In December 1978 a little movie called “Superman,” which was partially shot at Hoover Dam, debuted in theaters. Yes, the likes of Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman and Christopher Reeve have ties to Boulder City. “Superman” was supposed to be directed by Steven Spielberg, but he wanted too much money, and the four production companies tied to “Superman” decided upon director Richard Donner.
In 1946, Boulder City and the Hoover Dam played host to a movie cowboy. Actor and singer Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye) spent time in our city while filming the movie “Heldorado.” If you think I spelled the title wrong, think again.
My throwback Thursday piece has a lot to offer if you’re seeking a good movie on this Thanksgiving weekend.
When the Hoover Dam was being built, the mob came through Boulder City. Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel was known for his stamp on Las Vegas, but it was here in Boulder City that his first business opportunities in Nevada were proposed. Yes, Bugsy Siegel’s interest in Nevada started with the mafia asking him to solicit Hoover Dam workers as customers for illegal endeavors.
When I moved here years ago, I knew there was something special about how City celebrates Halloween. The various events, like Trunk or Treat, offer everyone something fun to do when Oct. 31 rolls around. It is usually around this time that my neighbors and friends share the city’s urban legends, alleged ghost sightings and tales of the occult.
It’s October and Halloween is around the corner. It’s time for ghosts, goblins and aliens.
Sean Penn. Vince Vaughn. Kristen Stewart. Zach Galifianakis. Eddie Vedder. These celebrities all have direct ties to Boulder City.
During the late 1950s and early ’60s, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead served as the filming locations for two cult-favorite horror movies. “The Amazing Colossal Man” and “Scream of the Butterfly” were filmed less than 15 minutes from Boulder City, which served as a popular place for the respective film crews to stop, eat and gas up.
Actors Dennis Hopper, Jeremy Irons, Laurence Fishburne, Lauren Hutton and the rest of the Guggenheim Motorcycle Club were on their way through Boulder City in 2000 when a horrible accident occurred near Hoover Dam. The accident resulted in a flood of media coverage and left one celebrity in a two-week coma.
In 1936 Warner Bros. was in a race to put out a movie called “Boulder Dam.” The movie company wanted this film to open the same weekend as the completion of Hoover Dam hoping to cash in on the press attention surrounding the massive engineering project. The Six Cos. turned over Hoover Dam to the federal government on March 1, 1936, more than two years ahead of schedule. “Boulder Dam” the movie premiered six days later.
