Quentin Tarantino, a maybe Oscar nominee, now sniffing around B’way . . . Fodor’s named architect Paul Dominguez’s the OUT NYC one of the world’s top 100 hotels . . . Fotog Victor Haim doing Jan. 19 show at Hudson River Music Hall . . . Peddling his crappy cable network to even crappier Al Jazeera, anyone know is Al Gore donating some of that cash to 9/11’s victims fund? . . . Kristen Stewart: “It’s weird, but I can’t say I’m totally happy our whole ‘Twilight’ series is over.”
TODAY’s the farewell to Tony Lip, whose role on “The Sopranos” was New York crime boss. When he played the usual bad guy in “GoodFellas,” he helped director Martin Scorsese learn how the old Copacabana handled the underworld. Tony was a captain there. Copa publicist Sy Presten confirmed his duties included catering to gangsters who frequented the joint. Also picking up the drawers and keys thrown onstage in Tom Jones’ heyday. Goombahs are expected at the funeral.
NOTE to Jamie McCourt, whose acrimonious divorce was from former LA Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. He’s buying a $40 million Manhattan residence. It’s in contract. Broker’s Brown Harris Stevens . . . Gordon Ramsay at the Warwick’s Randolph room inhaling Champagne — French, naturally . . . Jeff Zucker may schlep “Crossfire” back to CNN.
EVERYONE’s publicizing Laurie Metcalf. There’s no newspaper not mentioning Laurie Metcalf. Lest you’re sleeping with Rip Van Winkle and don’t know, Laurie Metcalf opens Thursday, Samuel Friedman Theatre, in director Joe Mantello’s “The Other Place.” A work of arguments, tension, crying, a missing kid, a cheating husband, a little drugs, a little Alzheimer’s. A musical it’s not. She says:
“One perk is that whenever I’m here, the theater puts me up somewhere. Now it’s Midtown. Five-minute walk to the theater. When I worked downtown, the Lucille Lortel got me something in the Village.
“I sort of haven’t a permanent place. I sold my LA house. I’m now in a furnished arrangement. Living like somebody starting out. Even my awards are in a box. I want a home here but haven’t yet pulled the trigger because, when I find it, I’ll probably get a two-year job in Colorado.
“It’s one foot in LA and one here. All I ever want is theater. I started in Chicago, a church basement, at $10 a month. New York’s my favorite place, and Broadway’s my true love. My eldest, Zoe Perry, is in this play with me. Her Broadway debut.
“I wasn’t for her being an actress but, during my nine years on ‘Roseanne,’ she played me as a little girl three times. She went to Northwestern. She auditioned for this part. I stayed out of it. We did it low-key. No pressure. No stress. We approached it professionally. My daughter put herself on tape, and they loved her. She’s very good.
“She lives in the East Village. Close enough so that we sit and knit together. Knitting’s my comfort. It’s portable. Keeps your hands busy when you’re in production, but you can also focus on other things. There are fewer knitters today because now people fiddle with iPhones and iPads. I’m currently making a sweater, except I’m so impatient that I haven’t even checked the gauge, so no idea whom it’ll fit.”
’Tis the week after New Year’s, and all through the doors/every creature is returning on all of the floors.
No matter what, keep your sense of humor. With this economy, it’s the only thing left to keep. It’s all that won’t cost more in 2013.
1935. New Year’s dinner was salmon cocktail, curried lamb, salad, vegetable, dessert, beverage — $2. Beer, 15 cents. Room service, a quarter. Lunch, 40 cents. Blueberry pie an extra dime.
1941. Prices soared. New Year’s Eve — $2.50. Filet mignon, 65 cents. Hotels, $2.95 per night. Custom hats, a dollar. “Fast” 14-hour flights NY to LA” with caviar, smoking, real tickets, skycaps, smiling stewardii, nobody searching your bags, your behinds, your shoes — $88. Round-trip, another $72. Today’s $30,000 courtside seats were then four bucks per behind. Rock Center’s skating rink was 88 cents. Under 12, 65 pennies.
1942 James Cagney starred in “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Onstage, Jimmy Dorsey. Bergman and Bogart were in “Casablanca.” Garbo’s classy East Side rental was an astronomical $125 a month. Fifth Avenue’s double-decker bus, a dime.
1952. New Year’s Day lunch was 70 cents. 56th & Seventh’s Park Sheraton Mermaid Room, Special New Year’s Midnight Supper — no tax, no cover, no minimum, $6. Irving Fields played piano someplace. Now in his 90s, Irving’s still playing. At Nino’s on West 58th. A Broadway moviehouse stage show presented “rising young singer” Tony Bennett.
Barricini chocolates — $1.29 a pound. Today, one lousy small-size movie-house popcorn’s $6.50. The Met, then on 39th, had “Die Fledermaus” with Regina Resnik. Top ticket, $1.50.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.