2009-05-08
Stardust Casino & Aku Aku Tiki, Las Vegas, 1962
A man in a brown suit watches the meter maid as they go about their business in the mid-day sun in Las Vegas. Of course they are in front of the fabulous Stardust Hotel & Casino, and the Aku Aku Polynesian Restaurant and Tiki Bar. The cool "Saturn" neon sign out front was updated in the 70s with another sign, but I like this one.
Hard to believe it now, but Arthur Godfrey was one of America's top entertainers. He was instrumental in America's love affair with the ukulele, and was a standard on TV entertainment shows from the 40s through the 60s.
The other entertainer, Goldie, is probably Goldie Hawn, who got her start as a dancer, then performed at the Stardust, then broke out on "Laugh-In." Kong Ling was a singer from Hong Kong.
The Aku Aku was active from 1960 to 1980 and is one of those "Lost Tiki Bars of the Ages". The iconic moai statues in front were carved by Eli Hedley; one of them can be seen today at Sunset Park in Las Vegas. Happy Neon!
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great pic!
ReplyDeleteWas wondering where you got the photo from - my in-laws were married in Las Vegas during the time that they were working at the stardust in 1962 with Arthur Godfrey, in this photo you can see they're names on the billboard "lang troupe" - anyway it is theyre 50th wedding anniversary and I was wondering if there is any chance I can get a copy of the pic from you?
ReplyDeleteMaggy, Sarasota Florida 2/20/12
mdl24601@aol.com
great picture!isabel marant betty hi-top sneaker(dsf2012.4.11)
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