Sometimes we don't notice things are missing until they are gone.
That's not a feeble attempt to sound like Yogi Berra. But who knew that New York's iconic Greek-themed paper coffee cups were an endangered species and that so many people cared?
According to the New York Times, these cups define Manhattan as much as the Statue of Liberty and are coveted as film and TV props by directors who want their New York scenes to look as authentic as possible.
Cardboard cup salesman Leslie Buck, who is credited with redefining the city's coffee shop landscape, died last week at age 87. It's wonderful that he got artistic credit for creating the beloved cup, which features the simple customer service slogan "We Are Happy To Serve You."
The Sherri Cup Company in Kensington, Conn., estimated that it sold more than 500 million cups with the design from the 1960s to the 1990s.
Buck, who had no background in graphic design, used the Greek national colors, Greek fonts and iconography to appeal to the numerous diners operated by Greek immigrants.
Although he overcame unspeakable tragedies in his life -- surviving two Nazi concentration camps --he'll be remembered for a fun-spirited paper cup, which he called the "Anthora."
"On the street, it warms the harried hands of pedestrians," his Times obituary notes. "Without the Anthora, “Law & Order” could scarcely exist."
"...It is safe to assume that the Anthora and its heirs will endure, at least for a while, in the city’s steadfast precincts. For some time to come, on any given day, somewhere a New Yorker will be cradling the cup, with its crisp design and snug white lid, the stuff of life inside."
There are countless untold stories like Leslie Buck's out there, and our Reel Profiles documentary crews are devoted to capturing them.
What family or community stories would you like to preserve forever? Drop us a line and let's brainstorm about how best to honor and celebrate your unsung heroes!
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Pedro Martinez, who inarguably owns one of the biggest egos in professional sports, was unable to deliver his team to the Promised Land this postseason.
But Pedro already has a bunch of Cy Young Awards and a World Series ring from his Red Sox days, so what's another trophy mean? Just something else to collect dust on the mantel.
What's really important to Pedro, discovered Boston Herald sports columnist Steve Buckley, is Pedro's legacy.
“Normally, when you die, people tend to give you props about the
good things. But that’s after you die. So I’m hoping to get it before I
die," the ballplayer told Buckley.
“I don’t want to die and hear everybody say, ‘Oh, there goes one of
the best players ever.’ If you’re going to give me props, just give
them to me right now.”
Pedro's right. We don't praise him as frequently as we should.
Just kidding. Although Pedro's words are hardly meant to be altruistic, they do apply to those of us gathering family histories, planning a milestone birthday or anniversary gala or a corporate tribute dinner.
Why should a person's obituary or funeral eulogy be the most prominent occasion to lavish praise or celebrate a life's accomplishments?
Pedro's life has been well covered -- although we will take your business Mr. Martinez if you are interested -- but one of the moments we would include in a Reel Profiles personal documentary about him is captured here:
When you are performing exceptionally well at your job, participating in acts of medical tape bondage is hilarious. If Pedro were a so-so pitcher, these hijinks would probably be seen as a sign that he doesn't take his job seriously.
In any case, you don't have to win a Cy Young Award or wrap yourself up in medical tape to have a movie made about you. Whether you are interested in commissioning a personal film about family history, a business legacy, an amazing philanthropist, a military experience or a profile of your nonprofit organization, just remember what Pedro said.
If you are going to give someone props, give them props right now.
A personal documentary is the kind of investment that can't be wiped out by a cruddy economy.
Future generations will be able to skip the DVD biographies about Paris Hilton or Justin Timberlake and snack on popcorn while enjoying your life story -- or the amazing lives of your parents, grandparents or other "real" people who have inspired you.
Make your family tree a family documentary tree -- or even better, commission a film to celebrate your personal hero at a tribute dinner, birthday or anniversary celebration.
It's a much more engaging approach than thetraditional scrapbook or photo slideshow, harvestingarchival research and incorporating American history and world events.
Back in the 1920s, pilot Anne Wood-Kelly was told that little girls didn't learn how to fly airplanes. In the 1930s, she was told that teenage girls didn't learn how to fly airplanes. In the 1940s, she left Maine to volunteer for the British Royal Air Force to ferry planes to fight the Nazis.
Reel Profile documentaries include personal life stories, military histories, family histories, business profiles and celebrations of religious and nonprofit organizations. For more information, drop us a line about your amazing story.