New York Landmarks Conservancy Celebrates New York’s 2009 “Living Landmarks”

NEW YORK, NY—Today, Wednesday, November 4, The New York Landmarks Conservancy will bestow its distinguished “Living Landmarks” award to six outstanding individuals for their contributions to New York at Cipriani 42nd Street at 7pm. This year’s distinguished recipients include the legendary New York County District Attorney Robert Morgenthau; Tony-Award winning prolific theatre man, Tommy Tune; the Italian Baroness and renowned philanthropist, Baroness Mariuccia-Marimo; noted playwright, author, screenwriter and “Newman’s Own” co-creator, A.E. Hotchner; real estate developer and film studio chief, George Kaufman; and renowned New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham.

The Conservancy also marks the “sweet sixteen” anniversary for the “Living Landmarks Awards” program with an especially festive portion of the evening’s program highlighting the award’s history.

“Living Landmark honorees represent the best of New York in talent, philanthropy and spirit” said Peg Breen, President of the New York Landmarks Conservancy. “This year's special ‘Sweet Sixteen’ celebration will honor an outstanding group of New Yorkers and salute the many amazing ‘Living Landmarks’ we have honored through the years.”  

District Attorney Robert Morgenthau has served New York County for nearly four decades fighting corruption and crime and has dedicated his time and service to the Police Athletic League and the Museum of Jewish Heritage—A Living Memorial to the Holocaust.

Nine-time Tony Award winner Tommy Tune is preparing to tour the country with his new show “Steps in Time: A Broadway Biography in Song and Dance.” He is known as one of the most prolific theatre men of the 20th Century, enchanting audiences over the past 50 years with his charisma, vision, and innovation.

Baroness Mariuccia Zerilli-Marimò donated the Winfield Scott House to New York University in memory of her late husband. Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, as it is now known, is nationally recognized for Italian studies. Zerilli-Marimò personally restored this 1851 National Landmark, establishing it as one of the most recognized and fertile centers of cultural, economic, scientific, and educational exchange between Italy and the United States.

A.E. Hotchner, a legendary writer with a distinguished history in film and publishing, is also the co-founder of “Newman’s Own” with partner, the late Paul Newman, which has generated millions of dollars for local charities.

George Kaufman, one of the city’s great real estate developers, elevated Kaufman Astoria Studios, a Landmark filmmaking center in Queens, to a world-class entertainment and telecommunications production and office center igniting a new filming boom in New York City.

Iconic photographer Bill Cunningham has become a legend in New York’s style and social scene with his highly popular and widely viewed photojournalistic columns in the New York Times that highlights charities, their events and shines a spotlight on the importance of giving back to the community.

Over the course of its sixteen years, the Conservancy has lauded the contributions of an array of artists, visionaries and philanthropists including Charlie Rose, Lauren Bacall and Oscar de la Renta, Harry Belafonte, Tom & Meredith Brokaw, Pat & William F. Buckley Jr., Walter Cronkite, Diane von Furstenberg, Whoopi Goldberg, Peter Jennings, Edward I. Koch, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Jerry Orbach & Sam Waterston, Joan Rivers, George Steinbrenner, Gloria Steinem, Barbara Walters, Mario Cuomo and Harvey & Bob Weinstein.