When I was ten years old, I asked my parents for a tape recorder so I could record my grandfather’s stories. I had always loved listening to him speak about his childhood and his restaurant, Nathan’s Famous of Coney Island. One day while my grandparents were visiting, I started recording my grandpa. He sat next to me on the edge of my bed. Fifteen minutes into the interview, my grandma Ida knocked on the door, calling him to eat. We never finished our talk.
Luckily, my cousin David Sternschein also interviewed our grandfather, and the recorded words of Nathan Handwerker represent an important historical document about a fascinating real-life figure. I was also lucky to be able to reach out to so many people who offered their recollections of Nathan Handwerker. They were his sons, grandsons, in-laws, other relatives, employees, patrons, as well as a few public figures. I would like to extend my gratitude once again to all those who cooperated in helping me chronicle my grandfather’s life.
Interviews
Marsha Abramson (public relations for Nathan’s Famous), Dewey Albert (founder of Astroland amusement park in Coney Island), Maria Argano (worker at Nathan’s Famous), Pat Auletta (Coney Island businessman and longtime patron of Nathan’s Famous), Paul Berlly (sales manager for Hygrade Provisions), James Bologna (longtime worker at Nathan’s Famous), Hy Brown (former general manager of Nathan’s Famous), Jay Cohen (former general manager of Nathan’s Famous), John Doorman (formerly of Philip’s Candy in Coney Island), Jack and Leah Dreitzer (longtime former worker at Nathan’s Famous and his wife, sister of Ida Handwerker), Richard Eagan (cofounder of Coney Island Hysterical Society), Maxine Eimicke (wife of Victor Eimicke, consultant at Nathan’s Famous), Aaron Eliach (accountant at Nathan’s Famous), Stan Fox (Coney Island worker and longtime patron of Nathan’s Famous), Ed Fuerst (former worker at Coney Island Nathan’s Famous), Sol Gabor (former worker at Nathan’s Famous), Luis Gargulio (longtime patron of Nathan’s Famous), Hal Ginsberg (former worker at Nathan’s Famous), Marty Greenfield, Dorothy “Dottie” Handwerker (wife of Murray Handwerker), Ida Handwerker (Nathan’s wife and my grandmother), Joe Handwerker (Nathan Handwerker’s nephew and right-hand man, former vice president of Nathan’s Famous), Minnie Handwerker (my mother), Murray Handwerker (Nathan Handwerker’s son and my uncle), Nathan Handwerker (my grandfather, founder and owner of Nathan’s Famous), Phillip Handwerker (Nathan Handwerker’s brother), Sam Handwerker (Joe Handwerker’s son and a longtime former worker at Nathan’s Famous), Sol Handwerker (Nathan Handwerker’s son and my father), Steve Handwerker (Nathan Handwerker’s grandson, Murray’s son, and my cousin), Sidney Handwerker (Nathan Handwerker’s nephew and former worker and manager at Nathan’s Famous), Officer Jerod (policeman on the beat in Coney Island), Max and Claire Kamiel (good friends of Nathan and Ida Handwerker), Stewart Kampel (longtime patron of Nathan’s Famous), Kenny Knudsen (longtime patron of Nathan’s Famous), Ed Koch (former NYC mayor), Gary Lapow (longtime patron of Nathan’s Famous), Albert Lasher (public relations for Nathan’s Famous), Bob Levine (worked at Oceanside Nathan’s Famous), Herman Levinson (longtime patron of Nathan’s Famous), Sol Litchman (longtime worker at Nathan’s Famous), Bill Livert (worked with Murray at Nathan’s Famous Oceanside/Roadside Rest), Marvin Lubeck (former worker at Nathan’s Famous), John Manbeck (Brooklyn historian), Morty Matz (public relations), Larry Moyers (longtime patron of Nathan’s Famous), Wayne Norbitz (present COO of Nathan’s Famous), Johnny Poa (former worker at Nathan’s Famous), Lou Posner (longtime patron of Nathan’s Famous), Jimmy Prince (owner of Major’s Meat Market on Coney Island), Izzy Rodriguez (longtime worker at Nathan’s Famous), Charles Schneck (former head of personnel at Nathan’s Famous), Hyman and Lena Schuchman (brother-in-law and sister of Nathan Handwerker and co-owners of the Atlantis in Coney Island), Joe Sciammetta (former worker at Coney Island), Al Shalik (manager at Nathan’s Famous and general manager at Snacktime), George Shea (public relations and host of Nathan’s Famous hot dog contest), Sol Sidelman (former worker at Nathan’s Famous), Hyman Silverglad (former worker at Nathan’s Famous), Anna Singer (Nathan Handwerker’s sister and Coney Island custard stand operator), Frank Soto (former general manager of Nathan’s Famous), Doris and Morris Sunshine (longtime patrons of Nathan’s Famous), Joel Thames (longtime patron of Nathan’s Famous), Richard Traunstein (former worker in the dining room at Nathan’s Famous), Felix Vasquez (former worker in dining room at Nathan’s Famous), and Dick Zigun (founder of Coney Island USA).