Dave

Our Town Tommy Curtis

• Report rights infringement
• published: 23 Jan 2017
• views: 28

A Ockershausen: This is Andy Ockershausen and this is Our Town, and this is a special, special broadcast for me, a podcast, to introduce this man that I’ve known for many, many, many years. The actual creator ofthe iconic American phrase, “meetin’ and greetin’,” my guest is a local legend according to the Washington Post, and according to WMALFM. He was a Yale man also, and has the unique distinction of having appeared on the front page of the Post Style section, Metro section, Sunday magazine, and a story on page one. In addition, the City Paper profiled him in a lengthy cover piece. Further, he is a subject of an acclaimed filmmaker, Dave Nuttycombe’s short documentary, Match Me if You Can. My guest today is Tommy “The Matchmaker” Curtis, and he’s back from Hollywood. Tommy, welcome to Our Town. Tommy Curtis: All of that is because of you, sir. I got to tell you, this is the man that discovered me. A Ockershausen: You can’t blame me for that, Tommy. Tommy Curtis: It is, it’s true. A Ockershausen: You are Hollywood royalty. Your family, they must have had great roots in New York, where your family’s originally from. Correct? Tommy Curtis: Exactly. My grandfather was Gentleman Jack Cohn, and my uncle was the, what do you call it? I don’t want to say hated, but the very controversial Harry Cohn. A Ockershausen: Harry Cohn. Tommy Curtis: He was King Cohn A Ockershausen: A studio mogul. Tommy Curtis: Right. A Ockershausen: The first time I ever heard the word, mogul, it was about Harry Cohn. Tommy Curtis: Gentleman Jack, they argued consistently over the years, because he was the business end, and King Cohn was this guy that was actually, they say- A Ockershausen: The creative part of the business? Tommy Curtis: Yeah. You know what? In the movie, The Godfather, the legend is that was my uncle Harry’s horse, in his bed. A Ockershausen: Is that correct? Tommy Curtis: Because he gave the part to Sinatra in From Here to Eternity, that made Sinatra’s career. That’s the story, I understand. That’s a myth, or whatever. A Ockershausen: Yeah, but it’s a good story. Tommy Curtis: Yeah. A Ockershausen: That’s unusual to have the business side in New York and the creative side in Hollywood. Tommy Curtis: Exactly. A Ockershausen: Your family was the New York side. Tommy Curtis: Right. A Ockershausen: You’ve got so much to talk about, Tommy, but I ran into your name the first time when you were running for the office. I don’t know whether it was the school board or something with the city, and you had a place called Wayne’s Love on K street. I couldn’t believe it. I said, “Here’s the guy, a saloon owner, wants to be on the school board. What is this all about?” Tommy Curtis: May I just say one thing about that? John F. Kennedy’s grandfather, Honey-Fitz, was a saloon owner too. I used that all the time in those days. I said, “Well, it’s not that bad.” Don’t forget, I did go to Yale, so I’m not completely- A Ockershausen: You’re a Yale man. Tommy Curtis: I’m a Yale man. That was the little castle on K street; you’re right. A Ockershausen: What a great place thought. K street was beginning to come alive then, right? Tommy Curtis: Right. Of course. A Ockershausen: The city was beginning to come alive. Tommy Curtis: Singles were starting. A Ockershausen: Singles bars were happening all over town. Tommy Curtis: I opened up, I was going to say The Yacht Club, but that’s another story. A Ockershausen: Yeah, that’s later. Tommy Curtis: That’s later. A Ockershausen: The Yacht Club is much later. Tommy Curtis: Wayne’s Love opened, I think six weeks before the legendary [Mike O’Hara 00:03:15] opened up the Gentlemen II. We were lifelong friends and competitors. A Ockershausen: Two saloons. Tommy Curtis: Exactly. A Ockershausen: You shared the wonderful services of Linda Roth Tommy Curtis: That’s right. It’s very incestuous. It’s amazing, but true. A Ockershausen: That’s wonderful. Tommy Curtis: Yeah. A Ockershausen: How did you get the club? What was it called? Not the Bombay Club, the one in the Carlton. What was your club’s name? Tommy Curtis: That was the Polo Club. Read the entire transcript here: http://ourtowndc.com/tommy-curtis-matchmaker/