Aug. 13, 1964 - Sept. 10, 1971

Located at 3235 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (Corner of Sands Ave. and the Strip). It was originally opened in 1954 as the Rendezvous Casino. Playboy millionaire Howard Hughes was known to hang out here. It became Pussy Cat A-Go-Go, then Pigalle, Dirty Sally's Disco, Rumors Night Club, The Country Club, Cartoon's, and the Emporium. It was started by legendary bandleader Garwood Van. Van, who died in 1999 at age 88, was the musical director for headline acts including Ronald Reagan, gave comedian Redd Foxx his first job in Las Vegas, and opened both the city's first full-sized record store and its first rock 'n' roll club. In 1964, Van's tenure as entertainment director at the Castaways brought Foxx to town as an opening act for Dinah Washington. That April, Van needed to replace an ailing revue and flew to Houston to sign "Bottom's Up," which remained a staple of Nevada showrooms into the '90s. In the summer of 1964, Van opened the Pussycat a Go Go club at 3235 Las Vegas Blvd. South, near the Desert Inn. The club broke the format of most hotel lounges by having a dance floor, and booked budding rock acts including Dobie Gray and Sly & the Family Stone.

==Mike==
R-5986