My throwback Thursday piece has a lot to offer if you’re seeking a good movie on this Thanksgiving weekend.
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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.
Lisa Marie Presley and I shared a baby sitter. Yes, my godmother, Alice Mafeo, was also the nanny for Lisa Marie when Elvis Presley would perform at the Las Vegas Hilton. But four years before Lisa Marie would be born, Elvis Presley was here in Boulder City filming Viva Las Vegas. This was his second notable trip through Boulder City and to Hoover Dam.
Sean Penn. Robert De Niro. Patrick Swayze. Halle Berry. Selma Hayek. These are just a few of the A-list Hollywood names who have been in movies shot either at Lake Mead or at the Hoover Dam.
Actor Peter Facinelli’s Twitter biography reads, “I pretend to be other people … In real life that’s considered a personality disorder. If you get paid to do it, it’s called acting.”
It’s no secret that Boulder City and the Hoover Dam are popular pass-through stops for tourists on their way to either Las Vegas or Phoenix for vacation, but one Hollywood legend made our city her go-to vacation spot. In 1934, the legendary Bette Davis decided to take a break from filming “Of Human Bondage” to spend time in Boulder City, staying at our very own Boulder Dam Hotel.
Today’s throwback Thursday is a bittersweet one. Boulder City’s ties to Hollywood are strong, and one of our more nationally recognized limelight moments comes via a visit to Boulder City High School by actress Shirley Temple in 1938. I say bittersweet because Temple’s childhood was nothing like the social and educational experiences our local children have.
To many visitors, Boulder City is a quaint town with a downtown district seemingly stuck in time. Our city streets are often lined with antiques for sale, tourists on motorcycles and local musicians.