California Archives

"711 Ocean Drive" Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Boulder City--Nevada California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Harassment / Intimidation Edmond O'Brien Frank N. Seltzer (Producer) Gambling History Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History It Really Happened Joanne Dru Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Gangster Squad Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lieutenant William "Bill" Burns Mickey Cohen Nevada Palm Springs--California United States

Mobsters Threaten Hollywood Filmmaker

1950 In late 1948, Hollywood movie producer, Frank N. Seltzer — known for the movies, Jungle Patrol and Let’s Live Again, which debuted that same year — began research for his next project, 711 Ocean…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Grafting Ethnic Groups: Asians Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Los Angeles City Council (CA) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Los Angeles Captain of Police Captain of Police C.A. Ketlar Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Los Angeles Chief of Police J.W. Davis Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Los Angeles Police Department Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Officer John L. Fonck United States

Dirty Police Chief in City of Angels?

1886 In fall 1886, Officer John L. Fonck confronted one of his superiors face to face. He charged Chief of Police J.W. Davis with “standing in with the gamblers,” in other words, allowing them to…

California Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Lice Fighting Gaming History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Serious Boredom

1800s To amuse themselves, some miners — California ones, as reported in this case — staged lice fights and waged large sums on the outcome. They placed two Pediculus humanus face to face on a…

California Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Debt Games / Races: Poker Gaming History It Really Happened Long Beach--California United States

Mega Poker Loss in California

1938 Esquire* Harry T. Clifton was a wealthy Englishman who owned racing stables and often visited Southern California. During his visit there in April 1938, he gambled with Lew Brice and Tommy Guinan in a…

California Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Out of Time

1936 A thief took the trouble of entering a Los Angeles, California café through a skylight to rob the slot and marble games. But instead of getting the heck out after that was successful, he…

California Casino History Charles Cora Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Hanging Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder Fort Gunnybags (San Francisco, CA) Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System Law Enforcement / Judicial System: General William Richardson Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Vigilance Committee San Francisco--California United States

California Faro Dealer Loses It … All

1855-1856 Charles and Arabella “Bell” Cora were a colorful, rich and well-known San Francisco couple whose lives jolted into misfortune one Saturday night in 1855. He, 39, had made his money from dealing faro in…

California It Really Happened John Ascuaga Nugget Motor Lodge / Dick Graves' Nugget / John Ascuaga's Nugget (Sparks, NV) United States

Pay Up Or Blow Up — Reno/Sparks

1970-1971 In the summer of 1970, a package and suitcase found in a Sparks Nugget Motor Lodge room in Northern Nevada with a note affixed saying to please deliver the items to Nugget owner John…

California Gambling: Bookmaking Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service Hy Goldbaum It Really Happened McNeil Island Corrections Center (WA) West Hollywood--California

Bookies’ Bookies Not So Good With Numbers

1945-1955 In the late 1940s, three bookies — or commissioners, as they preferred to be called — operated on Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, California under the name, Golden News Service. Hy Goldbaum, George Capri…

California Did You Know? Gambling Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Wild Justice

1890 Judge Beckley Campbell conducted court in a Benicia, California saloon. After hearing the evidence and deciding on a verdict in cases, he meted out punishments based on the result of tossing two dice in…