Victor Drai | |
---|---|
Born | Casablanca, Morocco | July 25, 1947
Occupation |
|
Spouse(s) | Yolanda Krupiarz (m. 2016) |
Partner(s) | Jacqueline Bisset (1973–1980) |
Children | 3 |
Website | draisgroup |
Victor Drai (born July 25, 1947) is a Moroccan-Franco American [1] [2] nightclub owner, entrepreneur and film producer. [3] Drai rose to prominence in the 1980s, producing the movies The Woman in Red (1984) and Weekend at Bernie's (1989), before leaving the industry to open a string of high-profile restaurants and nightclubs. [4] [5] [6]
Drai was born in Casablanca, Morocco, to Jewish parents. He dropped out of school at 14 to move to Paris, France, with his family. In 1968, he launched a ready-to-wear line called Vicadam, which featured velvet jeans. [7]
In 1974, Drai met Jacqueline Bisset on a flight from Los Angeles to Paris and the two began a transatlantic relationship. [8] Drai sold the fashion line and relocated to the United States to be with Bisset and began a new business flipping Beverly Hills mansions. [7]
In 1982, Drai and then-girlfriend Kelly LeBrock traveled to Paris where they saw the movie Pardon Mon Affaire . With the help of David Begelman, Drai produced a remake titled The Woman in Red which was released in 1984. [9] Based on that movie's success, Drai then produced a series of comedies including another French remake, The Man with One Red Shoe (1985), and Weekend at Bernie's (1989). [4] [10] [11]
In 1985, Victor Drai Productions had set up a two-year, non-exclusive pact with MGM/UA Entertainment Co., whereas the first of the film projects were set up for the start of the fall of 1985, and represent the directorial debut of actor Henry Winkler. [12]
In 1993, Drai made the decision to open a restaurant, which he felt would be a more family-friendly career. [4] He contracted French chef Claude Segal, who'd replaced Wolfgang Puck at the upscale restaurant Ma Maison in 1985. [13] With Segal, he opened the restaurant Drai's at 730 La Cienega Boulevard on Restaurant Row in Los Angeles.
In 1995, Drai opened a second Drai's in Las Vegas. A couple years later, he started an afterhours club, "That started everything", Drai stated. [14] In December 2013, he opened a steakhouse on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles called Rare by Drai's. [15]
In March 2010, he opened Drai's Hollywood, a rooftop restaurant, pool and nightclub at the W Hotel in Hollywood. [16]
In 1997, Drai opened Drai's restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip. [17] Two years later, Drai added a nightclub to the restaurant, re-branding it Drai's After Hours. [18] In Vegas Seven's 2012 Nightclub Awards, Drai's After Hours won "Best Place to Disappear". [19] He currently operates Drai's After Hours nightclub at The Cromwell Las Vegas. [20]
In 2007, Drai took over La Bete at Wynn Las Vegas and re-branded it Tryst. [21] In 2012, Vegas Seven's Nightclub Awards awarded Tryst "Best Place to Impress". [22] In 2013, Tryst placed #8 in the Top 100 Nightclub & Bar Roster for Nightclub & Bar Magazine. [23]
Drai opened XS nightclub at Encore Las Vegas in 2008. [24] In 2010, XS won Nightclub & Bar Awards for "New Club of the Year" and "Mega-Club of the Year. [25] " In 2013, Nightclub & Bar Magazine awarded XS the "Mega-Club of the Year. [26] " Technomic named XS number one nightclub in the US for 2010. [27] In 2010, Drai was bought out of his managing partnership at Steve Wynn's Tryst and XS to pursue other endeavors. [28]
On March 2, 2017, he opened Drai's Vancouver which was located inside Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver. [29] The club closed down in September 2018. [30]
He opened Drai's Beachclub & Nightclub, [31] on Memorial Day weekend 2014, at The Cromwell Las Vegas. [32] This 65,000-square-foot venue has a party pool and an indoor/outdoor club spread out over two levels on top of the new Cromwell Hotel. [33] Drai also opened a beach club and a nightclub in Dubai and plans to expand his empire to other cities. [34]
Drai is one of sixteen professionals listed in the Nightclub Hall of Fame. [35]
Drai was a romantic and business partner of Jacqueline Bisset's from 1973 to 1980. [36] [ self-published source ] Drai has been married three times. In 1984, he married Kelly LeBrock; their marriage ended two years later in 1986. His second marriage was in 1990 to Loryn Locklin. On April 24, 2016, he married his third wife, Yolanda Krupiarz. [37] Drai has one son, Dustin Drai, who is vice president of entertainment and marketing for Drai's Beachclub, Nightclub and Afterhours; and three young daughters.
He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
Year | Film | Credit |
---|---|---|
1984 | The Woman in Red | |
1985 | The Man with One Red Shoe | |
The Bride | ||
1989 | Weekend at Bernie's | |
1992 | Folks! | |
1993 | Weekend at Bernie's II | |
2016 | The Last Film Festival | Co-producer |
Year | Film | Role |
---|---|---|
1997 | An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn | Himself |
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