Vera Keyes

Vera Keyes was a pre-War starlet

Background
Vera Keyes, a stage name, starred in a number of poorly-written pre-War Hollywood films with large box office crowds. In her audition tape for Love Sets Sail!, she acknowledged the script's poor quality, noting that she's happy to have the work. According the Gilda Broscoe, the producer of the film was Vera's uncle. She earned the role for the film, with it receiving the "largest box-office draw of all of [her] movies," though, with "the most scathing of reviews." She also recorded three songs titled "Begin Again," "Go to the Faraway" and Let the Bright Tomorrow in."

Pre-War tabloids and newspapers reported gossip on Vera, describing her as a "kept" woman and claiming she had a "torrid affair" with famous singer Dean Domino. Her and Dean were partners. Dean introduced Vera Keyes to Frederick Sinclair and used her as a scheme to "get closer" to him and rob the Sierra Madre Casino as a means to "take him down a few pegs" for being "all high-and-mighty."

With the threat of the Great War, Sinclair built the Sierra Madre Casino and Villa in order to protect Vera and as a "means of creating a shelter" and "a defense if the world was bombarded in radiation and bombs". He implemented holograms designed in Vera's likeness. Sinclair made sure Vera had "access to everything", tying her voice to the Sierra Madre vault elevator, which Dean planned to use to rob the vault. When Sinclair discovered Dean's plan, he "changed the casino vault from a shelter to a trap", knowing he would be the first to enter.

When the bombs dropped, the Sierra Madre security systems activated, leaving Vera trapped inside along with the casino guests. Before his death in the vault, Sinclair tried to rewire the casino systems, but was unable to do so. In her room in the Executive suites, an Auto-Doc dispensed Med-X and Stimpaks for her, warning the amount could lead to an overdose.

Vera Keyes suffered from Med-X and Super stimpak addiction, as a means to numb the pain of a "terminal condition" she suffered from, which Sinclair had been aware of. Dean Domino blackmailed her with chems, though both of them were unaware of the condition. She also suffered from insomnia and exhaustion.

Appearances
Vera Keyes' corpse, recorded voice and holograms in her likeness appear in the Fallout: New Vegas add-on Dead Money. She is also mentioned in Old World Blues with many posters and pictures of her throughout the research facilities. She is also mentioned in the Fallout 4 add-on Far Harbor in dialogue with Gilda Broscoe.

Behind the scenes
One of her songs is heard in-game on the mysterious broadcast radio station added by Old World Blues. It is performed by Stephanie Dowling and Justin Bell, with lyrics by Mikey Dowling and Chris Avellone.