Connell/Bill Ryff/George Jenson/Charles Ballanger/Don Herod/Reservations Naomi Benedict. Set 2: Casino Manager Day Shift Joseph Canino/Casino Manager Swing Shift John Donahue/Casino Manager Graveyard Shift Jimmy Sparton/Floormen Morris Baker/James Cohn/Harold Spitzer/Mel Golden/Aaron Herman/Jerry Herzberg/Kickey Hamm/Alfred Taylor/George Duckworth/ Boxmen Ebie Ayoub/George Chadman/Robert Gianoulaks/Charles Kessler/Bernard Perlove/Archie Polsky/Anthony Renda/Gus Walter/Abe Bernstein/Earl Parrotti/Truman Scott/Clarence Stewart/Casino Cashiers Tony Foley/Frank Fennell/Shorty Fink/Harry Graff/Ada Walters, Mr. & Mrs. Herman Koemn, Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Fox, Mrs. & Mrs. Arnold Kimmes, Dukes of Dixieland, Mr. & Mrs. Jack Burke, George Tapps, Mickey Colahan, and Joe Leibman. Set 3: Mr. & Mrs. Herb Manehim
In 1956, the Royal Nevada obtained new operators, T.W. Richardson, W.A. Simonds, and Maurice Friedman, who were all licensees in the New Frontier, and Harry Oedekerk, a Los Angeles manufacturer.
In March of 1956, it was announced that the lights of the resort were shining brightly again after having been dimmed since New Year's Eve when culinary employee representatives attempted to collect a payment of $25,000 owed to them in back wages.
On July 26, 1956, The State Gaming Control board deferred action on an application for a license for the new set of operators of the resort. It is unclear as to whether the Royal Nevada ever obtained a license under the new operators.
The resort held a men's shop owned by Charlie Rosson and Bertie Kay was the salesman.
It was mentioned that the Desert Inn saved the resort by purchasing it and obtained the necessary licenses.
In August of 1957, it was announced that the Royal Nevada introduced a Vegas first. Their Chuckwagon featured Prime Ribs (as much you one could eat) for only $1.50, in addition to the many other delizacies. In addition, it was announced there was no minimum and no cover charge with continuous dancing from 7:15pm to 3:15am.
It was noted Joey Alfidi, the eight year old prodigy astonded the customers at the resort. To date he had made 39 TV films for McGowan Production. After his engagement at the Nevada, he was to leave for London where he conducted the Philharmonic there.
On November 25, 1957, Royal announced the "Win a Trip Around the World for Two" slot prize. This prize was being made every 80 days. The lucky winner's name was drawn from a huge drum, bearing names of jackpot winners covering the 80 day period prior to the big day.
T.W. Richardson was part of the top brass of the resort. It was reported that his wife drove to Vegas from Biloxi, Miss, towing the family's 26 foot boat, with its 300 HP Cadillac motor. People were guessing that this boat would be the fastest on Lake Mead.
Also during this month, it was noted that Mike Pisanello, host of the Cabaret Room was robbed of his clothing while enroute to Vegas from a ten week vacation back from Rhode Island. The theft occurred in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
In 1957, Royal Nevada showcased Chase & Mitchell; Ruth Costello/Marilyn Orlando; Martin Denny Group; The Four Mints; Ken Harris & His Orchestra; Phyllis Inez; Robert Kaye; Rose Marie; Jack Marlin/Robert Kaye; Royal Review starring Phyllis Inez; The Three Sharps; Treniers; and Wonderful Where In Las Vegas.
In 1957, The Cabaret Lounge showcased Al Belletto Sextet; Eddie Bush & His All-Hawaiian Revue; Ruth Costello/Marilyn Olando/Rose Marie; The Dukes of Dixieland; Joe Fornaro; Ina Ray Hutton & Her All Girl Show/De Marco Sisters; Ina Ray Hutton Orchestra; Al Jennings/Scanton Seven; Annie Malone; Art Mooney & His Orchestra; Music in the Morgan Manner starring Russ Morgan & Orchestra/Sonny Howard/Joey Alfidi; The Morganaires; The Moro-Landis Dancers; Marilyn Orlando; Frankie Ortega; and Betty Reilly.
In 1957, Sam Melchionne had a groundbreaking for Melchionne School Of Accordion with Carol Channing who was appearing at the Tropicana. Scan donated by Sam Melchionne
By 1958, the school was in full function.
"I built a several hundred student "Melchionne School Of Accordion". Art Mooney was to do the first Las Vegas "Chrysler TV Show" (done live in those days - no taping), from the Royal Nevada Hotel and publicized nation-wide. He called from LA to have me do the accordion parts (ala Lawrence Welk) on the show. I said I would only if he would have my 100 piece student accordion orchestra do a two-minute performance (gratis--- to give my kids experience and publicize the school). He said, "The only thing that sounds worse than an accordion is a hundred accordions........ No!"Two weeks later he called again and said he would allow it. At the moment of performance - ready to give the downbeat -- my conductor's baton raised---- up on the 3rd tier of the bandstand a fat kid bent over to pick up his fallen music and knocked his heavy music stand down on the kids in the lower tiers, more stands fell. Kids jumping up startled, more stands fell and the power line was kicked loose and all the stand lights went out ---- The accordions played all of two notes ---- Waving them out to stop in that the melee` the 100 piece accordion orchestra was reduced to an accordion solo as I kept conducting one single accordion still playing the piece ------- Art was in the wings brandishing his fist at me. 'Cie la vie' -------- needless to say, there was no encore." - Sam Melchionne
In 1958 the first live TV Show was on CBS to promote the Sahara with Stan Irwin. The show was taped from the closed Royal Nevada using her lobby, care, and pool. Various acts would perform in rowboats which were placed in the pool for taping.
The Royal Nevada was plagued with financial problems from the start. For a short period of time, Las Vegas experienced financial troubles, due in part to the national economic recession and overbuilding. It was the only time in Las Vegas' postwar history in which the availability of rooms exceeded the number of visitors. For the established hotels, the problem was not so severe as for those starting out. Although the Riviera and Dunes suffered, only the Royal Nevada did not live through Las Vegas' dark days. This resort was the only one to disappear completely, swallowed in 1959 by the Stardust. The architect and interior decorator for the evolution was Jac Lessman.
Mike Soskin provided the following information:
"The owners of the Royal Nevada were leasing the property for $25,000.00 monthly from a motel owner who also owned that property. He was an inveterate blackjack player who would play all over town and in the Royal Nevada. They cheated him out of the rent every month so basically they were operating for nothing and their greed got the best of them. Years later the same people were to lose another license on the same charges at a place right across the street. The Royal Nevada became the Stardust Annex and very few people even realized that they had a separate pool where most of the show girls from the Lido and other shows swam nude." Mike Soskin, January 2002
In June of 1959, Stardust was deciding whether to call it Stardust South or Stardust Coliseum. Somehow, the Stardust Convention Center became the name.
Tower with sign and crown gone. Donated by Dick Taylor
Donated by Howard Klein
Convention Center, Aku Aku, Stardust
Updated Convention Center, Circa 1960
After the resort closed Charlie Rosson moved his men's shop to the New Frontier Hotel.
In February, 2003, I took pictures of the Royal Nevada happily existing as part of the Stardust's property.
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