LAS VEGAS (CBSMiami) – CBS is once again tapping into the rich history of the city of Las Vegas for its latest new drama, appropriately titled “Vegas.”

“There’s that smoky, sexy feeling about Las Vegas/ it’s a time of neon, showgirls and scotch tumblers,” said actor Michael Chiklis.

“People didn’t feel the feel the need to be politically correct back then… Or even know what that was. “ said Dennis Quaid.

The setting is Las Vegas. It’s the 1960’s, the era of the rat pack, when the glittering Strip was lined with gold.

“Everyone was coming to Vegas that time,” said Greg Walker, executive producer of “Vegas.” “It was the destination of the entire country. It’s where you went if you stole money, if you want to make money, and where you ultimately lose money.”

But it was mob money that was transforming the dusty frontier town into a gambling and entertainment mecca. And a two-fisted sheriff, named Ralph Lamb, portrayed in the new series by Dennis Quaid was determined to keep the criminal element under control it.”

“Every kid in the world wanted to be either a cowboy or a sheriff. And I was already a cowboy, so I just got the sheriff’s job. It wasn’t easy, either,” said the real former Sheriff Ralph Lamb.

At the age of 85, the real-life Ralph Lamb still stands tall. The man they call the “cowboy sheriff” is a living legend in Las Vegas.

“He was the real deal/ probably the toughest lawman to ever walk the streets of Las Vegas,” said George Knapp from KLAS.

“He’s quite a character, he’s quite a colorful character/and what they, the people of Las Vegas, liked about him is that he kept things clean,” said Quaid.

Lamb is a home-grown hero coming from a dirt-poor family of cattle ranchers and rodeo ropers. He went to work as a Sheriff’s Deputy in 1947. In 1961 he became Sheriff, ruling Las Vegas for almost twenty years. His unique combination of brains and brawn is a highlight of the TV series.

“If you was gonna stay alive, you better have some street smarts with some of the people that was around here, you know?” said Lamb.

Lamb said he was shocked when he found out his life would be the basis for a new TV show but he’s said once he find out it was Dennis Quaid who was portraying him, an actor he respected so much, he was feeling pretty tall again!

Vegas Premieres on CBS Tuesday September 25 at 10 p.m.