
Las Vegas maitre d' Emilio Muscelli passed away Tuesday, April 15th, 2014 of pneumonia at a Las Vegas hospital. He was 91 years old. Born in 1922 in the small East Central Italian town of Ascoli Piceno, Muscelli served in the Italian Army during World War II. After the war, he attended the University of Rome, where he studied economics and commerce.
As a revered Las Vegas maitre d', Emilio Muscelli seated thousands of locals and visitors at the Rat Pack's performances at the Sands in the early 1960s and to Elvis Presley's attendance-record-setting shows at the Las Vegas Hilton in the 1970s. But Muscelli saved the best table for himself - a front-row seat to some of the most enduring moments and colorful people in Las Vegas history.
In addition to getting to know Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, Muscelli partied with billionaire Howard Hughes in the 1950s, long before Hughes became a recluse, and chauffeured Meyer Lansky when the mob boss came to town in the '60s to keep tabs on the mob's casino operations.
Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. May 3 at Palm Mortuary-Eastern.
source: http://www.lasvegassun.com
As a revered Las Vegas maitre d', Emilio Muscelli seated thousands of locals and visitors at the Rat Pack's performances at the Sands in the early 1960s and to Elvis Presley's attendance-record-setting shows at the Las Vegas Hilton in the 1970s. But Muscelli saved the best table for himself - a front-row seat to some of the most enduring moments and colorful people in Las Vegas history.
In addition to getting to know Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, Muscelli partied with billionaire Howard Hughes in the 1950s, long before Hughes became a recluse, and chauffeured Meyer Lansky when the mob boss came to town in the '60s to keep tabs on the mob's casino operations.
Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. May 3 at Palm Mortuary-Eastern.
source: http://www.lasvegassun.com
“I had the best job anyone could have had in Las Vegas. Las Vegas was so very good to me. Whatever I have today, I owe to Las Vegas.“The key to my success was that early on I learned how to treat people right — with respect — and, over the years, I always saw the sweet side of life.”
-Emilio Muscelli
-Emilio Muscelli
Elvis:
“No question, Elvis was by far the biggest attraction ever in Las Vegas,” said Muscelli.
Muscelli said he used creative seating to pack the showroom each night, often with as many as 4,000 guests for both shows. What few people knew, Muscelli said, was that the Clark County Fire Department had limited the capacity of that showroom to 1,150 people per show.
“Certainly, (Presley’s manager) Col. Tom Parker was not going to turn me in for putting so many extra people in the showroom,” Muscelli said. “He was happy to see so many seats filled.”
When Elvis died in 1977, and the excitement that he brought to Las Vegas quieted down a bit, Muscelli decided it was time to wind down his career. He retired two years later.
“No question, Elvis was by far the biggest attraction ever in Las Vegas,” said Muscelli.
Muscelli said he used creative seating to pack the showroom each night, often with as many as 4,000 guests for both shows. What few people knew, Muscelli said, was that the Clark County Fire Department had limited the capacity of that showroom to 1,150 people per show.
“Certainly, (Presley’s manager) Col. Tom Parker was not going to turn me in for putting so many extra people in the showroom,” Muscelli said. “He was happy to see so many seats filled.”
When Elvis died in 1977, and the excitement that he brought to Las Vegas quieted down a bit, Muscelli decided it was time to wind down his career. He retired two years later.
source: http://www.lasvegassun.com