Tony Curtis
We met Tony Curtis during the Denver International Film Festival when he was here to receive an award. The next day, I got a call in a gravelly voice, "Steve, this is Tony Curtis." I replied, "c'mon who is this?" It was really Tony and he wanted to know how long it would take to get to Rockmount from his hotel. I replied, "about 5 minutes if I leave now to pick you up."He spent the day with us. He was charming as you might guess, a special memory. His career spanned over six decades, with him appearing in more than 100 films. He's pictured with the three Weils visiting Rockmount's flagship store in downtown Denver. |
Tony Curtis, A Tribute
By Steve Weil
Tony Curtis
June 3, 1925 - September 29, 2010
Tony Curtis came to Denver in 1996 for the Denver International Film Festival. We met at a party. He was interested that I was in the Western wear business.
The next morning the phone rang, it was Tony Curtis asking for me. Thinking it was a joke, I picked up the phone and made an off-handed comment, incredulous "Who is this?"
Undeterred, he said he would like to come by Rockmount and asked "how long would it take to get a cab and drive there from the Warwick Hotel?" I said, "five minutes, I’ll pick you up."
This was before we did retail. The photo was in the old sample room. He bought a hat and a shirt. Dad, Papa and I chatted with him. We had some laughs and he hung around long enough to go to lunch with us at the DAC.
He was quite the charmer, colorful and from the old school, someone who enjoys life. Sure he had a young, blonde, and towering wife, but this was a guy with no pretensions, who seemed to remember his roots.
