The grand opening this week of the new Hollywood Casino in the historic “City of Lights,” Aurora, Illinois, approximately 35 miles due west of Chicago, came as a ticket down memory lane for those who recall the dawn of state-sanctioned riverboat casino gambling in the Land of Lincoln.
The original Hollywood Casino Aurora opened in June of 1993 as a twin-vessel operation on the shores of the Fox River. It was owned and operated by the Pratt Family of Las Vegas and Atlantic City fame under the leadership of Edward T. Pratt III, Hollywood Casino Corporation’s chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer.
It was not just another property for the Pratt Family. It was the company’s first riverboat operation and its first Hollywood-branded casino at a time Hollywood Casino Corp owned and managed one of the world’s largest collections of memorabilia and artifacts from the movie industry and from the stars of the silver screen themselves.
Penn National Gaming (now Penn Entertainment) acquired Hollywood Casino Corp in 2003. The new land-based Hollywood Casino Resort was developed on an 18.7-acre site and features a 220-room hotel with spa, multiple dining venues, a sports book, and event center.
Fond memories of the original location, the vessels themselves, and of course the pavilion, include walking inside and not being quite prepared for what greeted guests: A display case with mannequins wearing the very same Blues Brothers black suits that John Belushi and Dan Akroyd wore in the movie. Around the corner was one of the lifeboats used in the box office smash Titanic.
You had to remind yourself you were not inside of a dedicated museum showcasing the history of the cinema and the stars of the silver screen. It was a most unlikely venue for such captivating displays, yet a must-see attraction for anyone who’s ever been star struck. And who among us hasn’t?
The collection of more than 1,800 exhibits of memorabilia from the history of motion pictures was something that distinguished the Hollywood Casino Aurora from its riverboat casino competition in the Chicago-area.
Walk down a hall and marvel at memorabilia from the career of Elvis Presley. Peer into a display case and see a machine gun used in the movie The FBI Story and autographed by the Hollywood legend who used it, Jimmy Stewart. Check out the baseball mitt and other items used by Robert Redford in the haunting film The Natural.
Pieces from Hollywood Casino Aurora’s extensive memorabilia collection were found everywhere you looked on the property, from the walkways leading out of the elevators in the parking garage, to the halls and concourse areas of the pavilion, the restaurants, lounges, and banquet facilities – even the riverboat casinos themselves, the City of Lights I and the City of Lights II.
The main attraction of course was gaming, but the distinctive bonus of what amounted to museum-quality sights and attractions was guaranteed to make a visit there extra special. As a matter of fact, taking the time to tour the entire facility just to check out the memorabilia was well worth it.
Walk up the stairs and you were greeted by a motorcycle ridden by Steve McQueen. Up ahead was a chair and costume used by “Uncle Fester” in the movie adaptation of the popular TV series from the ‘60s, The Addams Family. Or how about a display case with props used by James Caan and Kathy Bates in the thriller Misery?
The person who was responsible for assembling the collection was David Cranmer, who was senior vice-president of design for HWCC Corp., parent company of the Hollywood Casino Aurora. He began his search for items soon after development of the newly licensed property began.
This columnist had an opportunity to interview Cranmer in 1999. Recalling he was most generous of his time and information regarding the collection while speaking over the phone from his Dallas, Texas, office, the timing is right to revisit portions of that conversation and what made Hollywood Casino Aurora such a special place.
“The property’s Hollywood theme made movie memorabilia a natural fit,” Cranmer said. “Our collection spans artifacts from the film careers of Rudolf Valentino and Douglas Fairbanks to those of John Travolta and Brad Pitt.”
Cranmer’s never-ending quest for new items to add to the Hollywood’s collection took him all around the country and sometimes around the world.
“When I first set out to accumulate memorabilia for display, I went to auction houses,” he revealed. “In addition, we also purchased through brokers, private collections, and directly from the movie studios themselves.”
Cranmer said that there was an archivist on staff whose sole responsibility was to keep track of inventory, maintain records and files, and to protect letters of authenticity that go along with the items. Great measures were taken to preserve and maintain the memorabilia.
“Some of the items that go back to the silent film era can deteriorate if they are not cared for properly,” he observed.
While dining in the Hollywood Casino’s exclusive steakhouse, The Fairbanks Room, you could see the cape, boots, and sword used by the famed swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks. Walk down the hall to the lounge and view items of clothing worn by the original blonde bombshell, Jean Harlow, or catch a glimpse of shoes worn by Carmen Miranda.
“Once I knew Douglas Fairbanks and Jean Harlow would be our restaurant themes, I targeted memorabilia associated with them,” Cranmer revealed. “Harlow memorabilia is extremely rare, so I’m very proud of our collection and what I was able to procure as far as her career is concerned.”
He revealed that he purchased lifeboats used in the movie Titanic and other items connected with that motion picture directly from the studio.
The conceptual artist was Sam Boccchicchio, who, according to Cranmer, “was the person responsible for coming up with all those great displays, setting up scenes, and placing mannequins. He does a tremendous job bringing light and life into the collection.”
Of all the pieces in the Hollywood’s collection of movie memorabilia, is there any one item or items that hold special significance for Cranmer?
“From the perspective of the most significant pieces from recent vintage, I would have to say our collection of Elvis Presley items,” he responded. “At first I wasn’t a real Elvis fan, but after I met people who had known him, or saw him perform, and heard their stories, I came to know him as quite a spectacular guy and a fantastic entertainer. One of our most valuable pieces is one of Elvis’ red electric guitars that he used in his 1969 comeback special.”
The original Hollywood Casino is now gone, but hardly forgotten, as the new resort property sets about creating its own legend in the history books of gaming.
