Rare Vintage Photos of Celebrities in Las Vegas

This article was originally published on Lizanest.com

#1: Lynda Carter in Las Vegas (1972)

Before she became television’s Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter was a young singer chasing opportunity. As a teenager, she performed for three months with The Relatives at the Sahara Hotel lounge, slipping through the kitchen because she was too young to enter the casino floor normally.

Her Vegas ties continued long after she won Miss World USA in 1972, landed her famous television role, and became an American icon. Carter later returned to headline musical shows, including performances at the Suncoast. Today, she still acts, records music, and performs live occasionally.

#2: Ann-Margret on the Set of Viva Las Vegas (1964)

Swedish-born Ann-Margret exploded into fame as a singer, dancer, and magnetic movie star. Vegas helped launch her career: George Burns featured her in his casino shows, and director George Sidney noticed her while she danced at the Sands before casting her in Bye Bye Birdie.

Her biggest Vegas movie arrived with Elvis Presley in Viva Las Vegas, filmed around the city in 1963 and released the following year. She later headlined Strip stages and married Roger Smith in Las Vegas. Now in her eighties, she still makes occasional screen appearances.

#3: Fellow Stars Celebrating Tom Jones’ 34th Birthday, Caesars Palace, 1974

By 1974, Tom Jones was no passing pop craze. The powerhouse Welsh singer behind “It’s Not Unusual” and “Delilah” had become one of Caesars Palace’s hottest attractions, thrilling Vegas crowds with his booming voice, tight trousers, and famously energetic shows year after year on stage.

Las Vegas became almost a second home for Jones. He first played the Flamingo in 1967 and returned for at least one week nearly every year through 2011. Well into his eighties, he remains an active recording artist and commands concert stages worldwide with swagger.

#4: Jayne Mansfield, Rita Moreno, and Gloria Pall at the Dunes, Las Vegas, 1955

Three glamorous careers crossed in 1955 as Las Vegas entered a glittering new era. Jayne Mansfield was a rising Hollywood bombshell, Rita Moreno was a busy film actress, and Gloria Pall was a model, actress, and former Vegas showgirl with serious casino experience behind her.

The Dunes had only opened in 1955, making it one of the Strip’s freshest playgrounds. Mansfield later returned to Vegas as a stage attraction, while Moreno rose to EGOT glory. Pall moved into real estate, and their careers ultimately followed sharply different paths beyond Vegas.