Peter Moruzzi Livres

A curated vintage ephemera tour of Las Vegas through the first half of the twentieth century as it blossomed out of the desert sands into an entertainment mecca. The story of early to mid-twentieth-century Las Vegas in its gilded age as told through a fun and diverse collection of old photos, picture postcards, matchbooks, ads, and other vintage ephemera. Featured are classic glimpses of Fremont Street and the world-renowned Las Vegas Strip, landmarks such as the Sands and Riviera hotel casinos, and the cream of Hollywood glitterati, including Frank, Sammy, Dino, and the Rat Pack. Author Peter Moruzzi’s sharp, witty, and sometimes irreverent commentary accompanies the visual treats and provides a unique historical take on the evolution of this desert playground.

"The story of early to mid-twentieth-century Los Angeles as experienced by tourists to the City of Angels, as told through a fun and diverse collection of old photos, picture postcards, brochures, ads, and other vintage ephemera. Vintage glimpses of Santa Monica Beach and downtown Los Angeles, movie studios and actors' estates such as Pickfair, the midcentury advent of theme parks such as Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, and Marineland of the Pacific, and Chinatown, Venice of America, and Hollywood's Egyptian and Chinese Theatres are all featured"--Provided by publisher

This book collects more than two hundred fascinating and rarely seen historical photographs of Palm Springs, newly digitized from the Palm Springs Historical Society's expansive archive. Featured are many Hollywood celebrities, including Sinatra and the Rat Pack, who vacationed there, the early days of the desert paradise, various architectural masterworks, such as the fabulous El Mirador Hotel and the extraordinary, outrageous, and irreverent people of Palm Springs.