Enrico Banducci facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Enrico Banducci
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Banducci outside the hungry i theater, Ghirardelli Square, 1969
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| Born |
Harry Charles Banducci
February 17, 1922 Bakersfield, California, U.S.
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| Died | October 9, 2007 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Impresario |
| Known for | Owner of the hungry i |
Enrico Banducci (born Harry Charles Banducci; February 17, 1922 – October 9, 2007) was an American impresario. An impresario is someone who organizes and often pays for concerts, plays, or other shows. Banducci was famous for owning the hungry i nightclub in San Francisco's North Beach area.
At the hungry i, he helped start the careers of many famous performers. These included The Kingston Trio, Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, Bill Cosby, Jonathan Winters, and Barbra Streisand. He also featured stars like Woody Allen and Dick Cavett before they became very well-known. The club was also famous for its brick wall stage background, which became a common feature for stand-up comedy shows. Banducci bought the hungry i in 1950. He also started other businesses, like the Clown Alley hamburger stand and Enrico's Sidewalk Cafe, a restaurant and jazz club.
Early Life and Career
Harry Banducci was born in 1922 in Bakersfield, California. His parents, Fred and Meda, were Italian Americans. At age 13, he moved to San Francisco to study music. He wanted to learn from the main violinist of the San Francisco Symphony.
Banducci played the violin to support himself when he was young. He also enjoyed singing opera with his deep voice. He changed his first name to "Enrico" because he admired the famous opera singer Enrico Caruso. He began wearing a beret (a soft, flat cap) after a health inspector said he needed to cover his hair while working with food. He kept wearing it later to hide his baldness.
Banducci bought the hungry i club for $800 in 1948. He made a lot of money from his projects over the years. However, he spent it all on a fancy lifestyle, including a yacht and many trips. He faced some financial challenges with the hungry i club. Newspaper writer Herb Caen often wrote about Banducci's interesting life. Also, Les Crane and Ira Blue had live radio talk shows from inside the hungry i club in the early 1960s.
A Special Tribute
In 1981, many famous comedians and performers came together to honor Enrico Banducci. They filmed a TV special called The hungry i Reunion. Stars like Mort Sahl, Jonathan Winters, Professor Irwin Corey, and Ronnie Schell were part of it. The film also included memories from Bill Cosby, Maya Angelou, and Phyllis Diller. Maya Angelou had started her career at Banducci's club, performing Caribbean songs.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1988, after his Enrico's restaurant closed down for a while, Banducci started a hot dog stand. He sold hot dogs and homemade Italian food in Richmond, Virginia. He called it the "hungry i hot dog stand." He had bought the land for his son years earlier. This small stand was in a fancy restaurant area, which surprised the other restaurant owners. Banducci moved back to San Francisco in the late 1990s.
Enrico Banducci passed away peacefully in his sleep in South San Francisco, California, when he was 85 years old.
Banducci's life was even shown in a movie. Actor Jon Polito played him in the 2014 film Big Eyes. This movie was directed by Tim Burton and starred Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz.
