CROATIAN RESTAURANTS, HOLLYWOOD and TELEVISION

Adam S. Eterovich

Croatian Americans and their restaurants have appeared in Hollywood movies to catering to the cream of Hollywood’s actors and actresses. A number have appeared on Television as Chefs with cooking programs. The following three made their mark in America:

ZANKICH, MITCH Restaurant-Film “The Birds”

The Tides Wharf Restaurant and parking lot in Bodega Bay, California were used for the gas station, cafe and boat dock scenes in Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds”. The Tides complex has been expanded and remodeled several times since then. When the 1960’s owner of The Tides, Mitch Zankich, allowed Hitchcock to use the restaurant in “The Birds”, he made three stipulations: the town in the movie would be called “Bodega Bay;” the male lead played by Rod Taylor would be named “Mitch;” and Zankich would receive a “speaking part.” If you’re listening at the right moment, you can here him say those immortal words: “What happened, Mitch?” In the years following the film’s release, whenever the film was aired on television, The Tides called in extra staff the following day to accommodate the curious. Local Hazel Mitchell worked as a Tides waitress during the filming and waited on the famous director -- who only wanted “green beans and filet of sole and nothing else, Miss” - as well as the stars of the film. The waitress in the movie bears an uncanny resemblance to a youthful Hazel. Unfortunately, these structures burned down in the late sixties. They stood at the current location of the entrance to University of California Bodega Marine Laboratory dormitories. In one of the opening scenes, Tippi Hedren is driving into Bodega Bay on a winding scenic road above the town. Bay Hill Road can be found entering Highway One both north and south of town. At the north end, drive up about a mile until you can safely turn around, come back and park alongside the road and have a look. It’s almost the very same scene that was filmed over 30 years ago. Nearly 40 years later, the Visitor Center in Bodega Bay received thousands of Hitchcock fans every year, hoping for a glimpse of some scenery from the movie that continues to frighten the world.

SARICH, JOHN Chef-Restaurant-TV Cooking & Wine-Writer

Few chefs enjoy access to a greater bounty of world-class wines and fresh foods than John Sarich. “It’s incredibly exciting to live in the Pacific Northwest,” says John. “Not only do we have an outstanding variety of ingredients from the land and sea, we also have exceptional wines from the Columbia Valley, where long summer days and crisp autumn nights produce ideal conditions for well balanced wines.” John joined Washington’s Chateau Ste Michele Winery in 1976, and his enthusiasm and knowledge of the wines and food of the area is unsurpassed. He conducts cooking classes, wine and food tastings, wine dinners and special events throughout the US and internationally. He also presents training seminars and classes for wine and food professionals and aficionados around the world. In 1980, John left Chateau Ste Michele to pursue his dream of owning a restaurant. He founded Seattle’s acclaimed Adriatica Restaurant and later opened Dalmacija Ristoran in Seattle Pike Place Market. While at Adriatica, John was selected by Esquire magazine as one of the country’s “hot new chefs” and listed by The Seattle Times as one of the city’s top five chefs. After returning to Chateau Ste Michelle as Culinary Director in 1990, John hosted the Emmy-nominated cooking show Taste of the Northwest for four years. His first cookbook, John Sarich’s Food & Wine of the Pacific Northwest was published in 1993 and his second book, John Sarich at Chateau Ste Michele was published in 1997. Both books continue to inspire cooks across the country. John is currently working on his new television series (Best of Taste – Flavors of the Pacific Coast) the companion cookbook for which was published in April 2001 by SeaHill Press.

DUJMOVICH, MATTEO Restaurant-Gambling Hall-Variety Show

Los Angeles’ oldest restaurant, the Goodfellows Grotto, will end the year next Thursday, December 31, 1953 by locking its doors forever. If its faded paintings, corroded metal chandeliers and crumbling walls could speak to today’s throngs on Main St.. they would recall nostalgic memories of famous guests. Long decades ago- the divine Sarah Bernhardt. Two weeks ago- Jack Dempsey at one table and John Wayne’s wife, Esperanza, at another. And in between these years- every Los Angeles Mayor, every District Attorney, every Governor, every Senator and hundreds of other public officials have eaten in the steak, chop and seafood house which has only a 20-foot frontage at 341 S Main Street. With them have been stars of the sports world- Jim Flynn, the only man who ever knocked out Jack Dempsey (Flynn ran bar at 3rd and Main) and Jim Jeffries (who ran a bar right behind Good Fellows on Spring St., beside the old Empress Theater). And in the little curtained booths behind the private door marked “Family Entrance” have sat the stars of yesteryear who appeared in the Grand Opera house, two blocks north on Main St., or in the Belasco, two doors north of Goodfellows, or the Adolphus (later called the Hippodome) across the street. “I guess we’ve been here too long. The town has moved away from us,” explained John L. Dujmovich yesterday. He is the son of Matteo C. Dujmovich, born on the Island of Brac, Dalmatia who founded Good Fellows in July, 1905 in Los Angeles, California. John Dujmovich assumed operation of the restaurant after the death of his father, and with the assistance of Curley Arnerich and Mike Kovacevich, ran the Grotto until it closed for good on December 31, 1953. The elder Dujmovich was second cook at the old Baldwin in San Francisco before he ran a gambling hall and variety show in Phoenix.  He tried restaurant work again in San Diego and returned to found Goodfellows Grotto in Los Angeles when Main St. was the hub of the theatrical and sports world. Within two or three blocks, mostly on Main and Spring, were the city’s great stores- the N.B. Blackstone Co., F. B. Silverwood, Desmond’s, Hale’s, Hamburger’s (predecessor of the May Co.), the J.W. Robinson Co., Harris & Frank and the Coulter Dry Goods Co. When Goodfellows opened the Orpheum behind it had vaudeville, the Belasco had a stock company playing “What Happened to Jones” and the Mason was boasting of Nat. C. Goodwin “and an excellent supporting company.” (Only three decades ago the Mason was still in its prime, with David Warfield playing Shylock in “Merchent of Venice.”) The older Dujmovich, a Croatian, proved a successful restaurateur from the start. All his steaks were charcoal broiled. His bouillabaisse, lobster thermador and boiled crab were quick favorites. For luncheon, his filet of sole and cracked crab remained popular to the end. Joseph Scott and the criminal trial wizard, Earl Rogers, led parades of lawyers from courtrooms to the restaurant. It survived competition from neighboring Mme. Zucca’s and the Victor Hugo. (Columnist McIntyre once pointed out that Los Angeles’ most expensive and cheapest restaurants were next door to each other. One was the old Victor Hugo’s; the other was a 5-cent hot dog stand.) As years passed, some customers died. But the rest kept returning. George (Curly) Arnerich, 68, who has been with Goodfellows for 42 years as a waiter, recalls many. Lewis Stone and H.F. Sinclair used to come often,” he said.  Joe E. Brown, Zasu Pitts and Edward G. Robinson still come in. I’ve served Clark Gable, Adolphe Menjou, and Chiefs of Police all the way from Chief Sebastian to Chief Parker. I remember Mayor Snyder and Mayor Porter well. Mayor Cryer used to come in almost every day. Mayor Poulson hasn’t appeared so frequently. “Governors? I remember Jim Rolph, Gov. Young and Gov. Merriam well. They always brought friends.  “Movie people? Louis B. Mayer has eaten here many times- and still does.” Catholics like Joe Scott and Appellate Justice Thomas P. White have patronized the Grotto often because it is near St. Vibiana’s Cathedral. Board Chairman Victor H. Rossetti and other officers of the city’s oldest bank, the Farmers & Merchant, found it only a few steps from their doors at 4th & Main.

Only the Goodfellows’ walls know how many big business deals or lawsuits have been settled at the tables seating a total of 75 in the main room or the booths holding 75 more. I decided to tell my crew of 22 that we’ll have to close Dec. 31 I gave notice to the bank, which represents an estate owning the building. “I suppose they’ll tear it down and make this another auto park,” Dujmovich said wistfully. “I’ll be sorry...I don’t have any plans to reopen anywhere else at present.” (Zeman, R. 1953)