The Tavern on the Green is a restaurant located in New York City's Central Park just off Central Park West at West 67th Street on Manhattan's Upper West Side. After originally opening in 1934, the restaurant filed for bankruptcy and eventually closed its doors in 2009; however in 2014 it reopened under new management.[1]
History[]
Primary Canon[]
In 1984, Louis Tully fled from Vinz Clortho and ran into Central Park. Louis found himself outside the Tavern but couldn't find a way inside. He banged once on the window. He ran to door. It was locked. Louis whimpered to be let in. Louis knocked a white chair down, then doubled back and hopped over some brush, and banged on the window. He pleaded for someone to let him in. Louis kept on screaming, then turned his head around then his whole body. His back pressed against the window. Despite voicing his distress to the customers and employees inside, Louis was left alone outside with Vinz Clortho, who had caught up to him. Louis tried to talk to him like a person to a regular dog and frantically checked his pocket for a Milk-Bone. Vinz Clortho growled. Louis screamed in terror then slid down to the ground and fainted. The restaurant guests and staff were quiet for a couple of seconds, then resumed their conversations. The music restarted as well.
Secondary Canon[]
IDW Comics[]
Weeks after the Gozer incident concluded, Rebecca Morales interviewed Peter Venkman in Central Park for her book about the Ghostbusters. He led her to the Tavern and stated he was hungry. He misremembered what Louis told him about the restaurant. They got a table outside. Peter made sure the lunch would be paid by Rebecca's publisher. Rebecca tried to ask him about his career at Columbia University and why he never published any papers on his own. Peter claimed he published more than one about the "effectiveness of the behavioral vs. humanistic approach when dealing with the average skell in the five boroughs" through the Mason-Wolf Journal of Tentative Psychology. She asked if he published outside of Parapsychology. Peter reminded her he had more than one degree and added he was in the middle of a "mostly credible" experiment before he parted ways with academia. She noted Dana Barrett told her he liked to deflect. Peter was caught off guard and decided he was definitely ordering dessert. Rebecca continued and told him others said the same thing like Walter Peck. Peter was surprised he was still at the Environmental Protection Agency. Rebecca added Peck told her he was combative. She also revealed she read his report about the Containment Unit. Peter stopped her and wondered how thorough she was trying to be. Rebecca stated she was going to be as thorough as she could be since her name was going on the book. She noted Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore were cooperative. Peter keyed on her saying Ray was cooperative and asked if he talked about The Rose. She asked if he was talking about the night club. A waiter brought them their meals. Peter teased the national press didn't get the juicy details about that bust. He remarked the steak looked perfect and thanked the waiter. Rebecca suspected he brought it up so he wouldn't have to talk about his academic career. Peter told her about what happened at The Rose.
Rebecca was stunned with Peter's idea to have Egon dance. Peter explained that while some ghosts would talk to you like a person, most were straight Id and worked on impulse so if the right thing was dangled in front of them, they couldn't help but manifest. He continued with the story. Rebecca was surprised that was how the bust really went down. Peter quoted Casey Kasem's report about it. Peter admitted he thought it was shame it happened before Winston got hired because he would loved to see his reaction to Egon's Moonwalk. Rebecca suddenly had more questions. Rebecca was handed the bill. Peter bet she did but excused himself for a meeting with his agent about working in television. He asked if she thought the Tonight Show could use a man of his talents. She ran after him outside Tavern and asked him if the story was true or did he just not want to answer any personal questions. Peter answered life could be a real mystery. He thanked her for lunch.
Trivia[]
Ghostbusters (1984) Trivia[]
- While scouting locations and emulating Louis Tully's path from 550 Central Park West apartment, Ivan Reitman saw the Tavern on the Green and decided to use it.[2][3]
- The entire scene was done in October 1983 when the film crew went to New York a week before principal photography started and filmed for three days.[4][5][6]
- John DeCuir dressed the Tavern's entryway with two stone statues in order to tie into the Gothic undertones of the movie.[7][8]
- The girl with the pink bow in her hair, celebrating her birthday at the Tavern on the Green is singer Debbie Gibson. She turns her head and looks at Louis Tully as he screams, face-to-face with Vinz Clortho.[9][10]
Ghostbusters: The Video Game Trivia[]
- In the February 11, 2008 draft revision of Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Peter jokingly mentions Tavern on the Green when he guesses where Ivo Shandor and Ilyssa Selwyn are after the mausoleum rises out of the ground.[11]
IDW Comics Trivia[]
- In Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #1, the Tavern on the Green has been replaced with the Ritz Cafe.
- On page 3 of Ghostbusters International #11, in panel 5, part of the Ritz Cafe, formerly the Tavern on the Green, can be seen.
- The section of map on the Regular Cover of Ghostbusters 101 #4 references the Tavern.
- On Cover B and page 5 of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #1, the New York Times Monday classifieds references Tavern on the Green.
- On page 8 of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #3, in panel 3, the waiter is based on the headwaiter portrayed by Tony Steedman in "Scrooged" which starred Bill Murray.
Tertiary Canon Trivia[]
- On page 29 of Egon's Journal, a supplement of the Hasbro Haslab Ghostbusters Plasma Series Spengler's Proton Pack, it is revealed the Tavern on the Green hosted Peter and Dana's wedding.
Appearances[]
Primary Canon[]
Secondary Canon[]
- IDW Comics
- Ghostbusters Year One
References[]
- ↑ Mail Online 4/23/14 "5 things to know about NYC's Tavern on the Green" Line reads: "Hollywood scion Warner LeRoy took over the restaurant's lease in 1974 and turned it into a sprawling banquet hall that was one of the highest-grossing restaurants in the United States with revenues of $38 million in 2007. But it was hit hard by the 2008 financial downturn and the city Parks Department declined to renew its lease. The restaurant filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, served its last meal on Dec. 31, 2009, and auctioned off its furnishings...This April 13, 2014 photo provided by Tavern on the Green, shows a newly renovated dining room at Tavern on the Green in New York. The once-grand restaurant in Central Park, which has been closed since the previous operators lost their lease and declared bankruptcy in 2009, reopens Thursday, April 24, 2014 under new management. ."
- ↑ Shay, Don (November 1985). Making Ghostbusters, p. 123 annotation. New York Zoetrope, New York NY USA, ISBN 0918432685. Michael Gross says: "The original idea was for Louis to be trapped by the Terror Dog in a dark corner of the park. But Ivan was scouting locations one day, emulating Louis' moves from the time he runs out of the apartment building -- 'Louis runs here, then he runs here, and then he runs ... there!' And there was the Tavern on the Green -- a logical distance for Louis to have run, and a logical place to seek refuge."
- ↑ Joe Medjuck (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 54:32-54:33). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Joe Medjuck says: "This is the real Tavern on the Green."
- ↑ Ivan Reitman (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 53:59-54:00). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Ivan Reitman says: "Was this in October?"
- ↑ Joe Medjuck (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 54:01-54:03). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Joe Medjuck says: "This was when we went a week early."
- ↑ Ivan Reitman (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 54:19-54:29). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Ivan Reitman says: "And that... So I decided I would do, just arbitrarily, three days of shooting without the main cast in October, when actually we started shooting the principle photography in November."
- ↑ Shay, Don (November 1985). Making Ghostbusters, p. 123 annotation. New York Zoetrope, New York NY USA, ISBN 0918432685. Paragraph reads: "Habitues of the Tavern on the Green were no doubt puzzled to see its entryway flanked by two stone statues -- another bit of John DeCuir set dressing designed to enhance the Gothic ambiance of the city."
- ↑ Joe Medjuck (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 54:16-54:18). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Joe Medjuck says: "Another statue that was added by us, this is the real..."
- ↑ Debbie Gibson instagram 6/8/2016
- ↑ Debbie Gibson Facebook 6/8/2016
- ↑ Dille, Flint & Platten, John Z. (2009). Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Draft Revision February 11, 2008) (Script p. 224). Peter Venkman says: "Tavern on the Green?"