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Lawrence Revere Papers (MS-00064)

Abstract

The Lawrence Revere Papers primarily consist of correspondence between Lawrence Revere and the developers of blackjack betting systems dating from 1965 to 1970. The collection includes information about blackjack gambling systems, correspondence with gambling experts, and press material regarding the publication of Revere's book Playing Blackjack as a Business.

Finding Aid PDF

Date

1965-1970

Extent

0.1 Linear Feet (7 folders (shared box))

Related People/Corporations

Scope and Contents Note

The Lawrence Revere Papers are comprised of resources related to the creation and publication of Lawrence Revere's book, Playing Blackjack as a Business. The collection includes Revere's correspondence with other gamblers and developers of blackjack betting systems, including Allan N. Wilson, Louis G. Halloway, Julian H. Bruan, Edward O. Thorpe, and John Reppert, between 1965 and 1970. Furthermore, the collection includes public announcements regarding the publication of the book along with graphs and charts from the book.

Access Note

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish.

Arrangement

Collection is arranged chronologically.

Biographical / Historical Note

Lawrence Revere, born Griffith K. Owens, was a former casino pit-boss and the "Master of Blackjack." He is most famous for the co-development of several blackjack systems and for writing Playing Blackjack as a Business in 1969. During the 1960s and 1970s, Revere, also known as Leonard "Specs" Parsons and Paul Mann, was considered a blackjack expert. After his career ended, he retired to teach blackjack and gambling. Revere died April 23, 1977 after a bout with lung and liver cancer.

Sources:

“Biography,” Official Website of Lawrence Revere, accessed June 1, 2015, http://www.reverebj.com

Dalton, Michael. Blackjack: A Professional Reference, The Encyclopedia of Casino Twenty-One. Merritt Island, Florida: Spur of the Moment Publishing, 1999.

Preferred Citation

Lawrence Revere Papers, 1965-1970. MS-00064. Special Collections, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Acquisition Note

Materials were donated in 1970 by Speck Parsons; acquisition number Mss x44.

Processing Note

Materials were processed by Special Collections Staff in 1970.

In 2015, as part of a legacy finding aid conversion project, Franklin Howard revised and enhanced the collection description to bring it into compliance with current professional standards.

Resource Type

Papers

Collection Type

EAD ID

US::NvLN::MS00064

Finding Aid Description Rules

Describing Archives: A Content Standard
English