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Article
"A Big Step to Oblivion for Las Vegas?" the "Battle of the Bare Bosoms," 1957-59
Journal of Popular Culture
  • Larry Dale Gragg, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Abstract

IN 1955 THE LAS VEGAS STRIP WAS IN ITS SECOND DECADE, AND, according to The New York Times was experiencing a "Sure Thing" boom (Hill). Since 1941, the Strip had grown with the construction of seven hotel casinos–El Rancho Vegas, Hotel Last Frontier, Flamingo, Thunderbird, Desert Inn, Sahara, and Sands. Besides three major hotels that opened in 1955 along the Strip–the Royal Nevada, Riviera, and Dunes–the Hotel Last Frontier went through a major renovation that led to it reopening as the New Frontier, and the Moulin Rouge opened in West Las Vegas. The following year brought the opening of the Hacienda on the extreme south end of the Strip and the high rise Fremont downtown. In 1957 came the Tropicana, and the next year the Stardust. This extraordinary expansion of hotel casinos in Las Vegas, however, proved to be anything but a "Sure Thing." As the owners of some properties struggled to remain open, they began to stage "bare bosom" shows, a decision that triggered an important debate in Las Vegas about what image the town should project to tourists.

Department(s)
History and Political Science
Keywords and Phrases
  • Article,
  • Cities,
  • Dancing,
  • Economics,
  • Education,
  • Employment,
  • Ethnology,
  • Female,
  • Government,
  • History,
  • Legal aspect,
  • Leisure,
  • Pathological gambling,
  • Physiology,
  • Prostitution,
  • Psychological aspect,
  • Public opinion,
  • United States,
  • Women's health,
  • Women's rights,
  • Dancing,
  • Employment,
  • Gambling,
  • Government,
  • History,
  • 20th Century,
  • Nevada,
  • Nudism,
  • Prostitution,
  • Public Opinion,
  • Women,
  • Working
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2010 John Wiley & Sons, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
10-1-2010
Publication Date
01 Oct 2010
Disciplines
Citation Information
Larry Dale Gragg. ""A Big Step to Oblivion for Las Vegas?" the "Battle of the Bare Bosoms," 1957-59" Journal of Popular Culture Vol. 43 Iss. 5 (2010) p. 1004 - 1022 ISSN: 0022-3840; 1540-5931
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/larry-gragg/14/