GARY DENNIS

Growing up in a house of insanely competitive know it alls, Gary discovered his way of getting some parental attention by developing his passion for NYC history as well as movie aracana. He also cultivated a deep knowledge of the “Golden Age of Hollywood,” Vaudeville theaters, movie palaces and the architects who designed them. After working as an SAG & AFTRA actor for a few years, I turned my day job into a full-time passion. This means that I took a job involving one of my greatest passions - movies. For ten years, I managed Movie Place, one of New York City’s largest independent (New York Magazine rated it Best of New York, 1997) movie rental stores. In 2005 I launched a one-man effort to rename 103rd Street “Humphrey Bogart Place” in honor of the late actor who grew up on the block. The effort paid off with a street renaming and a plaque on his childhood home. A ceremony was held in June 2006, hosted by me and attended by NYC commissioners and (most importantly) Lauren Bacall. For this effort, I was the subject of numerous articles in The New York Times. In 2006, a victim of rising rents and changing technology, I was forced to close the business. Finally in 2009, I became a licensed New York City tour guide, which is just a formality, since I have been lecturing for years to anyone who'll listen to me. I have met some exceptional people over the years. And in 2021, I proudly became a GANYC Certified Guide. I love this industry; I love what I do. I call it a calling.