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The Chip Board Archive 18

Reno Movie "5 Against The House" ncr

Just watched part of a movie I'd wanted to see for awhile, "5 Against the House" Filmed in '55 it proported to be filmed in Reno and Tahoe. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048077/ In fact, one of the first lobby cards I bought was from this movie and I remembered that Harolds Club was the casino the cast was going to heist. The lobby card is one of the few I don't have scanned but there isn't much in the image to interest most Reno fans. That's the Primmadonna there in the background of this "Ca. Split" card so it's very much more interesting.

Can't recommend the movie, it's pretty dismal and I kept switching to the Olympics until they finally got Ricky and Lucy to Reno. The Reno shots were pretty much a bust, just look through your period postcards and you'll be 'way ahead, grin Two pretty cool things did make it worthwhile to hang in. Very good interiors of Harolds casino floor and it was the real deal, not soundstage. Towards the end there was an odd character that wandered in and added a suspenseful moment as his interference theatened the timing of the operation. "Wait a minute!" I thought. That's not a real actor! Indeed not, it was Harold Smith Sr., nutjob owner of Harolds Club! Retrieved my copy of I Want To Quit Winners and looked the whole affair up. In Smith's book, during an introductory brag session, Harold counts Hollywood actor in his vast resumé but sounds nettled that his performance in "5 Against the House" was overlooked at Oscar time. vbg

Look for this thing on TCM if this sounds interesting to you. Here's another Reno joint in a movie, the Mapes in this instance.

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Reno Movie "5 Against The House" ncr
That's even an authentic Mapes ashtray

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