EPISODE 133-The King of Casinos: Willie Martello and The El Rey Club----by Andy Martello

WINNER! 2014 International Book Awards (Biography)

RUNNER-UP! 2014 Beach Book Festival (Biography/Autobiography)

After a horrific blaze destroyed Willie Martello’s El Rey Club in 1962, fifty years would pass before anyone knew of how that casino and one-time brothel provided a template for future gambling resorts, upset the Las Vegas mob, and inadvertently launched the career of Francis Ford Coppola.

Were it not for the chance discovery of a single photo in a LaThe King of Casinos: Willie Martello and The El Rey Club s Vegas museum, the El Rey Club would be known only as the seedy brothel where Senator Harry Reid learned to swim. Martello's outrageous exploits and accomplishments should place him among magnates like Howard Hughes or Steve Wynn, yet very few know his name.

Lost for over sixty years and featuring over 140 rare or unseen photos, these vibrant stories are now brought to light!

Andy Martello is a comedian, actor, variety entertainer, and freelance writer. Originally from Chicago he now makes his home in Las Vegas, Nevada. A writer since birth, his work has appeared in the pages of the North Las Vegas Voice newspaper and Strip Las Vegas magazine. Aside from his very popular (and rarely updated) blogs, his humor and opinion columns can be found at web magazines such as The Cheers, Absolute Write, Malicious Bitch, and Gapers Block. This is Andy’s first (and probably his last) book.

Martello is a professional comedian, variety performer, and freelance writer. Originally from the Chicago area, he now makes his home in Las Vegas, Nevada where he appears as the announcer for The Price is Right LIVE, Fremantle Media's nationally touring version of the world's most popular TV game show. You have seen his work on NBC's Last Comic Standing and WGN TV's The Bozo Show, in films such as Last Vegas, The Company, and The Hangover 3, and as as a member of the elite team of business professionals known as the Mystery Diners on the popular Food Network program of the same name. He and brought the subject of his first book (the El Rey Club) to national prominence on the hit History Channel program, American Restoration.

A writer since birth, Andy's humor and opinion columns have appeared in the North Las Vegas Voice newspaper, TheCheers.org, and AbsoluteWrite.com. The King of Casinos: Willie Martello and the El Rey Club is his first (and probably his last) book.