I have used an image of the entrance way, which has changed little through the years, as opposed to a shot of the interior as designed by LeRoy
Tavern on the Green is Closed
Warner LeRoy: First an Impresario; Second a Restaurateur
Tavern on the Green had a long history in New York City’s Central Park before its last owner, Warner LeRoy took over in 1973. After three years of renovations with enormous cost overruns, the restaurant reopened with a hodgepodge of molded plaster ceilings and crystal chandeliers, statues and murals, it became one of the top-grossing restaurants in the country, mainly accommodating tourists, despite its mediocre food.
Warner LeRoy (March 3, 1935 – February 22, 2001), was the son of film producer-director Mervyn LeRoy and his second wife Doris Warner, and was the grandson of Harry Warner, one of the founders of Warner Bros. and a major player in the development of the film business. 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. Warner’s son Max was killed in a motorcycle accident in November 2005 at the age of 30.
Maxwell’s Plum opened in April, 1966, it was know for its outlandish Art Nouveau decor, kaleidoscopic stained-glass ceilings and walls and Tiffany lamps. The sprawling bar became a favorite prowling spot for the 1960’s singles set and the design became the model for many other chains that followed who copied it including T.G.I. Friday’s.
The Russian Tearoom closed for renovation in 1996 when the Tea Room’s longtime owner, Faith Stewart-Gordon, sold the restaurant to Mr. LeRoy in 1995. After its opening it garnered mostly negative reviews for the food although, as usual for his operations, it gained attention as a spectacle.
