LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas blackjack dealer is getting his turn in the spotlight thanks to a new documentary.
While George Lee worked at the Four Queens Hotel & Casino for 40 years, you might not know that he was also a dancer who performed on Broadway, touring shows, and musical revues.
His story is featured in Jennifer Lin's new documentary called "Ten Times Better".
Lee danced for rice at nightclubs in Shanghai, China in the 1940s. He eventually fled civil war and came to the United States.
As a teenager in New York, he caught the eye of legendary choreographer George Balanchine.
While developing a contemporary version of "The Nutcracker", Balanchine used Lee's abilities to create a divertissement called "Tea". He was eventually denied a place in the New York City Ballet but went on to Broadway and was cast by Gene Kelly in Flower Drum Song, a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical with a nearly all-Asian cast.
After 25 years of performing, Lee retired from dancing and learned how to deal blackjack. He moved to Las Vegas and worked in the casino industry for decades, including several years as a pit boss.
The documentary will premiere in Las Vegas at The Beverly Theater on Wednesday, May 7.
According to the theater's website, tickets are sold out.
