Media Contact: Annet Peairs, Roland Communications (cell: 818-486-7497;
apeairs@rolandcommunications.com)
For Immediate Release
THE TAM O’SHANTER CELEBRATES ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY
THE TAM IS L.A.’S OLDEST FAMILY-OWNED RESTAURANT IN ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION
Founded in 1922 by Lawrence L. Frank and Walter Van de Kamp
LOS ANGELES, June 26, 2012 – The Tam O’Shanter, the oldest family-owned restaurant in Los Angeles in
its original location on Los Feliz Blvd. in Atwater Village, kicked off its milestone 90th Anniversary on
Friday, June 22 with menu specials, a display of 1920s and 1930s vehicles, the 1920s Tin Pan Alley music
of the legendary Ian Whitcomb, and a formal recognition ceremony.
To commemorate their 90th Anniversary, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored the Tam on
June 21 with a custom Walk of Fame plaque presented by President and CEO Leron Gubler. A formal
recognition ceremony on June 22 featured three generations of Frank and Van de Kamp family members
and actors Margaret O’Brien, Beverly D’Angelo, Barry & Stanley Livingston (My Three Sons), Erin Murphy
(Tabitha on Bewitched), Kate Linder (The Young & the Restless), and Barbara Van Orden (Welcome Back,
Kotter). Attending elected officials included Councilmembers Tom LaBonge, Assemblyman Mike Feuer,
Senator Carol Liu, Glendale Mayor Frank Quintero, and the offices of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa,
Councilmember Eric Garcetti, Supervisor Mike Antonovich, Assemblyman Mike Gato, and Congressman
Adam Schiff. British Invasion music legend Ian Whitcomb (“You Turn Me On”) was the emcee.
The Tam features the unique Storybook-style architecture of Hollywood set designer, Harry Oliver, the
Tam O’Shanter opened on June 26, 1922, and became one of the first restaurants in the country to offer
drive-in service. Named after the famous Robert Burns poem and adorned from floor to ceiling with
Scottish décor, the Tam’s fine Hamburger Steaks were the restaurant’s specialty for nearly 40 years until
the introduction of their current specialty, Prime Rib, in the late 50s.
Founded by Lawrence L. Frank and Water Van de Kamp, the Tam O’Shanter remains owned and
operated by the Frank and Van de Kamp families who extended their dining empire to include the Van
de Kamp’s bakery and coffee shop chain and Lawry’s The Prime Rib restaurants. There are only four
known restaurants in all of Los Angeles that are older than the Tam.
During the 1920s, the Tam became a popular celebrity hangout with regulars Rudolph Valentino, Fatty
Arbuckle, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Dorothy and Lillian Gish, Theda Bara, Gloria Swanson and
many others. Walt Disney was the Tam’s most loyal and enduring customer from 1925 to 1939 when he
held court there at table #31. During this period, the Tam O’Shanter was regarded as the Disney
Commissary for their nearby Hyperion Avenue studio. The Tam remained a second home to Disney’s
“Nine Old Men” and much of his staff until the studio moved to Burbank in 1940. The Tam will dedicate
Disney’s table #31 as part of their 90th Anniversary celebrations with a special ceremony in October.
Upcoming 90th Anniversary celebrations include a revival of favorite classic dishes from past decades
such as Country Style Chicken from the ‘20s, Scotch Waffles and Planked Hamburger Steak from the
‘30s, Baked Chicken Pie from the ‘40s, Prime Rib Steak Delmonico from the 50s, and Cock of the North
from the 60s. A variety of community events and fundraising parties are also planned until the end of
the year.
The Tam O’Shanter is located at 2980 Los Feliz Blvd., five blocks east of Griffith Park and the 5 Freeway.
For reservations and information, call 323-664-0228 or visit www.LawrysOnline.com.
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