''Vegas'' is an American
period drama
A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romance film, romances, adventure f ...
television series that ran on
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
from September 25, 2012 to May 10, 2013. The series starred
Dennis Quaid
Dennis William Quaid (born April 9, 1954) is an American actor known for a wide variety of dramatic and comedic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the late 1970s, some of his notable credits include ''Breaking Away'' (1979), '' The ...
and
Michael Chiklis
Michael Charles Chiklis ( born August 30, 1963) is an American actor, television director, television producer and musician. He is best known for his role as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Detective Vic Mackey on the FX police drama ''The S ...
. The series was co-created by Las Vegas chronicler and ''
Casino
A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
'' screenwriter
Nicholas Pileggi
Nicholas Pileggi (, ; born February 22, 1933) is an American author, producer and screenwriter. He wrote the non-fiction book ''Wiseguy (book), Wiseguy'' and co-wrote the screenplay for ''Goodfellas'', its 1990 film adaptation, for which he rece ...
, who also wrote the pilot.
''Vegas'' received a 22-episode full season on October 23, 2012.
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
later reduced the order to 21 episodes. On March 7, 2013, CBS announced that ''Vegas'' would move to Friday nights at 9:00 p.m. ET, beginning April 5, 2013. On May 10, 2013, CBS canceled the series after one season.
Synopsis
Set in 1960s
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, the series centers on Sheriff Ralph Lamb (Quaid) and his dealings with
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
mobster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...
Vincent Savino (Chiklis), who moved west to set up his own operation. The Lamb character is based on a real-life former rancher of the same name who served as
Sheriff of Clark County
The Sheriff of Clark County, officially The Sheriff of the County of Clark, is the chief law enforcement officer of Clark County, Nevada. The Sheriff heads the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, is elected by the citizens of Clark County, a ...
from 1961 to 1979.
Cast and characters
Main
*
Dennis Quaid
Dennis William Quaid (born April 9, 1954) is an American actor known for a wide variety of dramatic and comedic roles. First gaining widespread attention in the late 1970s, some of his notable credits include ''Breaking Away'' (1979), '' The ...
as Sheriff
Ralph Lamb
Ralph James Lamb (April 10, 1927 – July 3, 2015) was an American law enforcement officer and the 11th Sheriff of Clark County from 1961 to 1979. He was a member of the Republican Party.
Lamb was born in Alamo, Nevada, one of 11 children born t ...
, a local rancher with service in the
military police
Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear recon ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Lamb is pressed into duty as
Sheriff of Clark County
The Sheriff of Clark County, officially The Sheriff of the County of Clark, is the chief law enforcement officer of Clark County, Nevada. The Sheriff heads the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, is elected by the citizens of Clark County, a ...
when the Mob begins aggressively taking hold of the Las Vegas gambling industry.
*
Michael Chiklis
Michael Charles Chiklis ( born August 30, 1963) is an American actor, television director, television producer and musician. He is best known for his role as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Detective Vic Mackey on the FX police drama ''The S ...
as Vincent Savino, manager of the Savoy Hotel, which is run by the
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit (also known as the Outfit, the Chicago Mafia, the Chicago Mob, the Chicago crime family, the South Side Gang or The Organization) is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate or crime family based in Chicago, Illinois, tha ...
. An expert in gambling, Savino previously ran casinos for the Mob in
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. before being sent to run the Savoy. While being a high-ranking mob associate and close to Chicago mob capo Angelo LaFratta, he is not a
made man
In the American and Sicilian Mafia, a made man is a fully initiated member of the Mafia. To become "made", an associate first must be Italian or of Italian descent and sponsored by another made man. An inductee will be required to take the oat ...
due to being a quarter
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
on his father's side (while in other episodes he is said to be a full member of the Outfit).
*
Carrie-Anne Moss
Carrie-Anne Moss (born August 21, 1967) is a Canadian actress. After early roles on television, she rose to international prominence for her role of Trinity in ''The Matrix'' series (1999–present). She has starred in '' Memento'' (2000) for w ...
as Katherine O'Connell, the Las Vegas Assistant District Attorney.
*
Jason O'Mara
Jason O'Mara (born 6 August 1972) is an Irish actor. He has starred in the American television network dramas ''In Justice
''In Justice'' is an American police procedural television series created by Michelle King and Robert King. The series ...
as Deputy Jack Lamb, Ralph's younger brother who serves as his deputy.
*
Taylor Handley
Taylor Laurence Handley (born June 1, 1984) is an American actor.
Early years
Handley was born in Santa Barbara, California. He attended Santa Monica City College.
Career
In 1998, Handley played Rory Buck in the movie ''Jack Frost''. In 200 ...
as Dixon Lamb, Ralph's son. His youthful exuberance makes it difficult for Ralph to trust his judgment at times.
*
Sarah Jones as Mia Rizzo, the Savoy count room manager responsible for skimming funds for the Mob.
Recurring
*
Aimee Garcia
Aimee Sandimés Garcia López de Ordóñez (born November 28, 1978) is an American actress and writer. She is known for her television roles as Veronica Palmero on the ABC sitcom ''George Lopez'', Yvonne Sanchez on the CBS period drama ''Veg ...
as Yvonne Sanchez, the receptionist working at the sheriff's station and Dixon's later lover.
*
Vinessa Shaw
Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw (born July 19, 1976) is an American film actress and model. She began her career as a child actor, and had her breakout role in Disney's 1993 Halloween comedy-fantasy film '' Hocus Pocus''. Shaw also appeared in ''Ladybu ...
as Laura Savino, Savino's wife.
*
Michael O'Neill as
Las Vegas mayor Ted Bennett, who is standing for re-election. He is later defeated by an associate of Savino's.
*
Shawn Doyle
Shawn Doyle (born September 19, 1968) is a Canadian actor known for his roles in ''The Expanse'', '' The Eleventh Hour'', ''Big Love'', '' 24'', ''Desperate Housewives'', and '' Star Trek: Discovery''.
Early life and education
Doyle was born an ...
as Patrick Byrne, an FBI agent investigating Savino.
*
Melinda Clarke
Melinda Patrice "Mindy" Clarke (born April 24, 1969) is an American actress. Clarke is known for portraying Faith Taylor on the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' (1989–1990), Julie Cooper on Fox's teen drama series ''The O.C.'' (2003–2007), ...
as Lena Cavallo, Mia's mother.
*
Enver Gjokaj
Enver Leif Gjokaj ( ; born February 12, 1980) is an American film and television actor. He is known for his roles as Victor in the science fiction television series ''Dollhouse'' and as Daniel Sousa in '' Agent Carter'', a role he later reprised ...
as Tommy Stone, entertainment director at The Savoy. Mia and he have an affair after her falling out with Jack.
*
Michael Ironside
Frederick Reginald Ironside (born February 12, 1950), known as Michael Ironside, is a Canadian actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. He is known for playing villains and "tough guy" heroes, and has also portrayed sympathetic characters.
E ...
as Porter Gainsley, a mining tycoon responsible for Ralph's wife's death and Savino's forced partner in acquiring The Tumbleweed for Chicago.
The Mafia
*
James Russo
James Vincent Russo (born April 23, 1953) is an American film and television actor. He has appeared in over 150 films in three decades.
Early life
Russo was born in New York City, New York, to an Italian father and German mother. A graduate of ...
as Anthony "Red" Cervelli, Savino's right-hand man, who briefly ran The Savoy before being replaced by the more experienced Savino. While an experienced enforcer and hitman, he is often shown to be bumbling and inept, and somewhat friendlier than his associates.
*
Michael Reilly Burke
Michael Reilly Burke (born June 27, 1964) is an American actor. He played Rex Van De Kamp on the unaired pilot of ''Desperate Housewives''. Steven Culp replaced him before the pilot aired. He also appeared in The WB series ''Charmed'' in the epi ...
as Rich Reynolds, the corrupt district attorney.
*
Michael Wiseman
Michael Wiseman (born April 12, 1967) is an American television and film actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Johnny Rizzo in the 2012 CBS series ''Vegas''.
Early life and career
Wiseman grew up in Lafayette, California. He knew as a boy ...
as Johnny Rizzo, Mia's father. Rizzo has a dangerous temper but is a major moneymaker for Chicago. He later becomes Chicago's boss of Las Vegas after killing Capo Angelo LaFratta.
*
Jonathan Banks
Jonathan Ray Banks (born January 31, 1947) is an American actor. Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Chillum Heights, Maryland, while attending Indiana University Bloomington Banks did theatre. In 1974, he moved to Los Angeles where he beg ...
as Angelo LaFratta, one of the bosses from Chicago and leader of the
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit (also known as the Outfit, the Chicago Mafia, the Chicago Mob, the Chicago crime family, the South Side Gang or The Organization) is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate or crime family based in Chicago, Illinois, tha ...
's Las Vegas operations (though in one episode stated to be the head of the Outfit in its entirety). He is a close friend of Savino's, but this does not save the latter from nearly being executed for nearly starting a war with Milwaukee. He is killed and replaced by Johnny Rizzo on orders of the bosses, who did not approve of him returning The Tumbleweed casino to Milwaukee.
*
Sonny Marinelli
Anthony Savino "Sonny" Marinelli (born May 2, 1967) is an American actor and voice actor. Marinelli is best known for his acting roles in ''Vegas'', ''Entourage'' and '' Noel''. Marinelli also played the role of mobster John Gotti in the 2001 tel ...
as Nicholas Cota, a mobster, and hitman for the Chicago Outfit who was working for Red when he ran the Savoy and continues to serve under Savino, whom he had met before the latter went running Chicago's Cuba operations.
* Joe Sabatino as Vic Borelli, another mobster from Chicago sent to Vegas to run The Savoy. Savino and he were good friends back home, and Savino is saddened when Milwaukee hitman Jones kills him out of payback for the death of Davey Cornaro.
* Jamie McShane as Davey Cornaro, leader of the
Milwaukee crime family
The Milwaukee Crime Family, Balistrieri Crime Family, or Milwaukee Mafia is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Peter J. Devico ''The Mafia Made Easy: The Anatomy and Culture of La Cosa Nostra.'(pg.154-156)/ref> T ...
's operations in Vegas and Savino's first rival in his plight for control of The Tumbleweed. Cornaro controls a workers' union at the casino and orders an unsanctioned hit on Savino when told to drop it. He is later killed by Red Cervelli and Vic Borelli, who buries his body on a farm, where it is later found.
*
Damon Herriman
Damon Herriman is an Australian actor. He is known for his film and television work in Australia and the United States. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Dewey Crowe in ''Justified (TV series), Justified''. In 2019, he portrayed the c ...
as Mr. Jones, a shady hitman from Milwaukee whose true name is a mystery. He is sent to investigate the disappearance of Davey Cornaro and returns to murder Savino when the body is found on a farm. After being captured by law enforcement, Jones escapes and is spared by Savino, who orders him to work for him alone. The hitman is key in helping the forces of Lamb and Savino take down Porter Gainsley.
Creation and production
The idea for ''Vegas'' first came to Pileggi while he was researching the book ''Casino'', and as a result of his research into the Las Vegas of the 70s and 80s, he decided to also write about the city in the era of the 60s. However, it was 25 years before the idea came to fruition as a TV series. Pileggi had initially planned to write the idea as a movie but found it difficult to make it work in the traditional three-act cinema form. Watching ''
The Wire
''The Wire'' is an American Crime film, crime drama Television show, television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. ''The ...
'' convinced him that the long-form TV series was a more suitable creative outlet for the story.
Episodes
International broadcasts
DVD release
The series was released on DVD as a five-disc set. All 21 episodes are included, as well as bonus features.
References
External links
*
*{{IMDb title, 2262383, Vegas
2012 American television series debuts
2013 American television series endings
American action television series
2010s American crime drama television series
2010s American mystery television series
CBS original programming
English-language television shows
Television series about organized crime
Television series by CBS Studios
Television series set in the 1960s
Television shows set in Las Vegas
Fiction set in 1960
Fictional portrayals of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
Works about the Chicago Outfit