Clary's Cafe | |
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Restaurant information | |
Established | 1903 |
Food type | Breakfast and lunch |
Dress code | Casual |
Street address | 404 Abercorn Street |
City | Savannah |
County | Chatham County |
State | Georgia |
Postal/ZIP Code | 31401 |
Coordinates | 32°04′18″N81°05′31″W / 32.0716606451°N 81.09198937°W |
Website | https://claryscafe.com/ |
Clary's Cafe is a restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Established at 404 Abercorn Street in 1903, [1] originally as a drug store, [2] its popularity increased markedly after its appearance in both John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil 1994 novel and Clint Eastwood's 1997 movie adaptation. [3] [4] [5] [6]
The author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt, described Clary's as "a clearinghouse of information, a bourse of gossip," where he came to know the characters who would animate his narrative. [7] James Gandolfini made an uncredited appearance as the cook in the two scenes filmed at the cafe. [8]
A photograph of the cast hangs inside the restaurant, featuring Alison Eastwood (who plays Mandy), her father, Clint Eastwood (director), The Lady Chablis, John Cusack (John Kelso), Kevin Spacey (Jim Williams) and Jack Thompson (Sonny Seiler).
The Lady Chablis, also known as The Grand Empress and The Doll, was an American actress, author, and transgender club performer. Through exposure in the bestselling nonfiction book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, and its 1997 film adaptation, she became one of the first trans performers to be introduced to a wide audience.
Bonaventure Cemetery is a rural cemetery located on a scenic bluff of the Wilmington River, east of Savannah, Georgia. The cemetery became famous when it was featured in the 1994 novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt, and in the subsequent movie, directed by Clint Eastwood, based on the book. It is the largest of the city's municipal cemeteries, containing nearly 160 acres (0.65 km2).
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a non-fiction novel by John Berendt. The book, Berendt's first, was published in 1994 and follows the story of an antiques dealer on trial for the murder of a male prostitute. Subtitled A Savannah Story, with an initial printing of 25,000 copies, the book became a New York Times Best-Seller for 216 weeks following its debut and remains one of the longest-standing New York Times Best-Sellers.
Bird Girl is a sculpture made in 1936 by Sylvia Shaw Judson in Lake Forest, Illinois. It was sculpted at Ragdale, her family's summer home, and achieved fame when it was featured on the cover of the 1994 non-fiction novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Originally exhibited as Girl with Bowls at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1938, it was also exhibited as Fountain Figure, Standing Figure, and Peasant Girl. A 1967 book by Judson first referred to it as Bird Girl.
John David Leigh II was an American photographer and author, known for the cover photograph on John Berendt's novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The photograph featured the Bird Girl statue from Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia, where he is now buried.
Alison Eastwood is an American actress. After three uncredited roles between 1980 and 1997, she appeared as Mandy, the love interest of John Cusack in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997).
John Berendt is an American author, known for writing the best-selling non-fiction book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which was a finalist for the 1995 Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction.
Daniel Upshaw Biggers was an American college official and actor best known for his role as Frank "Doc" Robb on the television series In the Heat of the Night.
James Arthur Williams was an American antiques dealer and a historic preservationist based in Savannah, Georgia. He played an active role in the preservation of the Savannah Historic District for over 35 years.
Josiah Tattnall was a British emigrant to colonial America who became notable for his acts in support of the Crown during his time in Savannah in the Province of Georgia.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a 1997 American mystery thriller film directed and produced by Clint Eastwood and starring John Cusack and Kevin Spacey. The screenplay by John Lee Hancock was based on John Berendt's 1994 book of the same name and follows the story of an antiques dealer, Jim Williams, on trial for the murder of a male prostitute who was his lover. The multiple trials depicted in Berendt's book are combined into one trial for the film.
Joseph Algerine Odom was an American attorney who later became a musician. He came to prominence after his appearance as one of the main characters in John Berendt's true-crime book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, although he died three years before its publication.
Daniel Lewis Hansford was an American shooting victim who was killed by his employer, historic preservationist and antiques dealer Jim Williams, at Williams' home in Savannah, Georgia, United States. His death was documented in John Berendt's 1994 non-fiction book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and its 1997 film adaptation. After four trials, Williams was acquitted of Hansford's murder.
2 East Taylor Street is a historic building in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It is located in the northwestern tything block of Monterey Square and was built in 1880. It is part of the Savannah Historic District. It was formerly the home of Hugh Moss Comer (1842–1900), president of the Central of Georgia Railway.
Valerie Aiken Boles was an American root doctor. She came to prominence after becoming the inspiration for one of the main characters in John Berendt's 1994 true-crime book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
Abercorn Street is a prominent street in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Located between Drayton Street to the west and Lincoln Street to the east, it runs for about 7.8 miles (12.6 km) from East Bay Street in the north to Harry S. Truman Parkway in the south. It is concurrent with SR 204 from 37th Street south. The street is named for James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn, a financial benefactor of the Georgia colony. Its northern section passes through the Savannah Historic District, a National Historic Landmark District.
The Thomas–Levy House is a historic building in Savannah, Georgia, United States. It comprises the western half of a Second Empire baroque townhouse known as the Thomas–Purse Duplex, located in the northeastern residential block of Monterey Square. It was built in 1869 for Daniel Thomas, and is part of the Savannah Historic District.
John D. Duncan was an American author and historian. A retired history professor, and a twelfth-generation native of South Carolina, he lived the majority of his life in Savannah, Georgia. Between 1977 and 2022, he and his wife, Virginia, owned the Thomas-Levy House in Savannah's Monterey Square. In 1983, they established V & J Duncan Antique Maps, Prints and Books in the building's basement level, and it is still in operation today.
Helen Avis Drexel was an American silent-film actress and heiress. She rose to prominence through her appearance in the John Berendt non-fictional novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1994), in which she was a composite character named Serena Dawes.
Leopold Adler II was an American historic preservationist based in Savannah, Georgia. President of the Historic Savannah Foundation, he was instrumental in the preservation movement in his hometown.