Warner LeRoy
Encyclopedia
Warner LeRoy was a New York
businessman. LeRoy was the son of film producer-director Mervyn LeRoy
and Mervyn's second wife, Doris Warner, and was the grandson of Harry Warner
, one of the founders of Warner Bros.
and a major contributor to the development of the film industry.
, Potomac in Washington, D.C.
, Great Adventure, Tavern on the Green
and the Russian Tea Room
.
Tavern on the Green
, located in Central Park
, was one of the most popular restaurants in New York City
. In 1974, LeRoy took over the restaurant's lease and reopened it in 1976 after $10 million in renovations. During a labor dispute in 1989, Warner was quoted as asking, "What do waiters need a pension for?" Warner was known to pay for his employees' children's education. Tavern routinely produced the highest gross revenue of all U.S. restaurants during the years from the 1980s until the early 2000s.
In 1995, LeRoy purchased The Russian Tea Room
, and sank $32 million into renovations. It closed in 2002, one year after LeRoy's death. It later reopened under different ownership.
in 2001.
Warner's son Max was killed in a motorcycle accident in November 2005 at the age of 30; Max was a close friend of Sean Lennon
, who dedicated his 2006 album, Friendly Fire to Max.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
businessman. LeRoy was the son of film producer-director Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy was an American film director, producer and sometime actor.-Early life:Born to Jewish parents in San Francisco, California, his family was financially ruined by the 1906 earthquake...
and Mervyn's second wife, Doris Warner, and was the grandson of Harry Warner
Harry Warner
Harry Morris Warner was an American studio executive, one of the founders of Warner Bros., and a major contributor to the development of the film industry. Along with his three brothers Warner played a crucial role in the film business and played a key role in establishing Warner Bros...
, one of the founders of Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
and a major contributor to the development of the film industry.
Career
Warner founded LeRoy Adventures, which owned and operated the York Cinema, Maxwell's PlumMaxwell's Plum
Maxwell's Plum was a "flamboyant restaurant and singles bar that, more than any place of its kind, symbolized two social revolutions of the 1960s – sex and food" at 64th and 1st Avenue in Manhattan...
, Potomac in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Great Adventure, Tavern on the Green
Tavern on the Green
Tavern on the Green was a privately owned American cuisine restaurant located in Central Park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in New York City. It remained in operation from 1934 to 2009 under various owners...
and the Russian Tea Room
Russian Tea Room
The Russian Tea Room is a restaurant in New York City, located at 150 West 57th Street between Carnegie Hall Tower and Metropolitan Tower.-History:...
.
Tavern on the Green
Tavern on the Green
Tavern on the Green was a privately owned American cuisine restaurant located in Central Park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in New York City. It remained in operation from 1934 to 2009 under various owners...
, located in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, was one of the most popular restaurants in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1974, LeRoy took over the restaurant's lease and reopened it in 1976 after $10 million in renovations. During a labor dispute in 1989, Warner was quoted as asking, "What do waiters need a pension for?" Warner was known to pay for his employees' children's education. Tavern routinely produced the highest gross revenue of all U.S. restaurants during the years from the 1980s until the early 2000s.
In 1995, LeRoy purchased The Russian Tea Room
Russian Tea Room
The Russian Tea Room is a restaurant in New York City, located at 150 West 57th Street between Carnegie Hall Tower and Metropolitan Tower.-History:...
, and sank $32 million into renovations. It closed in 2002, one year after LeRoy's death. It later reopened under different ownership.
Personal life
He had one child, Bridget, with his first wife, Gen LeRoy Walton, and three children with his second wife Kay O'Reilly: Carolyn, Max, and Jennifer. Jennifer became the CEO of LeRoy Adventures at age 22 upon LeRoy's death of complications from lymphomaLymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
in 2001.
Warner's son Max was killed in a motorcycle accident in November 2005 at the age of 30; Max was a close friend of Sean Lennon
Sean Lennon
is an American singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist and actor. He is the only child of John Lennon and Yoko Ono. His godfather is Sir Elton John.-Early life and education:...
, who dedicated his 2006 album, Friendly Fire to Max.