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Join this channel to get access to perks: Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit Visit our website Wilbur Clark’s Desert Inn in Las Vegas Nevada presents, “Las Vegas Recreation Unlimited”, narrated by Hugh Douglas. Written and photographed by Ted MacDonald. This is a 1960’s era, color film about Las Vegas, Nevada. The film boasts many celebrities enjoying their vacations in famous Las Vegas. Cameos are seen by many singers, movie stars and comedians. The star of the show is Wilbur Clark’s Desert Inn and his many famous guests. The film opens with a family driving down the strip in Las Vegas in a convertible. They pull into the parking lot at the Desert Inn. A view from the hotel room is seen overlooking the pool :52. The patio and pool area are shown 1:03. British actor Noel Coward chats with actress Kay Thompson (Catherine Louise Fink) by the pool, 1:35. Jane Powell (Suzanne Lorraine Burce) sits by the pool, 1:50. Gale Sherwood chats by the pool, 1:54. Singing star Johnny Ray lights a cigarette by the pool 2:05. Opera singer Jan Peerce sits with his family, 2:14. Ms. Japan poses by the pool, 2:29. Men dive from the high and low boards into the pool 3:03. Host Wilbur Clark greets his guests by the pool 3:33. The country club provides the golfer with every service 4:12. A scene of the golf course from the clubhouse roof 4:37. A man tees off 4:50. Ray Bolger tees off 5:15. Peter Lind Hayes chats with friends 5:41. Golfers putt on the perfect putting green 6:00. A lady tees off 6:22. The annual tournament of champions is preceded by a putting contest 6:40. The Maguire sisters take the microphone and sing 6:47. Phil Harris entertains the crowd 7:00. Marie Wilson is engaged in picture taking 7:21. Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher watch the crowd 7:28. Mimi Van Doren is the emcee and honorary referee of the tournament 7:34. Other celebrities pose for pictures 7:53. Bing Crosby starts to choose teams 7:58. The putting begins 8:15. Bob Hope is pictured from previous events 8:55. Overlooking the patio is the health club 9:13. A car pulls out of the Desert Inn 9:35. A car goes down the highway 9:55. The Hoover dam 10:00. A boat rides over Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in the world 10:45. Boulder Canyon 11:25. A sailboat sales on Lake Mead 11:50. The Golden Nugget is lit up 12:00. Wilbur Clark’s Desert in at nighttime 12:10. Different marquees are shown 12:23. The Painted Desert Room 12:51. Ladies dance on stage 13:11. Patti Page takes the stage 13:29. Dancing waters – a fountain set to music 13:51. A midnight buffet 14:05. The Sky Room Lounge 14:22. The fitness center 14:55. Las Vegas America’s favorite playground. MacDonald Film Productions. The original name was Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn. Wilbur Clark, described by Frank Sinatra biographer James Kaplan as a “onetime San Diego bellhop and Reno craps dealer“, originally began building the resort with his brother in 1947 with $250,000, but ran out of money. Author Hal Rothman notes that “for nearly two years the framed structure sat in the hot desert sun, looking more like an ancient relic than a nascent casino“. Clark approached the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for investment, but it was struggling financially. In 1949, he met with Moe Dalitz, the head of the notorious Cleveland gang, the Mayfield Road Mob, and Dalitz agreed to fund 75% of the project with $1.3 million, and construction resumed. Much of the financing came from the American National Insurance Company (ANICO), though Clark became the public frontman of the resort while Dalitz remained quietly in the background as the principal owner. The resort would eventually be renamed Desert Inn and was called the “D.I.“ by Las Vegas locals and regular guests. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD. For more information visit We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.“ This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
