Kriendler, H(arold) Peter 1905–2001

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Kriendler, H(arold) Peter 1905–2001

(Peter Kriendler, Mr. Pete)

PERSONAL: Born 1905; died December 21, 2001, in New York, NY; married; wife's name, Jeanette. Education: Graduated from St. Lawrence University Law School.

CAREER: "21" Club, New York, NY, manager, beginning 1970s.

WRITINGS:

(With H. Paul Jeffers) "21": Every Day Was New Year's Eve: Memoirs of a Saloon Keeper, Taylor Publishing (Dallas, TX), 1999.

SIDELIGHTS: H. Peter Kriendler is the coauthor of "21": Every Day Was New Year's Eve: Memoirs of a Saloon Keeper, In the work, Kriendler and H. Paul Jeffers recount the history of the legendary 21 Club, located at 21 West 52nd Street in New York City. Founded as a speakeasy during Prohibition by Kriendler's older brother, Jack, the 21 Club featured sliding doors, chutes, collapsing shelves, and hidden storage areas designed to hide alcohol from law-enforcement officials. Over the years, the 21 Club began to attract an elite clientele from the worlds of business, entertainment, the arts, sports, and politics. The restaurant was known for its strict code of discipline (no staff member was allowed to call a customer by his first name), as well as its extravagant, expensive menu (grouse was served for lunch the day after the shooting season opened in Scotland).

Kriendler took over management of the establishment during the 1970s; in 1997, the family sold the club to an international hotel and restaurant developer. In the New York Times Book Review, David Murray called "21" "a graceful and affectionate memoir of the fabulous decades of what was one of America's most elegant restaurants and saloons," and Booklist critic Joe Collins stated, "The history of 21 is rich, and we're all at the bar to listen to the anecdotes."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Jeffers, H. Paul, and H. Peter Kriendler "21": Every Day Was New Year's Eve: Memoirs of a Saloon Keeper, Taylor Publishing (Dallas, TX), 1999.

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 15, 1999, Joe Collins, review of "21": Every Day Was New Year's Eve: Memoirs of a Saloon Keeper, p. 1657.

New York Times Book Review, July 25, 1999, David Murray, review of "21", p. 17.

OTHER

Public Broadcasting System Web site, http://www.pbs.org/ (December 15, 2004), "New York: A Documentary Film," interview with Kriendler.

OBITUARIES:

PERIODICALS

New York Times, December 23, 2001, William Grimes, H. Peter Kriendler, Ninety-six, Operator of '21' Club," p. A40.