Las Vegas’ Duke of Fremont Street has comic book based on exploits
Known in downtown Las Vegas for his pinstripe suit, fedora and feather and “regal attitude,” the Duke of Fremont Street, or Ron Lloyd Wall, now has a comic book depicting embellished versions of his adventures as a poker player in downtown Las Vegas.
The Duke of Fremont Street was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and later made a living as a “Mississippi riverboat gambler.”
Wall said he traveled the world extensively before visiting and falling in love with Las Vegas in the early 1990s.
“I thought I died and went to heaven,” he said. “I said, ‘This is where I am going to settle.’”
He moved to Las Vegas to play poker and one day was celebrating a birthday at a strip club when a friend dubbed him the “Duke of Fremont Street.”
“I think they dubbed me that because I had that regal attitude from day one, so they said, ‘You’re the Duke whether you like it or not,’” he said.
Mike Morrello, owner of Royal Printing in Las Vegas, the company in charge of printing Duke’s comic book, called Wall “an old school gentleman” and added that he “lives and breathes the persona he puts out there, and it has become who he is.”
The comic book, “The Duke of Fremont Street Las Vegas Treasure Hunter,” came about after Wall attempted to write an autobiography and encountered writer’s block.
“People say, ‘You are a character,’ so I used that and turned it into the comic book,” he said.
At one point in the book, Duke dreams of opening up his own casino on Fremont Street that has elements of “the old Las Vegas.” He said in the casino, everyone would dress up and no one under 21 would be allowed.
Wall said another comic book based on his adventures is being illustrated by Carlos Valenti.
The second book is for a mature audience, and the stories are embellished. Wall said he plans to publish at least three more books and a graphic novel.
Chris Buckels, senior account executive with Royal Printing, said Wall was very involved with the printing process.
“He was like a kid in a candy store, because this was his dream and his baby,” Buckels said.
Contact Rachel Spacek at 702-387-2921 or rspacek@reviewjournal.com. Follow @RachelSpacek on Twitter.