Dorothy Draper Decorates with Flair

Dorothy Draper was born into an aristocratic family in Tuxedo Park in New York. Although Draper had no formal education, she was “constantly in touch with surroundings of pleasant good taste.” Her family traveled extensively throughout Europe, further enhancing Draper’s understanding of her surroundings. After marrying Dr. George Draper, Dorothy redecorated their home with such flair that her high society friends were asking her to do the same for their homes.

Draper created her own style, which is known as Modern Baroque today, taking classic styling and adding a modern flair. Ornate moldings and plaster designs combined with exuberant combinations of color are the signature of a Dorothy Draper design. She was famous for her use of cabbage rose chintz upholstery.

Her first big break in interior design came in 1930 when she was asked to redecorate the Carlyle Hotel on Madison Avenue in Manhattan. In the early 1950s, Draper was asked to design auto interiors for Kaiser-Frazer Corporation and Packard Motor Car Company. The latter collaboration resulted in a pink polka dotted truck. Draper is also credited with professionalizing the interior design industry in the U.S.

Draper designed interiors for The Essex House in New York, the Beverly Hills Hotel and The Fairmont in San Francisco, along with the Drake Hotel In Chicago and The Plaza in New York. In addition, she designed a variety of hotels, hospitals, department stores, airplanes, theatres and residences around the world. Draper also designed furniture lines for Heritage and Ficks Reed Co. along with a fabric line for F. Schumacher. Many of her pieces survive today and can be seen in hotel and apartment building lobbies. Several museum displays of her work have been put together and shown across the country as well. Well-known interior designer Carleton Varney penned her biography, titled, “The Draper Touch.”

Tim Tebow Joins the N.Y. Jets

Tim Tebow will soon become a New Yorker following his trade to the New York Jets. This trade occurred just one day after Tebow’s current team, the Denver Broncos, signed Peyton Manning as their starting quarterback. Tebow will be the backup quarterback for the Jets, filling in for starting quarterback Mark Sanchez.

Tebow won two national championships for the University of Florida before being a first round draft pick for the Denver Broncos. He is known for kneeling to pray after victories, a pose that has become known as Tebowing. He’s outspoken in his Christian beliefs and even painted a Bible verse on the black streaks beneath his eyes until the NFL banned the practice.

The Jets, who finished last season 8-8, are hoping for a shot at the Super Bowl this year, however, oddsmakers believe Tebow will neither help nor hurt the Jets’ chances. Their odds at a Super Bowl win still stand at 25 to 1.

Leah Remini Tweets About Being Fired from The Talk

Brooklyn-born Leah Marie Remini is known for her role as Carrie Heffernan on “The King of Queens," a CBS sitcom that ran for nine seasons. Remini also appeared as a co-host on the CBS talk show “The Talk,” until she was fired from the show last summer. Remini made headlines this week because of the posts she’s made on Twitter, blaming Sharon Osborne, another co-host on “The Talk,” for getting her and Holly Robinson Peete fired from the show. Remini tweeted that Osborne thought she and Robinson Peete were ghetto, as well as awkward and not funny. She states that Osborne’s interview on Howard Stern’s satellite radio show in December tipped her off about who was behind the firing.

Osborne responded to Remini’s claims on Twitter earlier this week, stating that she had nothing to do with Remini or Robinson Peete’s departures from the show. Remini countered Osborne’s comment by stating that Osborne has her phone number and if she wants to clear up the situation she could call her. Remini is currently filming a pilot for an ABC television show.

Basketball's MVP: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Since we’re in the midst of March Madness, let’s take a look at a famous basketball player who was born in New York City in 1947. Born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr., Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was raised in a Catholic home and attended a Catholic school in Manhattan.

Alcindor played for the UCLA Bruins for three years and was one of the major contributors to the team’s 88 wins and only two losses in that time. He was named Player of the Year twice during his college basketball career, along with being a First Team All-American three times. He refused to join the U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball team in 1968 to boycott the unfair treatment of African-Americans in the U.S.

Although Alcindor was offered  $1 million to play for the Harlem Globetrotters, the seven-foot, two-inch athlete declined and was selected first in the 1969 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. He was also chosen first by the New York Nets, but the Nets bid too low, so Alcindor ended up playing for the Milwaukee Bucks. Alcindor was named the NBA Rookie of the Year and helped get the team to the playoffs in the 1970-71 season. After the Bucks won the championship, Alcindor changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a Muslim name that translates from Arab as generous servant of God.

Abdul-Jabbar continued to play for Milwaukee until 1974 when he stated that the Midwest did not suit his cultural needs. He requested a transfer to either Los Angeles or New York and was acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1975. He continued to play for the L.A. Lakers until 1989 when he announced his retirement after 20 seasons of professional basketball.

After his retirement, Abdul-Jabbar turned his sights on coaching. He worked as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers as well as the Seattle SuperSonics. He was also the head coach of the Oklahoma Storm basketball team in 2002. He led the team to a championship, but his coaching contract was not renewed the following year. He worked as a scout for the New York Knicks before returning to Los Angeles in 2005 to serve as a special assistant coach.

Jesse Eisenberg Dazzles the Silver Screen

Screen actor Jesse Eisenberg was born in Queens in 1983. His father was a college professor and his mother a professional clown who performed at birthday parties. Eisenberg loved acting and began performing in children's theatre when he was 10. He performed in an off-Broadway play as well as a short-lived television series before landing his first feature film role his senior year in high school. He received the Most Promising New Actor award at the San Diego Film Festival for his role in that film, titled "Roger Dodger."

Although Eisenberg has more than a dozen feature films to his name, the role that catapulted him into the limelight was that of Mark Zuckerberg in the movie, "The Social Network." Eisenberg even received a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for the role. The film star shows no sign of slowing down. He's got several new movies due out in 2012 as well as a few in pre and post-production.

Duncan Phyfe: Master Furniture Maker

Scottish native Duncan Phyfe was the preeminent furniture of the nineteenth century. After apprenticing with a cabinetmaker, Phyfe, a poor immigrant, relocated to New York City in 1792 and opened his furniture making business two years later. Through hard work and determination, along with his exceptional talent, Phyfe acquired wealth and fame. He created beautifully crafted pieces and sold them at low prices, making him one of the leading furniture makers of his time.

During his early years, Phyfe produced neoclassical furnishings that was sold to the elite in New York, Philadelphia and in the South. Later in his career, Phyfe moved into the antique style of the 1820s, characterized by an archaeological look, as well ash the Grecian style popular during the French Restoration period. Throughout his life, Phyfe incorporated a wide range of classical styles into his work, including Empire, Federal, French Classical, Regency and Sheraton, but he is famous for the simple style of his pieces. He typically used mahogany wood for his pieces, staining them with rich colors and finishing them with a high sheen.

In addition to his impeccable furniture styling, Phyfe was a shrewd businessman with strong commercial instincts. His competitive pricing resulted in a very successful business enterprise. He rarely signed or marked his pieces in any way and his designs were often shamelessly imitated by other furniture makers of the time, so it is difficult to determine which pieces are actually his without bills of receipt and other paperwork.

Phyfe's pieces were in high demand between 1805 and 1820 and he was a prominent figure in the furniture industry until his retirement at the age of 77 in 1847. His pieces are still coveted by collectors, though most collectors are only interested in signed pieces or pieces that have been proven authentic.

David Baltimore's Nobel Prize for the Discovery of Reverse Transcriptase

New York is one of the few cities that can claim it is the birthplace of a Nobel prize winner in every category. While some Nobel categories only boast one native New Yorker as a winner, others, such as chemistry, physics, economics and medicine, have had several New Yorkers as winners over the years.

David Baltimore, who was born in New York in 1938, was awarded a Nobel Prize in the physiology or medicine category in 1975. He shared the award with Howard Temin and Renato Dulbecco for their discovery of how tumor viruses interact with cells in the human body. Baltimore discovered an enzyme called reverse transcriptase (RTase), which is required for a certain class of viruses, called retroviruses, to reproduce. His research was crucial to learning how retroviruses, such as the HIV virus, infect cells and reproduce within the human body. Baltimore also discovered the NF-kB protein complex, which controls transcription, as well as the recombination activating genes RAG-1 and RAG-2, which help with the rearrangement and recombination of genes.

Teddy Roosevelt: One of New York's Finest

Theodore Roosevelt was born in what is now the Gramercy section of New York City in 1858. As a child Roosevelt was sickly, suffering from asthma and other ailments. He enjoyed natural history and studied fervently, even writing a paper titled “The Natural History of Insects,” at the age of 9. Roosevelt was homeschooled before attending Harvard College where he excelled in science, philosophy and rhetoric. He studied the role the U.S. Navy played in the War of 1812 while at Harvard, publishing a book on the subject after he graduated.

After graduating in 1880, Roosevelt learned he had a heart condition. Instead of following the doctor’s suggestion to find a desk job, Roosevelt embraced an active lifestyle. He attended Colombia Law School, but dropped out when offered the opportunity to run for New York Assemblyman. Roosevelt served as New York Assemblyman before retiring to his ranch in the Dakota Territory. He returned to New York in 1887 after a brutal winter wiped out his cattle along with his $60,000 investment and entered the political arena once again.

During the Spanish-American War, Roosevelt gathered a group of cowboys from the Western territories to form the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, which the newspapers dubbed the “Rough Riders.” The Rough Riders were made famous by their charges up San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill. Roosevelt was nominated for a Medal of Honor for his actions during the war, however, he was not awarded the medal until 2001.

Roosevelt was elected governor of New York in 1898 and was selected as McKinley’s running mate in the 1900 presidential election. McKinley was assassinated on September 6, 1901, making Theodore Roosevelt the 26^th President of the United States. Roosevelt went on to serve one additional elected term as President. In March 1909, Roosevelt embarked on a safari through east and central Africa. Roosevelt and his hunting party killed and trapped more than 11,000 animals, ranging from insects and rodents to larger game, including elephants, rhinoceroses and hippopotamuses. The salted animals and their skins were shipped to Washington where the skins were mounted and put on display at the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History.

Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for the negotiations that ended the Russo-Japanese War. He is the only U.S. President to be awarded a Medal of Honor and a Nobel Peace Prize.

Anne Hathaway to Play Catwoman in Next Batman Movie

Anne Hathaway was born in Brooklyn in 1982 to Gerald Thomas Hathaway, a lawyer, and Kathleen Ann McCauley Hathaway, an actress who inspired her daughter to pursue acting. After performing in a range of plays, Hathaway was cast in the Fox television show "Get Real" when she was 16. Two years later, she was cast in her first movie role in the Walt Disney drama “The Other Side of Heaven.” Before production could begin, Hathaway auditioned for and won the lead role in Disney’s “The Princess Diaries,” beating out 500 other girls for the chance to play Princess Mia Thermopolis.

Since then Hathaway has starred in a wide range of comedic and dramatic roles in such movies as “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Alice in Wonderland,” “Becoming Jane,” and “Brokeback Mountain.” She plays Catwoman and Selina Kyle in latest Batman movie, “The Dark Knight Rises,” due out later this year. Hathaway is also stepping into the role of Fantine in the film adaptation of the musical “Les Miserable,” which is based on the epic Victor Hugo novel.

New York Health Insurance with a Purpose

Finding affordable health insurance that meets your own unique needs does not have to be a lifelong pursuit or an exercise in futility. Could the multitude of options, restrictions, limitations, co-this, and supplemental-that be more confusing? New York-based PJP Health Agency Inc. is on a mission to educate consumers and simplify the process of finding the right policy. Established in 2008 and headquartered in Garden City, the nationwide company consists of expert licensed agents and forward-thinking executives who have discarded the traditional business-as-usual approach to streamline the process of buying medical insurance and make it decidedly more customer friendly.

By visiting PJP Health University, consumers can learn everything they always wanted to know about health insurance. Rather than just listing policy choices, the site explains major medical plans, supplemental major medical options, and various types of deductibles, benefit periods, and limits. It discusses covered expenses and the differences between HMO, PPO and POS plans, and explains co-payments, coinsurance, and maximum out-of-pocket expenses, giving concrete examples. The site also describes the new federal mandates for health insurance and their impact on individuals.

Once a customer understands the healthcare choices available through the firm, he or she can speak to a licensed agent for a free quote. PJP then assists the individual in enrolling in a plan. The Cadillac of plans, comprehensive major medical coverage, provides the most protection for the greatest number of possible scenarios, so it should be the first choice in most cases. When that is not possible for various reasons, including cost, PJPHealth Agency finds the next best option. The company sums up its goal as “inform, advise, and execute.” Its ultimate mission is to find every American affordable health care.

Rudolph Giuliani: The Man Who Restored New York's Hope

New York native Rudolph Giuliani was born in 1944 into a working-class family. He earned his undergraduate degree from Manhattan College in the Bronx and received his law degree from the New York University School of Law in Manhattan, graduating with honors. Giuliani served as a clerk for Judge Lloyd McMahon, a United States District Judge in New York before joining the U.S. Attorney’s office in 1970.

In the ensuing years, he worked his way up, taking on a variety of positions both in New York and Washington, D.C., before being appointed the Associate Deputy Attorney General in 1975. Giuliani returned to New York City in 1977 and practiced law at Patterson, Belknap, Web and Tyler for five years.

After serving as the Associate Attorney General, Giuliani was appointed the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, where he was effective in jailing drug dealers and fighting organized crime, as well as fighting the corruption in government and prosecuting white-collar criminals. He was responsible for 4,152 convictions during his term with only 25 reversals, a record that few U.S. Attorneys in history could beat.

Giuliani first ran for mayor of New York City in 1989, but lost to David Dinkins. In 1993, he ran again with a campaign centered on quality of life, reducing crime and improving business and education. He was elected the 107^th mayor of New York City and served two terms.

While Giuliani was mayor, he reduced overall crime by 57 percent and murder by 65 percent. He also reduced taxes by more than $2.5 billion and helped more than 640,000 New Yorkers get off welfare and become financially self-sufficient.

After his two terms as mayor, Giuliani remained politically active. In 2008, he competed in the New Hampshire primary as well as several other primaries, but after poor results, he withdrew from the presidential election and endorsed John McCain. Although there were rumors about Giuliani running for president in 2012, however, Giuliani announced he would not run in October of 2011.

Jay-Z Making Headlines

Rapper Jay-Z is one of the more successful rappers in the U.S. He is also a successful entrepreneur, record producer and actor with a net worth of more than $450 million. The rapper has received 13 Grammy Awards and has sold more than 50 million albums. Born Shawn Corey Carter in Brooklyn, New York, Jay-Z is part owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team, owns the 40/40 Club and created the clothing line Rocawear.

In 2008, Jay-Z married R&B star Beyoncé Knowles. Time magazine named them the most powerful couple in 2006 and Forbes named them the top-earning couple in Hollywood with a combined income of $162 million. To honor the birth of their daughter, born on January 7, 2012, Jay-Z released the song, "Glory." The song reveals some of the struggles the couple encountered during pregnancy. Their two-day old daughter's cries are included at the end of the song. The power couple, who named their daughter Blue Ivy Carter, have recently made headlines because of their attempt to trademark their daughter's name. Trademarking Blue Ivy Carter will prevent other companies from profiting off the name, which some consumers may assume is connected to the child.

Vera Wang: Designer Extraordinaire

From couture wedding gowns and eveningwear to t-shirts and nightgowns, Vera Wang has the fashion world covered. The fashion designer also designs shoes, handbags and women's accessories, along with china and bed and bath linens. Prior to beginning her illustrious career as a fashion designer, Wang worked as a senior fashion editor at Vogue for 17 years and worked as a design director for Ralph Lauren for two years. She opened her first design salon in 1990in the Carlyle Hotel in New York City.

Wang was born and raised in New York City. She started figure skating at the age of 6 and competed at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 1968 with partner James Stuart. Wang did not make the U.S. Olympic figure skating team, so she decided to enter the fashion industry instead. After graduating from The Chapin School, Want attended the University of Paris and received an art history degree from Sarah Lawrence College.

In addition to designing a full range of women's clothing from casual attire to ball gowns, Wang has designed figure skating costumes for several famous skaters, including Michelle Kwan and Nancy Kerrigan. She also designed the uniforms currently being worn by the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders.

Many celebrities and political figures have chosen Vera Wang wedding gowns and eveningwear, including Chelsea Clinton, Avril Lavigne, Maria Carey, Sharon Stone, Kate Hudson and Kim Kardashian. The First Lady Michelle Obama has also worn Wang's evening gowns.

While the award-winning designer is famous for her wedding gowns, she expanded her offerings in recent years by launching her Simply Vera Vera Wang line, sold exclusively through Kohl's department stores. This line includes casual yet sophisticated clothing and accessories for everyday wear as well as fragrances, jewelry, eyewear and a full home collection.

Wang has appeared in several movies and television series. She also released a book in 2001 titled "Vera Wang on Weddings." Her awards include a CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year award in 2005 and the André Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement Award. She was inducted to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2009 for her costume designs.

Rosie O'Donnell Plays Matchmaker

Rosie O’Donnell played matchmaker this past weekend while at the Super Bowl. While conducting an interview with Jenny McCarthy for XM/Sirius Satellite radio, Jenny admitted she had a crush on Tim Tebow. When O’Donnell discovered that Tebow was also in the building for an interview, she took McCarthy to meet him. O’Donnell first introduced herself, then McCarthy. She stated that she thought the two of them would be perfect together. McCarthy and Tebow were able to chat for a few minutes before Tebow’s interview, and the pair did exchange phone numbers.

O’Donnell, a New York native, has worked as a comedienne, actress and talk show host over the years. She currently hosts a talk show on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). The show is filmed in the same Chicago studio where The Oprah Winfrey Show was filmed. In addition to hosting her own talk show, O’Donnell blogs, is a LGBT activist and a television producer.

Lady Gaga: Born This Way

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta was born in New York in 1986. While you’ve probably never heard of her, you have no doubt heard of Lady Gaga, which is her stage name. She signed on as a songwriter with Streamline Records in 2007 after withdrawing from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. While working as songwriter, recording artist Akon took note of her vocal talent and signed her to his record label. Her first album, which included the hits “Poker Face” and “Just Dance,” came in 2008 and was an instant success with critics and listeners alike. Lady Gaga’s 18-month second tour, The Monster Ball Tour, kicked off in 2009 and is one of the top grossing concerts of all times. The tour promoted her second album The Fame Monster, which boasted the hits “Bad Romance” and “Telephone.”

Her third album, released in 2011, included the hit “Born this Way.” She is known for her outlandish outfits and unique hair and make up. Lady Gaga is also an advocate of tolerance and actively speaks out on bullying. She announced at the end of 2011 that she will launch the Born This Way Foundation this year. According to a press release, the foundation will “explore the best ways to reach youth and create a new culture of kindness, bravery, acceptance and empowerment.” The foundation launches on February 29, 2011 and will work in partnership with The Berkman Center at Harvard as well as their Graduate School of Education, the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and several other organizations. The purpose of Gaga’s foundation is to promote self-confidence and well-being through mentoring, advocacy and career development, as well as to promote anti-bullying. The foundation kick-off includes a day of events designed to promote awareness of these issues at Harvard University.

Donald Trump Endorses Mitt Romney

The Donald held a press conference earlier today to declare his endorsement of Mitt Romney for the 2012 presidential election. The event took place inside Trump Towers in Las Vegas. After making the announcement, the New York native stated, “Mitt is tough. He’s smart, he’s sharp. He’s not going to allow bad things to continue to happen to this country that we all love. So Gov. Romney, go out and get ‘em. You can do it.” Trump’s announcement comes two days before the Nevada caucuses where Romney is the favorite, according to the polls. Several news sources, including the Associated Press, originally reported that Trump would endorse Newt Gingrich.

While Romney left the stage just moments after the announcement was made, Trump lingered and welcomed questions from the press. When questioned about the endorsement for Gingrich, Trump stated that the two were friends and that he knew Gingrich wanted his endorsement. When the press asked Trump’s thoughts about Ron Paul, he answered in true Donald fashion, saying, “He’s just got no chance of being elected. Personally, I think he’s wasting a lot of time.”

Matthew Broderick Brings Back Ferris Bueller

Tony-award winning actor Matthew Broderick has starred in a wide range of plays and movies throughout his career. While his list of credits is extensive, the movie that made him a household name was undoubtedly "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," a 1986 John Hughes comedy and one of the top comedies of the '80s. In the movie, Broderick plays Ferris Bueller, a teenager who decides to play hooky from school and gets into one sticky situation after another.

Broderick went on to play a variety of roles, including an Air Force pilot in "Project X" and a Civil War officer in "Glory." He was also the voice behind the adult Simba in Disney's "The Lion King" animated film. In addition, he added dark comedy roles to his repertoire with films like "The Cable Guy" and "Election."

In 2001, Broderick stared as Leo Bloom opposite Nathan Lane in the Mel Brooks' musical, The Producers, on Broadway. He continued to play Leo Bloom on Broadway until 2003. A couple of years later, he reprised the role on the silver screen in the movie adaptation of the musical, which was based on movie by Mel Brooks. In 2011, Broderick starred in "Tower Heist" and several other films. He will be starring in the Broadway musical, Nice Work if You Can Get It, this spring.

The native New Yorker married actress Sarah Jessica Parker in 1997 and the couple has three children, a son and twin girls. Broderick has been making headlines lately due in large part to a Super Bowl commercial set to air this Sunday during the big game. In the commercial, Broderick revives his Bueller persona and calls in sick to work for a day filled with fun and mayhem in his 2012 Honda CR-V. Although Broderick does not go by the name Ferris Bueller in the commercial, the references to the movie are plentiful and fans of the movie will recognize the background music. To see the humorous commercial, tune in on game day or click here.

A Sneak Peek at a Long-Awaited Sequel

Vin Diesel released the first image from his newest movie, the as-yet untitled sequel to "The Chronicles of Riddick," on his Facebook page earlier this week. The movie, due out some time next year, stars Diesel, along with Karl Urban and Kattee Sackhoff. David Twohy, who directed the original Riddick movie as well as its low-budget predecessor "Pitch Black," is directing the third installment.

Born in New York City as Mark Sinclair Vincent, Diesel began going by the name Vin while he was working as a bouncer at a nightclub in New York City. Diesel came from his friends who claimed he ran on diesel fuel because of his high energy. Diesel has dabbled in screenwriting and film making over the years. He received his first big break when he was cast as Richard B. Riddick in "Pitch Black" in 2000. A series of successful action movies have turned Diesel into the star he is today. He has been cast in dramatic roles in such films as "Boiler Room" and "Saving Private Ryan," as well as comedic roles in films like "The Pacifier." A sixth installmant of the popular "The Fast and the Furious" film franchise has also been announced and is expected next year.

Murray Handwerker: A True American Entrepreneur

Nowadays, hot dogs are as American as baseball and apple pie, but that wasn't always the case. Originally from Germany, hot dogs began appearing in the U.S. in the late 1800s. Thanks to the business acumen of men like Charles Feltman, who began selling hot dogs at Coney Island in New York in the 1870s, hot dogs quickly became associated with amusement parks, baseball games and fairs.

Polish immigrant Nathan Handwerker, another shrewd businessman of the time and a former employee of Feltman's, began selling hot dogs made from his wife's recipe on Coney Island in 1916. With $300 in financial backing from pals Jimmy Durante and Eddie Cantor, Handwerker opened his hot dog stand at the corner of Surf and Stillwell avenues and sold his hot dogs for just a nickel, half the price of Feltman's dogs. Food safety laws were just starting to be developed at this time, so Handwerker made sure that men wearing surgeon's smocks were regularly seen eating his hot dogs.

Nathan's wife Ida gave birth to a son, Murray, in 1921. Their son grew up at the Coney Island hot dog stand and learned everything about the business during his childhood. After returning from World War II, Murray earned a Bachelor's degree in French from New York University and eventually took over the business from his father.

While Nathan's sole goal was to provide for his family, Murray's visions were set quite a bit higher. He expanded the restaurant's menu and opened additional locations throughout New York. The company went public in 1968 and Murray had successfully opened up 43 locations and 10 franchises by 1977. Murray also succeeded in getting Nathan's Famous hot dogs on supermarket shelves across the country.

Although Nathan's Famous hit a rough patch in the early 1980s, Murray persevered, closing several restaurants and franchises to stay afloat. He sold the company to Equicor Group, an investment company, in 1987 and retired to Florida. The name Nathan's Famous is still synonymous with hot dogs and their dogs have been the favorite of celebrities and politicians for nearly a century now.