Tony DeSantis
Encyclopedia
Anthony DeSantis, KStJ
(January 5, 1914 – 6 June 2007) was an American entrepreneur
and theater
owner in Chicago
, Illinois
and its suburbs. He is most well known for the foundation of the area's Drury Lane theaters. During DeSantis' lifetime, his empire included 6 separate theaters.
and began his career in show business as a trumpet
player in Chicago. In 1935, he was nearly killed in an explosion at the Glidden
paint factory where he was working. In 1940, he purchased a club on Michigan Avenue
before moving out of Chicago to nearby Evergreen Park
, where he opened the Martinique Restaurant, which was highly acclaimed. He began producing plays in 1949 in a tent adjacent to the restauant to attract customers. The enterprise was successful, prompting him to build his first theatre.
in the 17th century. His five suburban Chicago locations all provided affordable dinner theatre that was appropriate for families. DeSantis claimed that alcohol sales were profitable; if you broke even when operating a theatre, you were successful.
Despite the occasional setback, his Drury Lane Theater empire grew steadily and DeSantis became a wealthy man. He was opposed to mafia
involvement in Chicago show business and in 1958 was involved in an FBI
sting against the Chicago mob. This led to a retaliatory explosion in his Martinique nightclub in 1962. In reflecting on his life in 2005, DeSantis said:
In spite of his opposition to organized crime, DeSantis was involved in at least one political scandal. In 2005, he was linked to former-Governor George Ryan
, to whom he had written several large personal checks. This was brought to light at Ryan's corruption trial.
. This was followed in 1980 by a promotion to the rank of associate knight
in the same Order. DeSantis was a very generous supporter of Roman Catholic charities in Chicago. Tony DeSantis died on 6 June 2007 at age 93 and his funeral mass was said at Holy Name Cathedral
on 18 June 2007.
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
(January 5, 1914 – 6 June 2007) was an American entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and theater
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
owner in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and its suburbs. He is most well known for the foundation of the area's Drury Lane theaters. During DeSantis' lifetime, his empire included 6 separate theaters.
Life and career
DeSantis was born in Gary, IndianaGary, Indiana
Gary is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The city is in the southeastern portion of the Chicago metropolitan area and is 25 miles from downtown Chicago. The population is 80,294 at the 2010 census, making it the seventh-largest city in the state. It borders Lake Michigan and is known...
and began his career in show business as a trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
player in Chicago. In 1935, he was nearly killed in an explosion at the Glidden
Glidden (paints)
The Glidden Company was a paint company started in 1875 by Francis Harrington Glidden, Levi Brackett and Thomas Bolles. The company started in 1875 as the Glidden-Brackett Company; and was renamed later to the Glidden & Joy Company, and in 1890 incorporated as The Glidden Varnish Company. It is...
paint factory where he was working. In 1940, he purchased a club on Michigan Avenue
Michigan Avenue (Chicago)
Michigan Avenue is a major north-south street in Chicago which runs at 100 east south of the Chicago River and at 132 East north of the river from 12628 south to 950 north in the Chicago street address system...
before moving out of Chicago to nearby Evergreen Park
Evergreen Park, Illinois
Evergreen Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 25,044 at the 2009 census.-Geography:Evergreen Park is located at . The suburb is surrounded by the city of Chicago on three of its sides, while Oak Lawn and Hometown border it on the west...
, where he opened the Martinique Restaurant, which was highly acclaimed. He began producing plays in 1949 in a tent adjacent to the restauant to attract customers. The enterprise was successful, prompting him to build his first theatre.
Drury Lane Theaters
The DeSantis theatres were named after the historic Theatre Royal Drury Lane, built in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the 17th century. His five suburban Chicago locations all provided affordable dinner theatre that was appropriate for families. DeSantis claimed that alcohol sales were profitable; if you broke even when operating a theatre, you were successful.
- Drury Lane Evergreen Park was DeSantis’ first theatre in the Chicago area. It opened in 1958 and was a local entertainment landmark for 45 years before closing in 2003.
- Drury Lane Oak Brook Terrace opened in 1984, and it benefited from what DeSantis had learned over the years. The facility uses local performers to keep costs down; the theatre is surrounded by bars, restaurants and banquet rooms; shows are limited to musicals; and there is no charge for parking.
- The original Drury Lane Water Tower PlaceDrury Lane Water Tower PlaceBroadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place is operated by Broadway In Chicago, a Nederlander Presentation. Located at Water Tower Place in Chicago, Illinois, it was formerly known as Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower Place.-History:...
opened in 1976, but closed in 1983. A new, $7 million version opened on May 18, 2004.
- Drury Lane North began operations in 1976, but was soon sold to the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort and became the Marriott TheatreMarriott TheatreThe Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois, USA is a respected Chicago area regional theatre. Attached to the Marriott Lincolnshire Resort, the theatre produces an average of five musicals each year, presented in the round, as well as productions aimed at younger audiences...
.
- Drury Lane East (at McCormick Place) also opened in the 1970s, but failed within a year of its opening.
Despite the occasional setback, his Drury Lane Theater empire grew steadily and DeSantis became a wealthy man. He was opposed to mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
involvement in Chicago show business and in 1958 was involved in an FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
sting against the Chicago mob. This led to a retaliatory explosion in his Martinique nightclub in 1962. In reflecting on his life in 2005, DeSantis said:
"I suppose I could sit on a bench and drink martinis with a starlet on each arm. Nah. I work hard because I am just trying to keep alive."
In spite of his opposition to organized crime, DeSantis was involved in at least one political scandal. In 2005, he was linked to former-Governor George Ryan
George Ryan
George Homer Ryan, Sr. was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Illinois from 1999 until 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. Ryan became nationally known when in 2000 he imposed a moratorium on executions and "raised the national debate on capital punishment"...
, to whom he had written several large personal checks. This was brought to light at Ryan's corruption trial.
Honors and awards
In 1971, DeSantis was made an associate Officer of the Venerable Order of Saint JohnVenerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
. This was followed in 1980 by a promotion to the rank of associate knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
in the same Order. DeSantis was a very generous supporter of Roman Catholic charities in Chicago. Tony DeSantis died on 6 June 2007 at age 93 and his funeral mass was said at Holy Name Cathedral
Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago
Holy Name Cathedral, formally the Cathedral of the Holy Name, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, one of the largest Roman Catholic dioceses in the United States. It is also the parish church of the Archbishop of Chicago...
on 18 June 2007.