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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1961)
Medford, MEDFORD. OREGON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9. 1961 BIG OPERATION Vincent Sardi, right, and his son, Vincent Jr., are shown at a table in Sardi's New Y6rk City restaurant. Sardi Sr., 75, turned the business of feeding actors into a $1 million a year operation. During his childhood, he says, he was considered the "black sheep of the family." (UPI Telephoto) Vincent Sardi Turns Feeding of Actors Into Big Business New York City - Vincent Sardi, who turned the feeding of Broadway actors into a $1 million a year business, po litely passed up eating the lunch at which he was the host. "I just had my 75th birth day and it is time to slow down," he said, looking more like a school teacher in his dark rimmed glasses than the man who has made Sardi's restaurant a Broadway land mark; "No, I am not dieting," he added quickly, noting his dis like of the practice. "Perhaps it is because ram' Italian, but too many ladies today look - ;like scarecrows. They do not eat enough." And Sardi knows his ladies, having been on a first name basis with virtually every feminine. starf'the Broadway stage, since he opened his res taurant in 1921. (However, he insists on calling them by their last names). . ' . Fed for Free He once stuffed oysters with caviar for Gertrude Lawrence,. tossed garlic salad for , Kath-i erine Cornell and fed Celeste Holm-for free in the days be fore she was a theatrical suc cess. "I have opened up savings accounts for lots of young actors and deposited money for them," Sardi recalled. "I have always given them food - but not drink - on credit. I never have gotten stung." It is difficult to pinpoint which came first in Italian born Sardi's life: his interest in the restaurant business or in actors . . , He admitted that iromi bis childhood in Canelli, Italy, he was regarded as "the black sheep of the family" and wanted to leave home. By the age of 14 he was dishwashing for his room and board in a small London restaurant. He spent the first shillings he earned on the theater. But it was not until years later when working. as a wait er at Barthbidi's Inn, New York City's best' theatrical hotel, that he came face to face with the actors. That was when he met his wife Jenny. Held Several Jobs He married her inlflll:and confided his ambition to open a theatrical restaurant. For the next ten years Sardi held several jobs simultaneously to lay the financial groundwork for his dream. It came true in 1921 with the opening of the restaurant at 246 West 44th st. Several years later he moved it to 234 West 44th st. in a build ing built by Producer Lee Shu bert. The oak paneled room was reminiscent of London where the young restauran teur had spent his formative days. Recently Sardi's East was MAKE IT A WEEKEND Pick up an Extra Carton mm m r US 1 lu-8 Tribune opened at 123 East 54th st. to cater to the east side residents who had frequented the Broadway place. Sardi's son Vincent man ages both restaurants. The elder Sardi - known to' all, including many Broadway celebrities, as "Mr. Sardi Sr." supervises the lunchtime traf fic at the east side restaurant because ."the west side one , is so crowded I can't take it." Mrs. Sardi; his first chef and still his favorite cook, re mains in their Manhasset, Long Island home. "She is my main reason for success," he said. "She was hardworking. She had faith in me. That was how we did it together," he said, his Italian accent still strong. He mentioned his wife with especial fondness: : - ..- . Virtually Inseparable "'. . After nearjy 50. years .of marriage the Sardis are. vir; t u a 1 1 y inseparable. They spend (heir time either at home ' or ' with their theater friends. Since they have moved; to , the. suburbs their theater;, going .1? confined mostly , to the opera on alter nate Monday' nights. ' "My husband prefers to eat at home rather than in a res taurant," Mrs. Sardi said. "He is not particular about his food and will eat almost anything I prepare." Sardi has been criticized by some for giving theatrical at mosphere precedence over the elaborateness of cuisine in his west side restaurant. The food is acknowledged to be good, but Sardi himself admitted that "there is no doubt that the theater has been our main attraction.;' - "The theater people will al ways come first and ahead of our other customers," he said. Fluoridation Faces McMinnville Vole 1 McMinnville IUPD Flouri dated water, a recurring prob lem here, may be headed for more trouble even though it was approved by the voters In a general election. A petition seeking another vote on flouridation has been presented to the city council. The measure for flouridation was approved in the Novem ber election. The council said it would meet next Tuesday to set an election date. The petition had been cir culated by a group called the "Pure Water Committee." McMinnville approved wa ter flouridation once before, in 1956, but the proposal was defeated at a second election. Jonas Chickering was the first American to make a pi ano with a full iron frame. It was produced in Boston in 1837. SOCIABLE Police Round Up Overdue Borrowers Of Library Books East Orange; N.J.-IDPD-Came the knock bri, the door, the flash of , authority, the mid night ride to headquarters -and 14 persons faced the desk sergeant on charges of failing to return overdue library books. . "I felt like Public Enemy No. 1,321," said William Ans ley, 36, a salesman.. The arrest broke up a.-bridge game at Ansley's home. "They treated us like we just robbed the First National WEI T V Special! MmmmMmmmisifmm Repeat Special Buy! " Better Quality Corduroy Tapered Double - Value - $ for Just unpacked another 2 ney buyl Fashion favorite . . . per fect fitting fine quality soft finish pinwale corduroy in a wide va riety of new spring colors back zipper styling. 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