Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Here & There Column 5-15-12


Goldstein & Sunshine Were Hotel Icons 

  If the remains of the former great Grossinger Hotel could talk they would certainly offer many great memories about former well known employees Louis "Lou" Goldstein and Morton "Morty" Sunshine. 
  Louis passed away April 2 and Morton died April 26. Both men were in their 90's.
  Lou Goldstein served as Activities and Entertainment Director and this is where he honed his famous version of the "Simon Says" game while Morty was popular at the hotel as its general manager.
  Goldstein while attending college at Long Island University became quite a notable basketball player there and this actually brought him to the Catskills and Grossinger's.
  Lou and his famous "Simon Says" game created many TV appearances on shows such as "Be Our Guest", "Mike Douglas", "Celebrity Superstars",  "ABC Superstars", "John Davidson Show", "Merv Griffin", "Dick Clark Show", "Battle of the Networks Stars", "Kids Are People Too", "Wonderama", "Canadian Superstars", all over 125 television appearances. 
  During his years (1948-1986) at Grossinger's Lou did half time shows for the NBA, NHL and baseball featured his nationally known "Simon Says".
  Lou was certainly an icon of this area and everywhere he worked he always make the audience laugh.
  Morty in his early working days worked with his father and then went out on his own into advertising and publicity. He went back into the hotel business and opened The Doral Hotel and Country Club in Miami and then went on to open hotels in Puerto Rico and Mexico. 
  In 1964 Jennie Grossinger asked Morton to come to Grossinger's to help out following the death of Harry Grossiner. In addition to serving as general  manager for over 7 years he was also the general manager at the Granite in Kerhonkson.
  His passion to teach got him his Master's degree at Empire College and he taught at both the Woodbourne and Sullivan Correctional facilities. He also became at NYS inspector at Monticello Raceway testing horses for drugs.
  Monty also loved raising Great Danes for several years.
  These two outstanding professionals will long be remembered for adding so much over the  years to the historic Sullivan County hotel industry. 

                                                          

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