Toots Shor
A New York saloonkeeper whose boisterous hospitality made his restaurant the essential clubhouse for mid-century sports stars, actors, and politicians.
1903–1977 (age 74)·American restaurateur·Birthday: May 6·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bernard 'Toots' Shor was a Philadelphia-born bouncer who turned his street smarts and immense charm into a social empire. After moving to New York, he opened his first eponymous restaurant on 51st Street in 1940, a cavernous space that quickly became the city's most democratic sanctuary. It wasn't the food that drew people, but Toots himself—a bear of a man who insulted his famous patrons with affectionate glee, calling Frank Sinatra a 'bum' and Joe DiMaggio 'Dago.' His establishment operated on a simple currency: loyalty and laughter. For nearly three decades, his bar was the neutral ground where newspapermen, judges, ballplayers, and Hollywood stars mingled in a cloud of cigar smoke. His decline mirrored that of old Broadway, but his legacy is that of the ultimate host, a man who understood that a great city needs a great living room.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Toots was born in 1903, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Toots Was Born
The biggest hits of 1903
Toots's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1903Born
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Started school
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1916Became a teenager
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Could drive
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Could vote
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1924Turned 21
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1933Turned 30
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 40
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 50
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 60
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 70
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1977Died at 74
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
Key Achievements
- Founded Toots Shor's Restaurant in 1940, creating New York's premier celebrity haunt for decades.
- Cultivated a clientele that included Ernest Hemingway, Jackie Gleason, Joe DiMaggio, and Frank Sinatra.
- Built a business empire that survived multiple locations and became synonymous with post-war New York bonhomie.
Did You Know?
He was a childhood friend of boxer Jack O'Brien, who helped him get his first job in New York as a bouncer.
Despite his success, he lost ownership of his restaurant twice due to tax problems and gambling debts.
A famous anecdote tells of him loaning a large sum of cash to Joe Louis, which the boxer repaid years later.
He was known for his catchphrase, 'Hello, crumb-bum!' a term of endearment for his closest friends.
“The only way to make a small fortune in the restaurant business is to start with a large one.”
