This man dropped out of 8th grade and became a Las Vegas mogul

Kerkor “Kirk” Kerkorian was born to Armenian immigrants in Fresno, California in 1917. During World War I, his father became known as the “San Joaquin Raisin Baron,” growing raisins for the soldiers on over a thousand acres on 10 farms He lost everything in the recession of the 1920s.

#1 Early life

Kirk Kerkorian.

The family then moved to Los Angeles at the beginning of the Great Depression. They were often evicted and had to move several times during Kirk’s early childhood. By the age of nine, he was a “newsman”, selling newspapers and throwing bottle caps and pennies to contribute to his family’s income.

#2 Abandonment

Boxing gloves.

He was often kicked out of school for fighting and eventually dropped out after the 8th grade because he was bored. He worked building roads and trails, moving boulders on the MGM studio lot, flipping cars and professional boxing. His boxing name was “Rifle Right Kekorian”. In his career of 37 fights, he won 33 of them and was never knocked out.

#3 From boxing to flying

Kirk Kerkorian.

While working on installing gas water heaters in 1939, he would hitch rides with a veteran Navy pilot during his lunch breaks. These lunchtime walks changed his focus from being a professional boxer to being a pilot.

#4 Flight career

A Cessna plane.

He got a discount on flying lessons by refusing to rent a parachute. In 1940, he was working at the Happy Bottom Ranch and Riding Club in the Mojave Desert, working around the ranch in exchange for several flying lessons. After six months, he earned his commercial pilot’s license and married his first wife, Hilda “Peggy” Schmidt in 1942. He worked as a pilot instructor for defense contractors in California until the outbreak of World War II .

#5 Royal Air Force

Royal Canadian Air Force.

He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as a civilian. He was hired to ferry warplanes across the Atlantic Ocean for $1,000 ($19,296 2024 USD). Journeys were considered the most dangerous flights pilots could attempt. Many of the aircraft moved were untested and often unsafe. During the winter, only one in four aircraft reached its destination. Kerkorian loved risk and made 33 successful flights.

#6 Flight school

Las Vegas.

In 1945, he opened a flight training school in California and purchased an Army Air Force Cessna to charter players to Las Vegas, which was in its early years. He is quoted as saying that he was “overwhelmed by the excitement of the city”.

#7 Winning in Vegas

A dice table.

He spent a lot of time at Vegas casinos. He was known as the “Perry Como of the craps table”. In 1950, he earned his first $100,000 ($1.3 million in 2024 USD). His marriage ended in 1951 and he married his second wife, dancer Jean Hardy, in 1954.

#8 Building Vegas

Gambling in Vegas.

By 1960, he was earning over $300,000 ($3.2 million 2024 USD) from his charter business, which he renamed Trans-International Airlines. He bought 80 acres of land in Las Vegas and leased it to Jay Sarno, who built Cesar’s Palace, in 1964. In 1965, Kirk sold Trans-International Airlines to Transamerica for $150 million ($1.4 billion in 2024 USD). He was uncomfortable with the mob involvement in Cesar’s Palace and sold the land in 1965. He wanted to build a 1,500-room casino hotel in Vegas, which he accomplished by opening the International in 1969.

#9 Buying MGM

Kirk Kerkorian.

In the same year, he bought 40% of The MGM Studio. To generate cash, MGM borrowed $75 million to build the MGM Grand Casino. It was the largest casino ever built.

#10 MGM Threads

MGM hotel.

In 1980, the MGM Grand caught fire and killed 85 people. He settled all lawsuits quickly and generously using personal funds. By 1987, he had rebuilt and then sold the MGM Grand for $550 million.

# 11 Armenian earthquake

Kirk Kerkorian.

In 1988, there was an earthquake in Armenia that killed 50,000 people. He supported over $1 billion in airlifts of supplies from California to Armenia. He then donated $100 million to build a highway in Armenia, on the condition that no streets or monuments be built to honor him.

#12 The new MGM

MGM Grand.

By 2004, at the age of 88, he had built a new MGM Grand and acquired the Desert Inn, Mirage, Bellagio, Treasure Island, Mandalay Bay, Luxor and Excalibur. He owned half of all the rooms on the Vegas Strip. He continued to do business and build his fortune until his death at the age of 98 in 2015.

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