Oct 17 2008
Las Vegas Legend Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal Has Passed Away
Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal passed away Monday, October 13th at the age of 79. He died of a heart attack in his Miami Beach, Florida home.
The movie “Casino” pretty accurately depicted Rosenthal’s life and participation in Las Vegas’ up and coming years. Rosenthal secretly ran the Stardust, Fremont and Hacienda hotel casinos for the mob during the early 70’s. He was the first to put a sports book in a casino and the first to hire women black jack dealers. Sports Illustrated called him “the greatest living expert on sports gambling.”
In 1988 the Nevada Gaming Commission Board actually put Rosenthal in the infamous “Black Book” and he was banned from being in or near any casino in Nevada. Story has it that he disguised himself and went to the casinos all the time anyway.
Rosenthal was nicknamed “Lefty” because during a court hearing he pleaded the Fifth Amendment 37 times, including not answering the question of whether or not he was left-handed (he was).
