Voting Station

Sherman Billingsley

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Restaurateur

The Resume

    (March 10, 1900-October 4, 1966)
    Born in Enid, Oklahoma
    Founder/owner of the Stork Club in New York City (1929-65)
    Hosted the TV series 'The Stork Club' (1950-55)
    Uncle-in-law of actress Barbara Billingsley

Why he might be annoying:

    He did time on federal bootlegging charges during Prohibition.
    He said about the Stork Club's name, 'Don't ask me how or why I picked the name, because I just don't remember.'
    An early partner at the Stork Club was actually a front for three New York mobsters.
    He had an adulterous affair with Ethel Merman and had one waiter assigned whose sole job was to light Merman's cigarettes.
    He allegedly had the Stork Club bugged at the behest of his friend J. Edgar Hoover.
    He named one of his daughters Shermane.
    Business at the Stork Club dropped off after he reportedly refused to serve Josephine Baker (1951).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was kidnapped by gangster Mad Dog Coll.
    After Coll's death, he was able to buy out his mob partners for $30,000.
    Columnist Walter Winchell called the Stork Club 'New York's New Yorkiest place.'
    He was known for his extravagant gift giving, spending $100,000 a year on favorite patrons.
    Reflecting its status as New York's ultimate 'in' spot, the news of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier's engagement broke at the Stork Club.
    The Stork Club was featured in the films 'All About Eve' (1950), 'Executive Suite' (1954), 'The Wrong Man' (1957) and 'My Favorite Year' (1982) and the TV series 'Mad Men.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 11 Votes: 63.64% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 14.29% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 24 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 13 Votes: 61.54% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying