Latest news with #DanTana
New York Times
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Dan Tana, Whose Clubby Red-Sauce Restaurant Drew Stars, Dies at 90
Dan Tana, a promising teenage soccer player who defected from Communist Yugoslavia, bounced around teams in Western Europe and Canada, won a big poker game one night in 1956 and high-tailed it to Hollywood, where he opened the buzziest and most beloved Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, died on Saturday in Belgrade. He was 90. The death, at a hospital, was caused by cancer, his daughter Gabrielle Tana said. In 1964, after stints as a Beverly Hills maitre d' and a character actor, Mr. Tana (pronounced TAN-uh) opened his restaurant, named Dan Tana's and known as just Tana's. It occupied a 1929 bungalow, formerly home to a burger joint, and fit a little over a dozen tables. Tana's both did and did not perpetuate the spirit of the building's rustic origins. On the one hand, Tana's became the kind of restaurant where different tables might be occupied by Brad Grey, the chairman of Paramount Pictures, and Sumner Redstone, the chairman of Viacom — Mr. Grey's boss's boss. Generational succession transpired: Johnny Carson ate there before Jay Leno, Julie Christie before Cameron Diaz. Drew Barrymore was widely described as having had her diapers changed right on the bar. Yet other regulars included Luis the 911 operator; a lawyer known for his ponytail; a woman who ran a safari company; and David Naylor, Hollywood's 'Bachelor No. 1,' a serial dater of starlets, who labeled attendance at Los Angeles's other restaurants 'amateur hour.' On a scale of 1 to 10, The Los Angeles Times reported in 1989, 'the people-watching at Tana's rates 10.' It was often compared to New York's best-known clubhouse canteens, like Elaine's and Rao's, and Mr. Tana himself to its leading restaurateurs, like Toots Shor. The restaurant's hipness depended somehow on its orthodoxy. The interior and the menu remained locked in midcentury America's imagination of an Italian restaurant — including after a fire in 1980, when customers pleaded with Mr. Tana to exactly replicate the old saloon, and after Mr. Tana sold it to a friend in 2009. 'She didn't change anything,' Mr. Tana boasted to Air Mail in 2021 about his successor, Sonja Perencevic. 'Dan Tana's is as much a part of the Hollywood landscape as fan palms, Botox and tanning salons,' Air Mail wrote. The average experience of a night at Tana's went something like this: You walked under a green awning into a space so dark your eyes took a second to adjust. The décor was repeatedly described as 'bordello red': red Naugahyde booths, red-and-white checked tablecloths, red Christmas-tree lights on the ceiling and, everywhere, mounds of marinara sauce. Your table, lit by candlelight, would generally occupy a dark, recessed corner. Your waiter would not be the Los Angeles archetype — a beautiful but incompetent aspiring young actor — but instead, dressed in black bow tie, a professional, courteous gentleman from the former Yugoslavia. Mr. Tana himself, though frequently attending to his international soccer interests in London or Belgrade, where he had homes, might also stop by your table to greet you. He had an athlete's build — six feet tall, broad shouldered — but also the sophistication of a confident speaker of Russian, German, French, Italian, English and Serbo-Croatian. 'His manners are old world: He is one of the few men who can carry off kissing a woman's hand,' Los Angeles magazine reported in 1997. 'He does it swiftly, smoothly and without hesitation, the same way he lights your cigarette.' Ordering was, in a sense, not hard: 'Everything looks and pretty much tastes the same,' The Los Angeles Times wrote in 2006. A 1987 reviewer for the paper was more generous, crediting the cuisine with 'two varieties: red and white.' Even the New York strip steak came with pasta. But who thinks to order dishes called 'veal Jerry Weintraub,' 'chopped salad Nicky Hilton,' 'steak Dabney Coleman' or 'braciola Vlade Divac' for culinary reasons? The scene was the point. So many Los Angeles athletes visited that Craig Susser, a longtime maitre d', became superstitious about what he called the 'trading table.' Wayne Gretzky and Mr. Divac had sat there before being traded by their teams. Protectively, Mr. Susser refused to give the table to Shaquille O'Neal. Regulars during the 1970s described a particularly rowdy era: the musician Nils Lofgren serenading strangers with an accordion while high on acid; a fight between an agent and a producer over a third man's wife that left enduring blood stains on the restaurant's carpeted floor. 'Our best clients are the regulars who come at least once or twice a week,' Mr. Susser told The New York Times in 2005. 'Even a studio chief might not get a booth at the last minute if they haven't been in for a while.' Mr. Susser, who had the tab of an early date with his wife unexpectedly picked up by George Clooney, considered himself the Tana's heir apparent — until 2009, when Mr. Tana sold out to Ms. Perencevic, an independently wealthy friend, also from the Balkans. In 2011, Mr. Susser opened a rival restaurant, called Craig's, not far away, drawing investors partly from Tana's regulars. The New York Times asked Mr. Tana for comment. He brushed off the defection with an empire builder's long historical view. 'Craig was my eighth manager in almost 60 years,' he said. 'With each one, I lost some new customers and regained some old ones.' Dobrivoje Tanasijević was born on May 26, 1935, in Cibutkovica, a small town outside Belgrade, where he grew up. His father, Radojko, was a restaurateur. His mother, Lenka (Miloseviv) Tanasijevic, resourcefully kept the family afloat during World War II, when Radojko was arrested. He was considered an ally of the old ruling classes by the Yugoslav Communists, and he wound up becoming an accountant at one of the restaurants he had owned. In the early 1950s, Dan, still a teenager, was on the farm team of Red Star Belgrade, a professional soccer club. The team traveled to Belgium, where he got into a fight with the chaperone. He and a couple of friends promptly defected. After playing soccer in the Southern German League and in Montreal, he won his big poker game and set out for America. He changed his name when his fledging acting career began. He tended to play Germans, Russians, gangsters, communists, fascists and criminals, he told Los Angeles magazine. 'I always got killed, and I never got to kiss the girl,' he added. He earned a living by working at restaurants like La Scala, in Beverly Hills. When some friends were having trouble running a pub called Domenico's Lunch Spot, he offered to take over the lease for a dollar down and subsequent payments over the years amounting to $30,000. Initially, there was little indication of the restaurant's future success. One winter evening in 1966, the only customers were a party of six. Mr. Tana decided to comp them appetizers. One diner turned out to be Art Ryon, a columnist for The Los Angeles Times. He called Tana's 'new and charming,' boasting 'tasty stracciatelle' and the distinction of being 'the only restaurant in town that serves Chicken Lisbon.' While presumably smiling wryly at his typewriter, Mr. Ryon added, 'Reservations might be wise.' 'From then on, we never had a night when we served less than 220 dinners,' Mr. Tana told Variety in 2014. Mr. Tana's name gained a widespread sense of vague familiarity when he agreed to lend it to the main character of 'Vega$,' a series about a private eye named Dan Tanna that ran on ABC from 1978-81. His first marriage, to Andrea (Wiesenthal) Tana, ended in divorce. He married Biljana (Strezovski) Tana in 2006. In addition to his wife and Gabrielle, he is survived by another daughter from his first marriage, Katerina Tana. Unlike other Los Angeles restaurants, the walls of Tana's do not have signed pictures from movie stars so much as soccer paraphernalia. There is a poster — but it is from 'Vega$.' A bartender told The Observer of Britain that this aloofness was actually the restaurant's appeal to Hollywood. 'All these stars come to Dan Tana's because of Dan Tana,' he said. 'I think they know he's a man with a history. Sure, he's one of them; but he's different: He's lived a very different life.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Farewell to Dan Tana: The man behind LA's legendary ‘Little Yellow House'
Image: Dan Tana, the unforgettable restaurateur behind the iconic West Hollywood spot Dan Tana's, has passed away at the age of 90, leaving behind a legacy as rich and comforting as his famous chicken parm, Variety reported. Born as Dobrivoje Tanasijević near Belgrade, Serbia, Dan Tana began his life journey as a professional soccer player, weaving in and out of Canada's leagues. Then he shifted gears, tried his hand at acting, and even appeared in The Enemy Below in 1957. Eventually, he found his calling, in hospitality, starting as a dishwasher at Villa Capri and later maître d' at La Scala. In 1964, Dan Tana took over a humble burger joint on Santa Monica Boulevard and transformed it into Dan Tana's, a cozy Italian-American gem serving hearty classics like chicken Parmesan. He envisioned it as a late-night hideaway, because back then, if you wanted decent pasta after midnight, your only option was a diner. Slowly but surely, it caught fire, especially after Richard Burton became a regular. Soon enough, stars like Johnny Carson, Elizabeth Taylor, John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, and the Rat Pack were all elbows-deep in fettuccine. The lore says Vega$ even named its main character, 'Dan Tanna,' after the man himself. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Could This NEW Collagen Blend Finally Reduce Your Cellulite? Vitauthority Learn More Undo What made Dan Tana's magic wasn't the fanciest menu, it was the vibe. Wooden booths, red-and-white-checkered tablecloths, and green neon glows, it felt like the L.A. you didn't know existed anymore. As some classics shut their doors in the city, Dan Tana's held on, staying just the same. Patrons could vanish for years and come back, and the same bartender would remember their favorite drink. On August 16, 2025, the restaurant posted a simple, heartfelt tribute: 'The great Dan Tana has passed on. We all know that he created a very magical place. Our beloved little yellow house will forever feel his presence. 'Dan started out working for La Scala and The Villa Capri in the 1950s. It was working for those classic eateries that encouraged him to open his own! And he did just that. He was always proud of where he came from and what he accomplished, a former soccer star from Yugoslavia." 'Dan had wonderful stories about Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, James Dean, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis. In fact Robert Urich's character was named after Dan Tana on the classic TV show, 'Vega$.' 'Today Dan Tana's is owned by his dear friend Sonja Perencevic who's kept it exactly the same since 1964. 'This man is a legend, and as you know a legend never dies.' Dan Tana's journey, soccer, acting, and then creating a home for stars, reads like a good screenplay. But the real screen magic happened in that dining room, where storytelling happened one table at a time.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Legendary LA restauranteur Dan Tana known for celebrity clientele dead aged 90
Legendary Los Angeles restauranteur Dan Tana has died at the age of 90. The business owner was the founder of the eponymous Santa Monica Boulevard eatery frequented by A-listers from old Hollywood and new. Tana died in the city of Belgrade in his native Serbia on Saturday, the LA Times reported. The staff of Dan Tana's announced his death in a post on Facebook. 'The great Dan Tana has passed on. We all know that he created a very magical place. Our beloved little yellow house will forever feel his presence,' the post read. 'Dan started out working for La Scala and The Villa Capri in the 1950s. It was working for those classic eateries that encouraged him to open his own! And he did just that. 'He was always proud of where he came from and what he accomplished, a former soccer star from Yugoslavia. 'Dan had wonderful stories about Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, James Dean, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis.' The post claimed that Robert Urich's character in the show Vega$ was named after Tana. Today his resaurant is owned by his frind Sonja Perencevic who has kept it exactly the same since 1964. 'This man is a legend, and as you know a legend never dies,' the post concluded.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dan Tana Dies: Former Owner Of Celebrity-Frequented West Hollywood Eatery Was 90
Dan Tana, the erstwhile actor-turned-restaurateur whose eponymous West Hollywood eatery was a hotspot for celebrities for the past half century, has died at the age of 90, the restaurant's staff announced on Facebook. 'The great Dan Tana has passed on,' the post read. 'We all know that he created a very magical place. Our beloved little yellow house will forever feel his presence.' More from Deadline Pete Davidson Reflects On Canceling 'Bupkis' & Being In "Purgatory" With NBCUniversal Over The Decision: "They Were Not Pleased" Charisma Carpenter Addresses Whether She Will Be In 'Buffy' Reboot Gal Gadot Says "Pressure" To "Speak Out Against Israel" Led To 'Snow White' Flopping: "I Was Disappointed" 'Dan started out working for La Scala and The Villa Capri in the 1950s. It was working for those classic eateries that encouraged him to open his own! And he did just that. He was always proud of where he came from and what he accomplished, a former soccer star from Yugoslavia,' the statement continued. 'Dan had wonderful stories about Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, James Dean, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis. In fact Robert Urich's character was named after Dan Tana on the classic TV show, Vega$. Today Dan Tana's is owned by his dear friend Sonja Perencevic who's kept it exactly the same since 1964. This man is a legend, and as you know a legend never dies,' the obit concluded. Born Dobrivoje Tanasijević in former Yugoslavia's Belgrade, Tana's background was in professional soccer, for which he moved to Canada to pursue. Deciding to forgo his sports career, Tana relocated to Hollywood, where he started out as a dishwasher, before moving up to be maître d'hôtel. At the time, Tana also began undertaking drama lessons with Jeff Corey, whose pupils included Natalie Wood, Angie Dickinson and Kim Novak. After Americanizing his name, he had his feature film debut in 1957's The Enemy Below, later appearing in series like Peter Gunn. He opened Dan Tana's Restaurant in 1964, taking over Dominick's hamburger stand on Santa Monica Boulevard. Featuring typical New York Italian fare and making the decision to keep the place open later than usual, the establishment was propelled to success after a glowing Los Angeles Times review in 1966 significantly bolstered its customer base. Due to its location being a stone's throw from famed music venue and nightclub Troubadour, Dan Tana's was frequented by the likes of Elton John, Bette Midler, Axl Rose and Springsteen. Since the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was previously housed around the corner, the establishment also drew other notable attendees like Kirk Douglas, John Wayne, Jack Nicholson, Cameron Diaz and Johnny Carson, who proclaimed it as his favorite L.A. restaurant during an episode of The Tonight Show after guest Richard Burton complained about being turned away from one of its coveted 17 tables. Since accumulating a star-studded clientele, the restaurant has named a number of its signature dishes after A-listers, including veal cutlets named after Jerry Weintraub and George Clooney, shrimp scampi Jerry Buss and New York steak Dabney Coleman. Prior to his death, Tana sold the restaurant to current owner Perencevic in 2009 and retired to Belgrade, Serbia. Best of Deadline 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries Julian McMahon: His Life & Career In Photos From 'Nip/Tuck' To Doctor Doom & More Remembering Michael Madsen: A Career In Photos
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Dan Tana, founder of eponymous L.A. restaurant known for celebrity clientele, dead at 90
Dan Tana, the restaurateur whose eponymous Santa Monica Boulevard eatery has for decades been a Hollywood hotspot — one with dishes named for celebrities who are liable to be there on any given night — died in Belgrade, Serbia, on Saturday. He was 90. Tana, born Dobrivoje Tanasijević, was a professional soccer player before opening the clubby red-sauce Italian restaurant in 1964, running it until he sold it in 2009. By then, its reputation as a favorite of A-listers had been cemented by the regular presence of devotees including Elizabeth Taylor and Kirk Douglas. The details of Tana's death were confirmed by L.A. historian Alison Martino, a friend of the restaurant's current owner, Sonja Perencevic, who purchased it from its founder. Martino, who runs the eatery's Facebook page — where a message posted Saturday announced Tana's death — said that Perencevic was close with the former proprietor and had been with him in Belgrade on Friday. Martino said she did not know the cause of death. 'Dan lived a wonderful life, and we will keep Dan Tana's in his memory forever,' Perencevic said in a statement relayed by Martino, who was at the restaurant on Saturday night. Born near Belgrade, Tana played professional soccer in Canada before immigrating to the United States, where he studied acting. He debuted in the 1957 war film 'The Enemy Below,' according to Variety. While seeking acting jobs, the trade publication reported, Tana started as a dishwasher at the Villa Capri restaurant in Hollywood, before eventually becoming the maitre d' at La Scala in Beverly Hills. That lined him up for a career in food. Before long, he was opening Dan Tana's near the eastern edge of Beverly Hills. He told the Hollywood Reporter in 2014 that he'd wanted to create an establishment where stars could dine late into the night. 'There was not a decent restaurant serving until 1 a.m. You had to go to a coffee shop,' he told the Reporter. But Dan Tana's was not an immediate hit. It eventually gained a following after actor Richard Burton, a seven-time Academy Award nominee who married Taylor the year the restaurant opened, became a regular presence. It received a jolt in the 1970s, when the Troubadour, a neighboring music venue, began booking big acts such as Elton John, drawing large crowds to the area. The restaurant, with its red-and-white-checkered tablecloths, and green neon sign, soon became a local institution. It has long been known for the discreet way it caters to the movie stars and moguls who slide across its channeled red booths. George Clooney, former Lakers owner Jerry Buss and heiress Nicky Hilton are among the eclectic bunch of notables with menu items named for them, and the routine presence of celebrities has only burnished the eatery's aura — especially among tourists hoping for a table. But guests aren't necessarily coming for four-star food. The menu eschews the sort of regional Italian cooking that has for years been a staple of the Los Angeles dining scene. Instead, Dan Tana's offers comfort-food fare such as fettuccine Alfredo and chicken Parmesan. In 2016, Times restaurant critic Jonathan Gold penned a memorable review of Dan Tana's, relating the time he took a high school crush there on a date, only to embarrass himself: 'The waiter laughed when I tried to order wine, and then served us Sprite in wine glasses. The bill came to $20 more than I had in my wallet. She groaned and pulled out the credit card her parents had given her for emergencies.' As for the food, Gold called some of it 'ordinary,' but noted, 'Weirdly enough, I don't care,' noting the restaurant's place in L.A.'s culinary firmament. He went on to highlight dishes including the chicken parm, and instructed readers, 'Dan Tana's is not about denying yourself things.' In the years since Tana sold his restaurant and retired to Belgrade, several landmark L.A. haunts have shuttered, Greenblatt's Deli, the Original Pantry Cafe and Papa Cristo's Greek Grill & Market among them. Dan Tana's has endured, Martino said, in part because it can still deliver a charming, old-world experience. 'When ... you walk in, the world stops,' she said. 'That's what I love about it — the history and the food. The staff has been the same: you could leave L.A., come back after five years and come in and they will remember your favorite drink.' Martino sent The Times a video of an impromptu toast made in Tana's honor at the restaurant on Saturday night. Flanked by tuxedoed servers and the maître d', Martino announced the founder's death, mostly silencing the crowded dining room. 'We do not need to be sad,' Martino said. 'Mr. Tana would want us to be happy.' Guests raised their glasses. And the din of a busy restaurant soon returned.
