Longtime showgirl turns 90, earns induction to Vegas Entertainers Hall of Fame
Gloria Mancilla turned 90 on Sunday, but the longtime showgirl is still kicking.
Mancilla, better known as Gloria White, is an original cast member of “Folies Bergere” who hobnobbed with old Las Vegas bigshots. She performed for 22 years, retiring from performance in 1972. Fremont Street glimpsed Mancilla’s career and Las Vegas’ former glory during her 90th birthday celebration, “A Living Tribute to a Las Vegas Showgirl,” at the First Street Stage.
“This event is a way to not only celebrate Gloria’s birthday but also a way to honor the past of what Las Vegas was built on,” said Julie Langille, founder of Showgirls Across America, a performance and education company, who coordinated the event. “We want people to see what a showgirl is and what Gloria contributed to the entertainment community.”
On Sunday, Mancilla made a grand entrance in a sparkling red dress and matching red feather boa. As photos of Mancilla as a showgirl flashed on the Viva Vision canopy, Mancilla smiled and the crowd cheered loudly.
“The mob may have built the casinos, but this town was built on the shoulders of entertainers, like Gloria,” said Denise Lahav, director of Flash Mob Las Vegas, which performed at the event. “That’s why this celebration is a big event.”
Mancilla was born in New York to Martha, an original Ziegfeld Follies showgirl, and Max, a professional song man and comedian in vaudeville. Her passion for dance began when she was 5 and fell in love with ballet.
As an adult, Mancilla landed her first paid dancing gig in Reno at the Mapes Hotel. From there, she moved to Las Vegas and danced in “Lido de Paris” at the Stardust and “Follies Bergere” at the Tropicana.
She also worked at the former El Rancho and the Tropicana.
“Gloria represents the beautiful glamour of a Las Vegas showgirl,” said Las Vegas producer, entertainer, director and choreographer Rich Rizzo, who participated in the event. “Back in the day, showgirls had to meet a certain requirement. They had to be the perfect weight and worked hard to stay flexible and beautiful.”
These days, Mancilla prefers to avoid the limelight, but on Sunday, she shared stories about Las Vegas history. She learned about the mafia from dating mobster Louis Strauss, better known as Russian Louie, who proposed to her, though she declined.
Her 22-year stretch as a showgirl caught the eye of eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes, who sent her fur coats backstage — which she gracefully refused — and invitations to dinner — which she accepted.
Mancilla also hung out with leading entertainers, including Jerry Lewis, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Shecky Greene.
Mancilla’s daughter, Constanza Areizaga, said her mother has assiduously kept her reputation clean and has remained a showgirl in every way — always elegant and respected.
To cap her birthday celebration, Mancilla was inducted into the Vegas Entertainers Hall of Fame as its first Las Vegas showgirl.
“Gloria is one of the last surviving and original showgirls in Las Vegas,” said Gayle Schreiber, director and co-founder of the hall, which honors local entertainers. “We can’t think of anybody who deserves it more. After all, she worked to build this town.”
Mancilla stays active, playing bingo and eating out.
And she stays impeccably dressed and made-up, wearing red lipstick and eyeliner.
“My mother misses the glamour and glitz of the old Las Vegas,” Areizaga said. “Sometimes when we go out she’ll ask me, ‘Why aren’t people dressed up?’ She gets upset about that.
“She has aged very gracefully,” Areizaga added. “She really represents one of the very last iconic, living showgirls in Las Vegas.”
Contact Sandy Lopez at slopez@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4686. Follow @JournalismSandy on Twitter.
