"Make the Biggest Little Mistake of Your Life" -- On-Screen Portrayals of Reno, Nevada, in Television and Film

Abstract

Reno, Nevada, is a subject seen and mentioned many times in film and television over the past century. On-screen depictions use ways to create a sense of place that often focus on specific aspects of a place and omit others. Due to the wide audience that Hollywood productions receive, how places are viewed in film and on television affects the overall public perception of that place. Reno, Nevada, has been portrayed as a center for divorce, gambling, and prostitution, as well as being the place to go if you're washed-up, on the run, or are uneducated trailer trash. The public's perception of Reno changes over time, and can easily be followed by examining the films and television that feature this self-described "biggest little city in the world."