Driving on the Las Vegas Strip at Night, 1972 from 35mm

[@jamesedmonds6455]

This video certainly brings back some touching memories. In the summer of 1975 I turned 16 and hired on as a busboy in the Savoy room at the Dunes and my father was a pitboss at the Flamingo. He died that year and I moved to Carson City the following year. Being a born native of Las Vegas, I still go back and visit every year although it is nothing like it used to be. Watching this video brings back many memories from that time. Thank you.

[@ChrisBCartagena]

I was a busboy ar Circus circus up the street! The Bottoms Up show

[@ramencurry6672]

It’s like it’s own world. People have similar memories like you but in a different city like New York, etc…

[@mackpines]

1:18 Holiday Inn's famous "Great Sign" The blue glow from those mercury vapor lights were beautiful.

[@Axel_Vance_Classics]

The Old Las Vegas is Art

[@stevepoe3667]

1975 I just entered my first year of high school, man what a great time to be a teenager!

[@walterbright1396]

Thanks so much for this. I first was in Las Vegas in July 1975. I was 16. This brings back fond memories. We were so green we made reservations at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon at a best western on Craig, now the Aviation Inn that was so far away from the strip we couldn’t find it. A policeman had to show us where it was. Thanks again for the high quality footage of the 1975 strip.

[@TiltBrook]

Holy shit, the new Dunes Tower and light/sign were still dark and just about to light up… Wow… This is right when the town was REALLY just about the pop off!… Amazing!

[@loganwb9894]

This is awesome! I went there with my parents in the mid seventies. Turned 21 in 1981 and went every year for about 20 years. It’s a joke now. This strip now is like a midway at a carnival. You used to have to dress nice to go in the casinos. Dealers would remember your name, floor man would regularly comp a coffee shop meal. The casinos back then usually just had a coffee shop, and gourmet room. Cheesy men & ladies clothing shop and a small souvenir and toiletries shop. Love your video. The awesome marquees! Could do without the timer though. lol!

[@ronaldcole7415]

When I was 11 (1975), my sister and I had to stay at Circus Circus while my Mom went out with her boyfriend. Instead, I got a pillow case from the room and walked up and down main st and went into every old and famous casino in town. From each, I wanted to collected a match book. I would asked the waitresses in each casino for them. When they found out what I was doing, most would give me something to drink while they collected match books, ashtrays, pens and many more souvenirs to give me. I got over 100 casinos. To this day I have the entire collection I gathered up.

[@oldiesgeek454]

@Ronald. That's quite a story. I would've been 14 at the time, and my parents and I stayed at the Motel 6 on Tropicana in the 70s. I'm surprised they let you stay in the Casino long enough, for you to get your "souvenirs". But, that's great that they did that for you. The first time my parents took me to LV, I was 9 and Circus Circus was only a year old. In fact it was still just a Casino. They didn't finish the hotel rooms until a couple of years later. I wasn't your typical 9 year old though. I had no interest at all in playing the Carnival games upstairs. I wanted to be on the Casino floor with my parents while they played the nickel slots. 😊

[@martinwilliams1085]

Tears me up how bad I'd like to turn back the hands of time.

[@beachbum6460]

One night only......take a trip

[@cosybully]

Ain't that the truth.

[@CartoonCentral10]

I really wish I could've experienced the fear and loathing of Vegas in the 1970s

[@efrem1]

Rowan and Martin, Don Rickles, Rich Little, Frank Sinatra. I'd stay a week just to see the shows.

[@Plus_P_Plus]

I’m with you.

[@rayannajohnson5047]

Wow.. that was an amazing video.. like stepping back in time... Even though I want born yet. Lol

[@John-ct9zs]

Very high quality footage of 1975 Las Vegas!!! I wish there was sound.

[@jeffhenry7749]

Awesome video. My first trip to vegas was in 1980. It still looked like this then.. ty for posting

[@ManiacalMichael504]

Amazing footage. Totally beautiful. Thank you for this video.

[@ddfamf88]

1975 - I was 5 - I still remember pulling up to the MGM front - most beautiful thing I have ever seen - so many lights - my parents loved this town.

[@ceooflonelinessinc.267]

are they still alive?

[@Davey7358]

@@ceooflonelinessinc.267 I saw them at Bellagio just last year pulling up to the porte-cochere. :)

[@tannerpaisley-ve6dq]

Their ghosts are shooketh as every night they are baffled of mostly digital no coin slot machines

[@mikeystheone]

frank sinatra, mac davis, rich little, my moms favorite singer jerry vale, don rickles and my grandmoms love engelbert humpdinck, what a hall of fame line up of entertainers and from what i hear the casino owners treated them like kings and queens.....excellent footage

[@Davey7358]

I remember seeing Billie Holiday at the Aladdin in 75. Damn did she bring down the house.

[@augustgirl]

Oh my goodness. This is exactly what I was hoping to find when searching. You're amazing. Thank you so much.

[@alankennedy1897]

... Thank you ! Our family lived in Las Vegas 1969/early 1970s; this tour brings back all the dazzling spectacular lighted hotel/casino signs, memories. Mom sang/played piano in the Desert Inn; The Frontier; and The Thunderbird ! She also sang for periods in The Mint, on Fremont Street. Also for about a month at the Sahara Tahoe in Lake Tahoe, CA/NV; thank you for this driving tour. ...

[@veronicagallo2035]

How awesome your mom doing that ! I sure envy that !!

[@notreallydavid]

Wonderful. All it needs now is a Count Basie tune going on.

[@nightowl5475]

This is the Vegas I miss and love. I never go to Vegas anymore, within the last 30 years.

[@1990758]

No way it was good in the 90s we used to make reservations with a mony order. Just your name and your telephone number that’s all I asked for

[@nightowl5475]

@@1990758 I lived there in the 90's. I'm sure it's worse now but it was an entirely different town in the 60's and 70's.

[@1990758]

@@nightowl5475 Not necessarily worse but it's more ghetto. More of a younger crowd. My 1st time 1990 it wasn't a lot of young people.. I don't expect the prices to be the same as they were 40 years ago.

[@discostu5426]

This is awesome! My first ime in vegas was in the 80's. stayed @ Riveria it was wonderful

[@daveb2280]

My first time in Vegas was 1995 also at the Riv. Back then, the cocktail waitresses waited on you hand and foot. They knew what you drank even after you returned a few months later. The best cocktail waitress I have ever had to this date was Sondra....who worked at the Riv.

[@NYCgirl927]

I was in LV May 1975. Stayed at The Flamingo which was terrible back then. Saw Sinatra at Caesars

[@abp1400]

It was terrible back then? LOL! How so?

[@NYCgirl927]

@@abp1400 Alex the original 2&3 story buildings were where’re we stayed. The rooms reeked of cigarette smoke and mold. I was very young. Didn’t know better but knew it was terrible. The pool was the original that was in Viva Las Vegas. Same exact hotel Bugsy built. We now stay at Caesar’s or Palazzo.

[@abp1400]

@@NYCgirl927 lmfao 🤣 sounds awful! Palazzo is very nice from what I've heard!

[@FreeAgent797]

Watching this while listening to some Miles Davis is amazing.

[@bradleysmith8618]

I hitchhiked to Las Vegas after combat in vietnam in 1975 and got to race in the Baja 500 !

[@JamesDavidWalley]

Frankly, what I find interesting is that you can look at virtually any video of Las Vegas from the past, and find the comments filled with people writing about how much better it was then than now. More to the point, whether the video was filmed in 1955 or 1995, posters will be claiming that what's in the video is truly the "Old Las Vegas." It reminds me of when I visited for the first time in 1979, and my parents commented on how it had become too built-up and "ruined" compared to when they used to go there in the 1950s. Who's to say that, come 2050, people won't be complaining about how Vegas is no longer enjoyable, as opposed to the good old days of the "Old-School Vegas" of today?

[@blackroan2276]

I think that come 2050, people who have seen videos like this will STILL be saying that the Vegas of the 50s and 60s was better than the current Vegas. Those eras were way before my time, but I have been to the current Vegas, and when I see these old videos, only one thought comes to mind: Vegas looked SO much nicer back then.

[@makthnife]

It’s just a mini-LA now. All that beach and no ocean! Better off with Oceans 11 anyways. Oh…the original…

[@tsriftsal3581]

People movers is insanity.

[@donaldbiden9492]

It's trash now. It's just mini Cali full of people from SoCal that voted themselves out of their own state. Now they're moving across the lands to ruin other cities and states.

[@chris.D1]

its all relative to a point of view. Just like music, movies, art. etc. I think you are right, 2050 will say the same.

[@StevenTorrey]

It would be great to see a side by side (1975/2020) road trip down the same street. Wouldn't even be recognized.

[@MrDarkmarius]

I remember very well Las Vegas of the 1970s. It was VERY GLAMOROUS, RICH & CLASSY. They knew what service was & SERVICE YOU GOT

[@ettaplace6716]

Can’t say that about the crowd today !!!😢

[@clucknorriz6683]

I was 12 we were already living here for 3 years at this point I'm 58 still here, did good in the air conditioning trade.

[@liquidsolomon]

This video is magnificent! Thank you!

[@sethmouton3827]

I know materials like this is expensive but this is artwork!

[@David.-_-]

Our steaks are more expensive now also....

[@amightysailingman]

Love it. I have no interest in visiting the theme park that is today's Vegas. This reminds me of the way I like to think of it from seeing Diamonds Are Forever, Vega$ or the Dean Martin roasts. Back when the view of the surrounding mountains wasn't blocked by massive themed resorts and it had not yet been turned into a big city by a massive population explosion. So many names lost to time here - the Sands, the Stardust, the Desert Inn, the Aladdin, the Pioneer Club.

[@davidwesley2525]

Dont forgot the Flamingo , the Dunes , the Landmark , the Sahara hotels.

[@veronicagallo2035]

Totally agree 💯😁!

[@makthnife]

I’m with ya! Tried living there and around there a few times…some things should just remain a dream.

[@dolphindani9859]

The Flamingo is still here.

[@tsriftsal3581]

Felt beautifully sketchy the first time I went on someone else's dime. Daily hunting for all you can eat deals, free bottle pours, single deck blackjack, nickel video poker, and adult companionship. Cool to have seen some of the sparkling icons. Good times. Years later with the fat people movers was lame.

[@wesmcgee1648]

I first went there 10 years later in 85 when I was in my 20s. You could still walk between hotels in desert sand out on the strip. No more.

[@1990758]

And my first time was five years after yours 1990 we stayed at the flamingo hotel July 4

[@countalucard4226]

Back then I loved the Flamingo casino. To me it was like a big comfy living room.

[@96serpendityyouarelostnotm87]

This was so beautiful, I’m 26, I wish I were my age during this era in Vegas.

[@johndough2328]

No you don’t, bc you’d be 76 right now if you were 26 back then.

[@G-Mastah-Fash]

@@johndough2328 I'd rather have lived a full life during the 20th century than be around now. Everything is in decline.

[@quickies9561]

This is priceless

[@ChrisBCartagena]

I once had Liberace in front of me in line at the "Target" type store..he let me go first because i had only one item. I met John Lennon and May Pang at the Riviera Hotel In March of 74. They were very nice!

[@AndreaElizabeth100]

I was thinking about Liberace whilst watching this video. He had a house in the LA area with a piano shaped swimming pool. The general public could do tours he wasn't there in person it was a house tour. Amazing to be in those times when people like Frank Sinatra, John Lennon and Elvis Presley were in Las Vegas. The Jacksons performed in Las Vegas in 1974.

[@ChrisBCartagena]

@@AndreaElizabeth100 he lived down the street from me in a nice but normal house East of the Bouelevard Maryland pkwy shopping center. His license plate on his Rolls said "88 Keys"

[@AndreaElizabeth100]

​​@@ChrisBCartagenaThank you. I think Liberace must have had more than one property. It seemed to be a sort of tourist thing in the 1970s. This home in the LA area he wasn't actually I don't think living there at the time. I was just told about it. Interesting the keys being from a piano. 🎹

[@ChrisBCartagena]

@@AndreaElizabeth100 well we know of 2 already! Unless he was renting.

[@5inthehole]

Anyone else notice “The Dunes” road sign is out? Always loved that “Stardust” road sign. I wonder if someone has it in their back yard.....

[@JamesDavidWalley]

Both the Dunes and the MGM across the street were out. I've been wondering why, too.

[@retrolandusa]

@@JamesDavidWalley I believe they were out due to the energy crisis at the time. At the end of the video, most of the Golden Nugget sign is out as well. I'm sure that sign used a lot of power!

[@jamesedmonds6455]

Yes, I noticed. I was working there at the time but I don't know why it was not working.

[@Davey7358]

I think a thunderstorm blew in and knocked out the power. Or maybe a tornado went thru town and shut off the lights?

[@user-iu5vf6us4q]

It's in the sign museum north of the strip.

[@jbsmith966]

great little time capsule

[@ChrisBCartagena]

Nice..I worked the front Desk at Caesars in 73 thru 76 and busboy at C Circus in 73!

[@CollinAbroadcast]

Giant Shrimp Cocktail Water Beds sounds insane

[@originalveghead]

The first time I went to Vegas, this is what I was expecting. 21st century Vegas is a different city.

[@1990758]

True but nothing stays the same

[@twoworldsonekingdom]

Watch this while listening to angle of the city!

[@countdown2xstacy]

Just got back today from Vegas 8/5/2023. Stayed at the Virgin Hilton Hotel/Mohegan Sun Casino. Miss it already.

[@1989bccclasmate]

i saw frank that year at ceasers..he got mad and threw the mic down across the stage and walked off

[@oldiesgeek454]

That sounds like something he'd do. 😊

[@MatHelm]

Saw this as a 12 year old from the back seat of a 1970 LTD on a two week cross country vacation in 1976... Learned from watching the local kids how to get away with playing slots in the café next to our motel.

[@nails4sanam]

Wow it’s amazing ! legends are still standing... flamingo sahara and ceaser palace .. ! Going back in time at same place 👍🏻👌

[@805NAVE]

Sahara was gone for a while, as the SLS in its place, but the Sahara is back now!! Very exciting, a great improvement over the SLS

[@oldiesgeek454]

@@805NAVE The SLS is SOL! 😊

[@gradywilson9213]

One great headliner after the next, I was just graduating from high school in '75 but I wish I was a young adult late 20s may be, I would have seen everyone of them.

[@miguelitocunsuelo7200]

Just a different glorious time

[@tomsimpson5317]

Wish we could go back then

[@ACoustaDC]

Oh man... 1:05 Dave Goodwins Ceasers shell.. No one believes me when I tell them a gas station was there. And man oh man... that is the Fremont experience I remember!! (at the end)

[@rclc161]

such clear video

[@danc1197]

Never in Vegas in the 70's but went there for the first time in 88. However I have been to Reno in the early and late 70's and they already had a lot of big hotels on the strip. Seems like reno may have grown first and Vegas followed. Maybe that's why they call it the biggest little city.

[@johnegli1308]

Thought the same. When looking at older videos. Reno over Vegas. Even all the glitz as well. Back when

[@1990758]

Went to Reno for the first time 2019. It was awful. I was there for 15 minutes. It reminds me of downtown Las Vegas from the 80s I drove 7 1/2 hours for 15 minutes.

[@beachray2000]

Now that's the Vegas I remember and love.. The food prices !! and Dirty Sally's...LOL

[@PaulGreen11]

Jerry Vale!

[@scottym3]

thanks for the memories. And I really enjoyed the 16 oz. NY steak dinner at the Holiday Inn. Damn, you can't go wrong for just $4.99

[@mikechirrick]

The best days in LV...

[@MarcelaR-dh1ok]

HH was told he had to move out of his room at the Desert Inn as it had been reserved...he purchased the hotel

[@DP-hy4vh]

Now the Strip looks like a small city with all of the mega resort hotels.

[@Mmyers1177]

.49 cent Breakfast Wow! That would be nice again..

[@davidwesley2525]

Breakfast for under $ 7.00 would be fantastic.😃😃😃😃😃😃😃❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@joet7136]

I remember the Thunderbird! My parents would drop me and my 4 siblings off at the arcade with about $5 in quarters while they went off to gamble for 6 hours. The quarters were gone in the 1st hour!

[@robert9557]

So much better in those days.

[@drieaz]

i think there mighta still been some silver coming out of the slot machines in '75

[@introsation9411]

Born in 2007, i definetly missed out

[@Bluemojieatscookie15]

Same here

[@johnegli1308]

The names on the billboards are amazing. Sinatra’s. Others I’ve seen include Tony Bennett. Sammy from the rat pack. Dean Martin. Oh for those days.

[@eStreet702]

I was in town, 18 years old visiting my GrandFather.

[@keithwarner7117]

Don Rickles at the Riviera

[@rickym6301]

So cool how he would 20 years later star in a movie about the mob in Vegas at that time

[@ELHIPPO]

casino of martin scorsese

[@planetcave]

That's when it was enjoyable to go there; it certainly isn't now.

[@METEBUYURAN]

Elvis was performing in Hilton, in 1975

[@jkelley2091]

Thank you . I was at that Rickles Show

[@blue3525]

looks nice

[@mahtable]

amazing

[@Just1American1966]

That mountain dead ahead is still there today.

[@malibustacy3606]

I always thought the font on "The Stardust" sign reminded me of the font used for the opening of "The Jetson's" cartoon, but they're really nothing like each other at all, so now I have to go to the trouble of finding somebody to blame for the whole misunderstanding, which is a waste of time.

[@lindarickman1876]

Born and raised here brought back good memories like going cruising down Fremont on Friday night. One thing I remember was getting all dressed up to go see Jerry Lewis and the Osmond Brothers they don’t do that anymore just T-shirt and shorts not the same. I worked at Riviera for 25 years till they closed I 2015 sad day now they put up more convention center sign of the times. I pray they get to use it with what’s going on . We are Vegas Strong!

[@oldiesgeek454]

@Linda Rickman. The way you described how people used to get dressed up for Vegas shows back then compared to today, reminds me of how people used to dress up for church back then compared to today. Back then, you would tip the usher in order to get a better table near the stage...Is it still that way, or are all the seats reserved now? 😊

[@patlynch3464]

You could actually stay at one of those small motels and not really worry about crackheads, or getting robbed. The rooms were clean and the pool was nice.

[@Knuckle_Sandwich_Hand_Wraps]

A lot of holes in the desert, and a lot of problems are buried in those holes. But you gotta do it right. I mean, you gotta have the hole already dug before you show up with a package in the trunk.

[@countalucard4226]

In the beginning the area you covered I didn’t see the Tam O’ Shanter motel. It was across the street from the Stardust.

[@kwv889j]

2:00 Dirty Sally's Discotheque and Backgammon? Have to wonder what that place looked like.

[@dannyhood7433]

I see 'Mac Davis' on billboard at 0:52. Lol.

[@wilcojunkie]

Back when Lefty Rosenthal and Tony Spilotro were running around town...

[@shalevai]

Oh man... back when Sinatra was in town

[@daveb2280]

"Lots of holes in the desert....and that's where most of Vegas' problems are buried."

[@cerebrodelictivocarclubps4309]

Back when it was all about the Neon lights. Today is just LED lights with spam ads.

[@robw3548]

Nice!

[@Parrtyyxo]

I’m here to get myself even more excited for mafia 4 but I don’t think 70s Vegas is happening anymore 💔

[@MrRODNEYTWO]

$.49 for breakfast you’re killing me 😂

[@Thunder_6278]

Just identifying the cars, makes me want to cry of what we as American's have lost. If only we had known....

[@doct0rnic]

1:10 apparently the Arco sign has never changed

[@Detdoncarter]

No skyscraping towers, everybody had two to three story building, couple hundred rooms

[@JDandTJ8]

Any idea what camera recorded this?

[@krazyspartanodst]

I was born there in 1998 but I’m confused why does this look different from now? In my opinion it looks better now then it did before

[@kevinmalone3210]

Hardly any if no SUVs on the road. Nice.

[@impos1966]

No SUV's back then, the closest thing was a Chevy Suburban, kind of the first SUV, but really more like a station wagon on a truck frame.

[@David-lv7lu]

Why does old videos have no sound?

[@impos1966]

Probably recorded on a reel of 35 mm movie film, then you'd have to plug a microphone in to the camera, sometimes people just took the camera for sightseeing, didn't record audio.

[@user-iu5vf6us4q]

1979 Laying by the pool at the Riv, next to Barry Manilows parents. "Are you going to his showoooo?" No I said. Thought she was going to offer tickets. But noooooo. She had a snozz bigger than his.

[@paulhiggins9731]

Holiday inn Center Strip

[@southwestjohnny7767]

Love these vintage Vegas clips. Is it me or does the strip not have any large casinos or high-rises here? Maybe it’s just dark and I’m missing it.

[@JamesDavidWalley]

There were some at that time, but most were set far enough back from the Strip that you wouldn't notice it in shots like these. You can see the Dunes, but that's it. The MGM Grand, across the street, was more like what you'd find today, but it was almost at the back of the property, with the front area being parking.

[@southwestjohnny7767]

@@JamesDavidWalley Interesting. I didn't know that.

[@vegasjay2326]

0:02 Gass Peak still looks the same.

[@vegasjay9731]

0:01 Gass Peak still looks exactly the same.

[@harrisr.7979]

Thinking this looks earlier than 1975, perhaps 71 or 72?

[@dfygoh3215]

New Vegas is good Old Vegas was Great

[@salvatorepalma6794]

OMG LOOKS FANTASTIC

[@paulj2948]

The 70s must have been great. Coke, debauchery, etc.