BeforeNicholas Pileggiwas a screenwriter, he was a journalist with decades of experience reporting on the New York City mob. His insider knowledge eventually led him to write the booksWiseguy: Life in a Mafia FamilyandCasino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, which were adapted into the well-known mobster moviesGoodfellas(1990) andCasino(1995), in collaboration with Martin Scorsese. In 2012, Pileggi brought his vision of the mafia to the small screen with the CBS show,Vegas.
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Rather than continue to rehash stories from the ’70s and ’80s when criminal enterprises were fully underway in Las Vegas, Pileggi took a different approach. He set his show in the ’60s to highlight the transformation of the area from a sleepy desert town into a full-fledged mob-infested city of sin.
Dennis Quaid, in his first major TV role, leads theVegascast. He portrays a real-life figure, Clark County Sheriff Ralph Lamb, who is a local rancher turned sheriff tasked with combating crime as various mobsters roll into town and start setting up shop. Opposite Quaid isMichael Chiklis(ironically known for portraying lawmen inshows likeThe ShieldandHotel Cocaine) as Vincent Savino, a mob-affiliated casino and hotel owner who acts as Sheriff Lamb’s main antagonist. Also starring are Jason O’Mara as Lamb’s brother, Carrie-Anne Moss as the Assistant District Attorney, and Taylor Handley as Lamb’s volatile son.
‘Vegas’ Highlights Two Clashing Worlds
While there is a procedural element toVegaswith some case-of-the-week crime-solving, the dynamic between Sheriff Lamb and Vincent Savoy and the clashing worlds they represent are really at the forefront of the narrative. The two act as foils for each other, clearly on opposite sides but with more in common than they think. In the pilot episode, Dennis Quaid spends much of his time fist-fighting those responsible for disrupting his cattle by literally flying the mafia into town, which isn’t altogether different from a mobster breaking kneecaps after a betrayal.
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More than just two prominent men in a power struggle, Lamb and Savino are merely the figureheads for this turbulent time period, as Las Vegas' transformed into an iconic American city and cemented itself in history. SettingVegasin the 1960s is what separates the project from all the other mob stories in contemporary media. Rather than focusing solely on the flashy names of past criminals,asGoodfellasdid with many of its characters, the show aims to tell a bigger story and provides the perfect backdrop to explore the motivations of the characters and the lifestyles they represent.
Pileggi explained toThe Guardianwhy he felt the 60s was a more compelling decade to focus on than the 70s and 80s, which had dominated most of his previous research and work:
“In 1959 and 1960 Las Vegas was still really a western town. It was cowboys, and it was also about the time when the mob decided they could come in. And here it was — the fedoras were starting to come in against the cowboy hats. This guy, Ralph Lamb, was the sheriff in Vegas during the 60s. He was a cowboy on a horse and suddenly faced with the arrival of all these mafiosi. It was John Wayne versus Edward G. Robinson!”
Authenticity Is Important in ‘Vegas’
For Nicholas Pileggi, writingVegaswas a much-needed escape following the death of his wife, famed filmmakerNora Ephron, known for her classic romantic comedieslikeWhen Harry Met Sally…,Sleepless in Seattle, andYou’ve Got Mail. It’s fair to say that Pileggi’s dedication toVegashelped solidify the completely immersive and period-appropriate set of the show — which was encouraged by Ephron. Shortly prior to her death, she advised her husband about the show, saying, “This one is for real — you’re able to’t just phone it in.”
Part ofVegas' authenticity comes directly from the source. Pileggi spent time with the real Ralph Lamb, gathering information. The writer’s experience dealing with mobsters helped Lamb open up to him, and the former sheriff became an integral part of the storytelling. He even bonded with Dennis Quaid, who had the difficult task of portraying the distinctive life of a real person while they are still around to critique you.Vegaswas a successful endeavor for Quaid, whose previously miniscule television career was jumpstarted after the show. The actor has had significant roles in several series in the years since, including portraying an infamous serial killer inNetflix’s Happy Face.
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AlthoughVegaswas unfortunately canceled after a single season, it is still a well-acted and sharply written series that encapsulates a significant time in American history. Its western-meets-mafia vibe is unlike any other show of the time and is a fascinating exploration of identity and transformation. Once you’re finished bingeingVegas, take a look atPileggi’s most recently written project,The Alto Knights(2025), which stars Robert De Niro as — what else? — a mob boss.
