Columnist Joe Delaney: Memories and dust all that are left of El Rancho

Joe Delaney

Thursday, Oct. 5, 2000 | 10:02 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@lasvegassun.com.

Tuesday morning the second El Rancho was imploded ... The original El Rancho was burned to the ground in 1960 ... It is now a vacant lot across from the Sahara ... The shell that was reduced to rubble this week began existence as the Thunderbird in 1948 ... The first two decades the Thunderbird was like Carson City South as a political entity.

The hotel was a focal point for city, county and state activities ... Big Joe's Oyster Bar was the first of its kind and one of this columnist's favorite hangouts ... As the Silverbird, and through subsequent name changes, the hotel never again came up to the Thunderbird's first two decades.

There was this small, warm, intimate showroom where producer Monte Proser would have two different Broadway shows, one early late and the other late, plus a lounge that was part of the 1950s lounge renaissance.

Personal memory

The original Dukes of Dixieland had the dubious distinction of closing the Royal Nevada, now part of the Stardust complex, on two occasions, the second on Christmas in 1955 ... Jan. 5, 1956 Frank and Fred Assunto each christened his firstborn son at St. Anne's Church, later Msgr. Ryan Hall, and now a parking lot ... The Dukes were out of work ... Milton Berle came to their aid and helped them land a long-term deal at the Thunderbird.

Allan Jones and Irene Hervey were starring in the Thunderbird showroom and their son, Jack, then a teenager, would sit in with the Dukes and the Duchess, Betty Owens, Mrs. Fred Assunto. ... Jack Jones will be performing in the new Suncoast showroom Nov. 10-12.

The late Sidney Frey, owner of Audio Fidelity Records, and I planned the first commercial record album released in stereo in the Thunderbird Lounge in the mid-1950s ... The Dukes of Dixieland's self-titled album was on the best-selling record album charts for more than a year.

Anent Lee Dear

The late Lee Dear was a casino executive there during those best days of the Thunderbird ... Dear had a great ear for music and a deep love of jazz ... He was responsible for Dinah Washington and Frances Faye being booked into the lounge there as well as a factor for the Dukes of Dixieland ... Washington's real name was Ruth Jones and she was once a member of Gertrude Ward's gospel group ... Gertrude was Clara Ward's mother.

Washington was riding high with hit records, packing the Thunderbird, and the Clara Ward Singers were doing well in the Frontier Lounge ... The Ward Singers finished earlier than Washington so they came over in a group, and joined Washington on stage for two hours I shall never forget.

Frances Faye was a strong entertainer who surrounded herself with jazz greats such as sax man Vido Musso and trombonist Frank Rosselino, among others ... We produced a folk song album with Faye during this period.

Wrapping it up

When the Thunderbird became the Silverbird under the late Major Riddle, with Obie Oberlander, no longer with us, as manager, it became more of a grind operation ... It was also the site of one of the first four-wall or lease agreements in a showroom; a long successful run for the team of Sandler and Young ... Redd Foxx, pre-Hilton and "Sanford and Son," played the Silverbird.

I served as associate producer with HBO's Michael Fuchs for a Redd Foxx TV special, live from the Silverbird ... Six o'clock that evening, Foxx demanded his $50,000 fee in cash ... Riddle came up with the cash ... The building was long overdue for its demise; its memories live on.

Star-policy rundown

It's David Sanborn, Joe Sample, Richard Bona and Bryan Blade (Aladdin Blue Note); Clint Holmes (Harrah's); Steven Wright (LV Hilton); Bill Acosta (Luxor); Rodney Dangerfield, plus Rita Rudner, plus Tommy Tune starring in "EFX" (MGM Grand); Siegfried & Roy, plus Danny Gans (Mirage); Lance Burton (Monte Carlo); Debbie Reynolds (Orleans); David Cassidy-Sheena Easton (Rio); The Lettermen (Suncoast); and Melinda, First Lady of Magic (Venetian).

Weekend special: The 14th annual "Nevada Shakespeare In The Park" presents three free performances of "Antony and Cleopatra," Friday through Sunday in Foxridge Park, Henderson; check for times ... See you Friday.