On April 30, 1968, Howard Hughes acquired the Silver Slipper casino for $5.4 million from an investment collective led by Maurice Friedman, T.W. Richardson, and Shelby Williams, all of whom had connections to organized crime.
The Silver Slipper, originally launched in 1950 as a part of the Last Frontier Village, was initially called the Golden Slipper. Despite the legend that Hughes purchased the property to dim its iconic high-heeled slipper sign, his true passion lay in the 33 oil paintings adorning the casino, created by Julian Ritter.
Julian Ritter, born Julian Stawski in 1909 in Hamburg, Germany, studied at the Chicago Art Institute and later at the Art Center School in Los Angeles, where he honed his skill in figure painting. Ritter was renowned for his vibrant and often provocative depictions of female nudes, showgirls, and clowns. His technique, using glazes to create luminous flesh tones, drew comparisons to Renaissance masters. Fans would line up at the Silver Slipper to admire his work.
Most of the paintings made their way to Greg Autry, the world’s foremost collector of Ritter’s art. Following his divorce in the ’90s, Autry stored the majority of the collection, minus a few taken by casino managers as keepsakes and several by his ex-wife. Autry now possesses 22 of the original paintings.
Ritter started his career in the mid-1930s, painting sets for major movie studios like Warner Bros., MGM, Paramount, and Universal. He also accepted portrait commissions from stars such as Jimmy Stewart and Veronica Lake. In 1950, prompted by his brother-in-law, Ritter embarked on a road trip to Las Vegas to sell his artwork to casinos. Though initially unsuccessful, he struck gold with Bill Moore, the owner of the Last Frontier, who bought all 13 paintings Ritter brought on his trip for $1,000 (around $12,500 today) and commissioned 10 more.
The Silver Slipper’s artwork last appeared publicly in October 1988 when Autry acquired them, not through an auction as often reported but through a direct purchase from Hughes’ Summa Corporation. Autry nostalgically recounts how he presented a cashier’s check at Summa’s office, leading to the cancellation of the planned auction.
Autry had 72 hours to retrieve the paintings from the Silver Slipper, which was slated for demolition to make way for a parking lot. When he entered the casino, he was struck by the awe-inspiring yet neglected state of the paintings, which reeked of tobacco and had frames damaged by inappropriate mounting and bar fights. Autry spent years restoring them.
A devoted fan of Ritter’s work, Autry had initially been duped by a fake Ritter painting. Nevertheless, his admiration for the artist led to a nearly 20-year friendship. Autry frequently visited Ritter, discussing art, music, and life over the weekends.
When Bill Moore sold the Silver Slipper in 1964, the deal included all 33 Ritter paintings. However, Hughes had to negotiate separately to secure them when the previous owners attempted to claim them as personal property. Hughes eventually won in court and paid $471,000 for the artwork in 1970.
Both Hughes and Ritter have since passed away, and the former site of the Silver Slipper is now a vacant lot. At 76, Autry is looking to find a home for the cherished collection, hoping to sell the paintings as a set to someone who will display them publicly.
Interested parties can connect with Autry via his website, www.julianritter.com.
