Gloria Dea, the First Magician on Las Vegas Strip, Passes Away at 100 Years Old
Gloria Dea, the marvelous magician who became the first to take the stage on Las Vegas Strip, breathed her last on 18th March 2023, her age being 100 years.
This stunning centenarian celebrated her 100th birthday in August 2022, and it was a momentous occasion; the likes of David Copperfield and Teller from Penn & Teller, together with other magicians, joined her at the Westgate Las Vegas, her beloved casino.
Copperfield, a leading entertainer at the MGM, shared his thoughts with the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
She was to be welcomed into the University of Nevada, Las Vegas College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame on 25th March 2023 by Copperfield. However, this ceremony will now be held in her remembrance.
Before passing away, Dea was receiving care at an assisted living facility in Las Vegas.
A Star's Birth
The story of Dea begins on 25th August 1922, in Oakland, when she was born as Gloria Metzner. Enthralled by her father, Leo Metzner – an amateur magician who went by 'The Great Leo' – Dea started performing magic at the lofty age of 4. In no time at all, she earned the title 'the youngest working magician in the world' according to the Oakland Tribune. Her first performance took place on 14th May 1941 at the Roundup Room in El Rancho Vegas, making her the first ever magician to entertain people on Highway 91. This name would change to Las Vegas Boulevard 18 years later.
At this time, El Rancho Vegas and Last Frontier were the only two hotels along the road, with the Flamingo still under construction. Dea captivated her audience by exhibiting a billiard-ball trick and a floating-card trick, which had been taught to her by her late father.
Dea would dance the rumba amidst the big-band tunes performed by the El Rancho house band while waiting between her magic performances.
Transitioning to Hollywood
The allure of Hollywood subsequently drew Dea away in the 1940s. She adopted her stage name here and pursued a career as an actress for Columbia Pictures. Under this banner, she formed part of several films till the end of the 1950s. Dea's most noteworthy role came in 1952's "King of the Congo" where she appeared alongside Buster Crabbe portraying the character of Princess Pha.
She left show-business after this and learnt meant a new career: selling insurance and cars for a Chevy dealership. By 1980, Dea decided to move to Las Vegas where she lived quietly with her 4th husband, Sam Anazlone, another car salesperson who passed away in January 2022.
Las Vegas magician AnnaRose Einarsen came across Dea's long-forgotten tale and shared it with the local magic community. Once Copperfield heard of her history, he decided to form a friendship with this rebirth of magic. Last year, he invited her to his MGM show and introduced her to his audience.
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