Columnist John Katsilometes: How the title Fabulous Las Vegas was born

Monday, Nov. 14, 2005 | 8:05 a.m.

Fabulous Las Vegas runs Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. Reach John Katsilometes at kats@lasvegassun.com or at (702) 259-2327 or (702) 812-9812.

Former Las Vegas disc jockey Bud Weil sent a note over the weekend that read, "Perhaps you are unaware of the origination of the title 'Fabulous Las Vegas,' so let me bring you up to date."

I thought the origination was Oct. 2, when this column was launched. Of course, I joke.

The term dates to 1948 when the late Jack Cortez published a little weekly entertainment magazine called Fabulous Las Vegas. Cortez was a former Hollywood Reporter reporter and, soon after relocating to Vegas, moved into broadcasting as a DJ on KENO.

Cortez worked with Weil at the time (this was from 1950-'55, according to Weil) and Cortez was famous for saying he was broadcasting from "fabulous Las Vegas," followed by "that's for sure."

"He used both of these phrases constantly as he did his 15-minute radio show on KENO," Wiel said.

The phrase was given an even greater boost in 1959 when the "Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas" sign was unveiled on what is today the south end of the Strip. But on Sunday, Betty Willis, who designed the sign with Ted Rogich at Western Neon Co., said there was no connection between Cortez and the famous phrase used for the sign.

"It was just a word a whole lot of people liked, and we liked it, too," the 82-year-old Willis said. "We really thought Las Vegas was a fabulous place."

That's for sure.

NoteMart

Chips ahoy: Two of the men who purchased the Platinum Collection on eBay a couple of weeks ago for $1 million -- the largest purchase of a casino chip collection in the history of the industry -- were wheelin' and dealin' pieces of that collection at the Palms over the weekend. David Sarles and Mike Christensen, who shared in the casino chip haul in the Platinum Collection (which also included a vast collection of tokens) were selling off some of the rare 2,400 gaming chips ...

Sock it to me: Remember the hand puppet Lambchop? Darn she's cute. The puppet made famous by the late Shari Lewis is making an appearance at 1:45 p.m. Sunday at Summerlin Theater at the Summerlin Library (1771 Inner Circle Drive) as part of the puppet's 50th birthday. These days Mally Lewis, Shari's sister, performs the act. The show is a fundraiser for the Jewish Community Center. Call 794-0090 ...

He's back: The first official Santa Claus appearance I have seen was for Friday at Meadows mall. The indefatigable elf was there at 11 a.m., and will be at Boulevard mall Saturday at 10 a.m., then at Fashion Show mall at 1 p.m. Nov. 25. I'd hit all of those spots, lest he forgets ...

Ethel M! It's a twister!: Keeping in the holiday mode, Ethel M Chocolates in Henderson is opening its five-week celebration titled "Chocolate Wonderland" on Thursday. The popular attraction, in which families can walk illuminated pathways of the Ethel M botanical cactus garden, runs from sundown to 10 p.m. daily through Jan. 2 and is free to the public. Oh, and the fleet afoot Santa will also be appearing at Ethel M on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday ...

Night moves: Trust me on this, there is a small but fervent cluster of Night Ranger fans in this city. The hard-driving '80s rock band -- which plays it loud and plays it proud -- is at the Railhead at Boulder Station on Dec. 3. Tickets start at $22.50, a veritable steal.