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West 67th St. & Central Park West |
History - written by Chris Buchner (used with permission)
Built in 1870 by Jacob Wrey Mould, the Tavern was originally used as a sheepfold that held over 200 South Down sheep. After 65 years, park commissioner Robert Moses decided it would be better served as a restaurant. He began a personal mission to oust Mayor Jimmy Walker's casino from the opposite end of the park. When he succeeded, he moved the sheep to Prospect Park in Brooklyn and began the Tavern's conversion.
In October of 1934, Tavern on the Green opened for business. It thrived for the following few decades, embraced widely by New Yorkers, until 1974. The Tavern had lost touch with the times and went out of business. Warner Leroy, the son of Wizard of Oz producer Mervyn Leroy and Doris Warner (Harry Warner's daughter), bought the restaurant and began a two year $10 million renovation. He added glass-enclosed rooms, elegant furnishings and more. The Tavern reopened in August of 1976, and was back better than ever. For over 30 more years, the Tavern was the place to go for Hollywood premier parties or other prestigious events.
On December 31, 2009 the Tavern held its last seating after 75 years of service. New ownership took effect in 2010, but all of the classic Tavern interior and exterior fixtures and topiaries were sold off via auction in January 2010. More information can be found here.
Fun Facts
- Tavern on the Green is located diagonally across the street from the Shandor Building. Louis approached it coming from the northern path, however the point he entered the park at is located South of the Tavern. (text written by Chris Buchner)
- The statue Louis stands next to when he stops on the path momentarily was actually a prop added by the crew. Throughout the whole movie, the crew was trying to add to New York's gothic style through the use of statues. (text written by Chris Buchner)
- If you'd like to see what the Tavern looks like before before Warner LeRoy bought it in 1974, check out Portrait of Jennie (1948), which shows Joseph Cotten and Ethel Barrymore having cocktails there. (according to the 2005 book "Hollywood: The Movie Lover's Guide - The Ultimate Insider Tour Of Movie L.A." by Richard Alleman)
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Other Photos
- Vintage Tavern On The Green Souvenir Photo (Sept. 27, 1947):
(from my personal collection - the story behind the photo)
Front
Inside Front
Photo
Back
Outside Links
- Official Site
- BUY THE BOOK: "Tavern on the Green: 125 Recipes For Good Times" by Kay LeRoy and Jennifer Oz LeRoy (2009)
- Internet Movie Database: Movies/TV Shows Filmed At This Location (NOT A COMPLETE LIST)
- Photo
- I Am Not A Stalker
- Squigley's GB NY Location Photos
- The Archies eat at the Tarvern in "Archie & Friends" #134 (2009) (buy it here)