About George's

GEORGE’S

Astor Room remade and remodeled

In honor of the late George Kaufman, founder of Kaufman Astoria Studios, The Astor Room has been renamed George’s.

It was after all his vision that rejuvenated the Studio, the neighborhood and the use of this “commissary” for Paramount Pictures and The Officer’s Club from the 1940’s-1970 into a restaurant where people could see, feel, and taste the history of this 98-year-old studio.

Look for the picture of Rudolph Valentino eating right here and notice the tiled walls, the grand marble staircase and feel the ghosts of the rich Studio history floating around. We have been able to unearth some of these ghosts’ favorite foods.

So besides the new name, George’s has undergone a renovation to make you more comfortable and introduces a new menu that indeed features some of those delectable dishes from the 20’s…An exclusive six-foot spaghetti dish that Valentino challenged his friends and colleagues to eat in one bite, Groucho Marx’s favorite clam chowder with some Animal Crackers (shot right here) thrown in, Gloria Swanson’s vegetable plate, and most important our most recent star George’s favorite hamburger.

Relax and enjoy the food while making a toast to your significant other and the Stars of the past. Ask your waiter and they will be glad to fill you in on the History.

WHERE ARE YOU?

We ask ourselves that all the time.

Kaufman Astoria Studios has been making entertainment history for 98 years. Its doors were opened by the legendary Adolph Zukor and Jesse Lasky in 1920. Eventually, the studio became home for Paramount Pictures, and during the next 20 years, over 120 silent films and “talkies” were produced at the studio.

At the start of WWII, the Studio was taken over by the U.S. Signal Corps and became known as the Army Pictorial Center and a top secret base. During this time the studio was home for the filming and development of every moving image seen by the armed forces.

The Army did this work here until 1970, and after that, the Studio eventually fell into disuse, until a non-profit foundation, now the Museum of the Moving Image, re-opened the big stage in 1977 for the production of “The Wiz.”

In 1980, New York City turned to real estate developer George S. Kaufman to renovate, expand and revive this national landmark. George knew that by creating the best full-service comprehensive studio he could use it as a catalyst to rejuvenate a neighborhood that had fallen on hard times when the Army pulled out. Working with the public and private leaders of the community he was able to achieve his goal.

Today, Kaufman Astoria Studios and its campus has been proclaimed the Kaufman Arts District and is the location for major motion pictures and television shows. Our stages have been graced by actors such as Jennifer Lopez, Matt Damon, George Clooney, Ben Stiller, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Tom Hanks, Edie Falco, Big Bird and many other esteemed stars.

When you look at the big screen or television, it is a good bet that what you are watching was done in New York and probably right here at Kaufman. As Dorothy would say, there’s no place like home.