- She was immortalized in the song, "Big Shot", by Billy Joel.
- She opened Elaine's Restaurant on Second Avenue and 88th Street in the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City.
- Owner of Elaine's, an eatery on New York's upper east-side.
- Grew up in Queens, New York and spent her early years hanging out backstage at theaters around the city. Opened Elaine's in 1963 with just $12,000 and the restaurant quickly became a go-to spot for writers in the area.
- Her life was written about in A.E. Hotchner's book, "Everybody Comes to Elaine's", published by Harper Collins in 2004.
- She was also awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
- She was named a New York "Living Landmark," in 2004 by the New York Landmarks Conservancy in New York City.
- She is survived by three nephews, a niece, and several cousins.
- She was one of four children of Joseph Kaufman and Pauline Kaufman. She was raised in Queens, New york and the Bronx, New York. She graduated from Evander Childs High School in Bronx, New York.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content