Page 90 - 2008 DT 12 issues

November Nevada, continued from p. 1 Lied Library.
In the 1930’s and early 1940’s,
Desk Schedule alpine setting, beaches for the South almost everything in movies as-
Seas or desert for the Sahara where sociated with Nevada had a Reno
Sat/1 W. Barbuck W. Barbuck Rudolph Valentino, as Son of the connection. There was Reno, Reno
or Bust, Night Life in Reno, Road to
Sun/2 B. Jackson K. Deyl Sheik in 1926, swept Vilma Banky Reno, Charlie Chan in Reno, Marshal
Mon/ 3 J. Ponder C. Camburn off her feet in California’s Imperial
Tues/4 M. Slagle V. Sperry County. But even then, Nevada was of Reno and more. Not one of these
H. Weldon taking hold. The great director, John movies was filmed in Nevada. Charlie
Wed/5 G. Fazio G. Lemasters Ford, went to Pyramid Lake in 1924
G. Lemasters for his Western, The Iron Horse.
Thur/6 R. Rossnagel J. Barrett Noted Nevada film historian, Gary
G. Wojciechowski F. Davis DuVal, says it was partly because
Fri/7 P. Williams R. Erickson the area around Southern California
Sat/8 P. VanDooremaal K. Deyl had been saturated. “You couldn’t
L. Mills look around without seeing scen-
Sun/9 D. Langdon P./E. O’Sullivan ery that had been in this movie or
E. Meeks that movie.”
Mon/10 S./S. Stenzel M. Goesmann Nevada had a local film indus- Helen Gibson, another Helen in “Hazards”
Tues/11 W./I. Baumann P. Herman try in those early days that had no
Wed/12 G. Fazio J. Ponder
G. Lemasters G. Lemasters pretense about national significance.
Thur/13 R. Rossnagel J. Barrett Little companies sprang up, particu-
G. Wojciechowski F. Davis larly in Reno, where local actors and
Fri/14 R. Kinn P. Boghossian technicians were available at prices
C. Camburn to fit a low budget. One of them,
Sat/15 J. Kisosondi K. Nelson First Honeymoon (1928), played to Chan solved the mystery with stock
Sun/16 B. Jackson R. Erickson footage, a common practice that is
Mon/17 K. Jackson J. Ponder still used. The Reno Chamber of
J. Geier Commerce was also active with a
Tues/18 M. Slagle V. Sperry 1939 production, Reno. No great ex-
H. Weldon J. Geier citement here; it was all still photos.
Wed/19 G. Fazio V. Sperry By 1941, Tommy Dorsey’s band was
G. Lemasters G. Lemasters in town in Las Vegas Nights. Some
Thur/20 R. Rossnagel J. Barrett shots took place in downtown Las
G. Wojciechowski F. Davis Vegas. The band’s male singer was a
Fri/21 P. Williams D. Schoengold relative unknown . . . Frank Sinatra.
E. Meeks In any event, Las Vegas remained
Sat/22 P. Kepner C. McLaughlin the backwater. In 1940, Reno had a
Sun/23 D. Langdon L./M. Utah Helen Holmes in action whopping 32,476 residents to Las
Mon/24 B. Jackson S./S. Stenzel Vegas 8,422.
Tues/25 M. Slagle P. Kepner sold-out audiences around Reno, but With World War II, great changes
H. Weldon V. Sperry that was it. The following year, Las began to shape Nevada’s future.
Wed/26 G. Fazio G. Lemasters Vegas was the setting for a movie Not only would the film industry be
G. Lemasters with a plot built on a great project a major part of it, movies directly
Thur/27 Closed Thanksgiving that had recently been approved, the contributed to Nevada’s place in
Fri/28 R. Kinn P. Boghossian gigantic Boulder Dam. It had the pro- the sun. Reno might be associated
Sat/29 K. Nelson D. Schoengold with quick divorces, but Las Vegas
Sun/30 B. Jackson L./M. Utah phetic title, The Pot of Gold. Sadly, was about to come on the scene for
both of these films have been lost. gambling, resort hotels, big-name
There are, however, some still shots entertainment . . . and fun. Holly-
Changes? Call Kate at 515-5350 from The Pot of Gold at UNLV’s wood would follow. o

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