Orson Welles: Las Vegas’s Least Likely Headliner
How the trailblazing filmmaker - briefly - conquered Sin City.
All manner of showbiz greats have played Vegas. From Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack to the Jason Orange-less Take That, a Sin City residency remains among the most coveted of entertainment fixtures.
This is in large part due to how lucrative a regular Vegas gig can be. While Caesars Palace paid Elton John $330,000 for each performance of his Million Dollar Piano show, Britney Spears’ two-year deal with the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino was believed to be worth upwards of $9 million per annum.
Since such acts have a crucial role to play in attracting holidaymakers to the gambling oasis, the venues are happy to pay the exorbitant fees. But you’d be wrong if you think glitz and glamour are the only things that bring in the punters. Back in the 1950s, people flocked in huge numbers to watch a corpulent man perform magic tricks and recite speeches from The Merchant Of Venice and Julius Caesar. No, this wasn’t your average Las Vegas showbiz extravaganza, but then Orson Welles wasn’t your typical Sin City performer.
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