Five Towns
Encyclopedia
The Five Towns is an informal grouping of villages and hamlets in Nassau County
, New York
, United States
on the South Shore
of western Long Island
adjoining the border with Queens County in New York City
. Despite the name, none of the communities is a town. The Five Towns is usually said to comprise the villages of Lawrence
and Cedarhurst
, the hamlets of Woodmere
and Inwood
, and "The Hewletts", which consist of the villages of Hewlett Bay Park
, Hewlett Harbor
and Hewlett Neck
and the hamlet of Hewlett
, along with Woodsburgh
. North Woodmere
has also been included in the grouping. The "towns" most commonly included as constituents of the "Five Towns" are all in the southwest corner of the Town of Hempstead
.
The name "Five Towns" dates back to 1931, when individual Community Chest groups in the area banded together to form the "Five Towns Community Chest", consisting of Inwood, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere and Hewlett. The organization still exists (as of 2006) as a local charity, but the "Five Towns" moniker caught on as a designation for the entire area. A 1933 article in The New York Times
references a Girl Scouts of the USA
encampment by the "Five Towns Council, embracing the villages of Inwood, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere and Hewlett", interestingly, listed in order by LIRR
station.
One notable characteristic of the Five Towns
is that despite the reputation of the South Shore
of Nassau County
being more urbanized than the North Shore
, the 5 towns retains hamlets that resemble areas along the Gold Coast
of the North Shore with enourmous mansions and exclusive private communities along the water.
Each of these "towns" has a consecutive stop on the Far Rockaway Branch
of the Long Island Rail Road
. All five communities are part of the Town of Hempstead
. Woodmere is the largest and most populous community in the Five Towns.
and Valley Stream
(North Woodmere and Gibson in particular).
, the original site was no longer available by the time the school received its charter in 1972. The college is currently located in Dix Hills
, Suffolk County
. Other than the proposed original site, the school never had a physical connection to the Five Towns.
Nassau County, New York
Nassau County is a suburban county on Long Island, east of New York City in the U.S. state of New York, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,339,532...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the South Shore
South Shore (Long Island)
The South Shore of Long Island, in the U.S. state of New York, is the area along Long Island's Atlantic Ocean shoreline. Though some consider the South Shore to include parts of Queens, particularly the beach communities in the Rockaways such as Belle Harbor, the term is generally used to refer to...
of western Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
adjoining the border with Queens County in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Despite the name, none of the communities is a town. The Five Towns is usually said to comprise the villages of Lawrence
Lawrence, Nassau County, New York
Lawrence is a village in Nassau County, New York in the USA. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 6,483.The Village of Lawrence is in the southwest corner of the Town of Hempstead, adjoining the border with the New York City borough of Queens to the west and near the...
and Cedarhurst
Cedarhurst, New York
Cedarhurst is a village in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, New York, in the USA. The population was 6,592 at the 2010 United States Census. The village is named after a grove of trees that once stood at the post office....
, the hamlets of Woodmere
Woodmere, New York
Woodmere is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 17,121 at the 2010 census.Woodmere is one of the Long Island communities known as the Five Towns, which is usually said to comprise the villages of Lawrence and Cedarhurst, the hamlets of Woodmere and Inwood, and...
and Inwood
Inwood, New York
Inwood is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 9,792 at the 2010 census.Inwood is included among the Five Towns, an informal grouping of villages and hamlets in Nassau County on the South Shore of western Long Island adjoining the...
, and "The Hewletts", which consist of the villages of Hewlett Bay Park
Hewlett Bay Park, New York
Hewlett Bay Park is a village in Nassau County, New York in the USA, on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 404....
, Hewlett Harbor
Hewlett Harbor, New York
Hewlett Harbor is a village in Nassau County, New York in the USA. The population was 1,263 at the 2010 census.The Village of Hewlett Harbor is inside the Town of Hempstead.-Geography:Hewlett Harbor is located at ....
and Hewlett Neck
Hewlett Neck, New York
Hewlett Neck is a village in Nassau County, New York in the USA. The population was 445 at the 2010 census.The Village of Hewlett Neck is inside the Town of Hempstead....
and the hamlet of Hewlett
Hewlett, New York
Hewlett is a hamlet and census-designated place in Nassau County, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the CDP population was 6,819....
, along with Woodsburgh
Woodsburgh, New York
Woodsburgh is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population was 778 at the 2010 census.The mayor of the village is Susan Schlaff.Deputy Mayor:Edmond MukamalTrustees:Carl Cayne, Edmond Mukamal, Barry Sporer, Lee A...
. North Woodmere
North Woodmere, New York
North Woodmere is an unincorporated area section of Valley Stream, located in Nassau County, New York on the South Shore of Long Island. North Woodmere is directly north of Woodmere, but separated from it by Mott's Creek. Access to Woodmere is available via Branch Boulevard and a footbridge over...
has also been included in the grouping. The "towns" most commonly included as constituents of the "Five Towns" are all in the southwest corner of the Town of Hempstead
Town of Hempstead, New York
Hempstead is one of the three towns in Nassau County, New York, United States, occupying the southwest part of the county. There are twenty-two incorporated villages completely or partially in the town. Hempstead's combined population was 759,757 at the 2010 Census, the majority of the population...
.
The name "Five Towns" dates back to 1931, when individual Community Chest groups in the area banded together to form the "Five Towns Community Chest", consisting of Inwood, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere and Hewlett. The organization still exists (as of 2006) as a local charity, but the "Five Towns" moniker caught on as a designation for the entire area. A 1933 article in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
references a Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
encampment by the "Five Towns Council, embracing the villages of Inwood, Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere and Hewlett", interestingly, listed in order by LIRR
Lirr
Lirr or LIRR may refer to:*Long Island Rail Road, a commuter railroad in Long Island, New York, USA*Lapeer Industrial Railroad, in Lapeer, Michigan*Leeds Inner Ring Road, a motorway and A-road circling Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
station.
One notable characteristic of the Five Towns
Five Towns
The Five Towns is an informal grouping of villages and hamlets in Nassau County, New York, United States on the South Shore of western Long Island adjoining the border with Queens County in New York City. Despite the name, none of the communities is a town...
is that despite the reputation of the South Shore
South Shore
South Shore may refer to:In Canada:*South Shore , Quebec, the region of the greater Montreal area on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River*South Shore , geographic region of Nova Scotia*South Shore—St...
of Nassau County
Nassau County
Nassau County is the name of two counties in the United States:*Nassau County, New York*Nassau County, Florida...
being more urbanized than the North Shore
North Shore
North Shore can either be the north shore of a landmass , or the north shore of a body of water...
, the 5 towns retains hamlets that resemble areas along the Gold Coast
Gold Coast
-Colonization:*The Gold Coast in west Africa, which was made up of the following colonies:**Gold Coast , British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa**Brandenburger Gold Coast, former German colony...
of the North Shore with enourmous mansions and exclusive private communities along the water.
Communities
There is no official Five Towns designation.Each of these "towns" has a consecutive stop on the Far Rockaway Branch
Far Rockaway Branch
The Far Rockaway Branch is an electrified rail line and service owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch begins at Valley Interlocking, just east of Valley Stream station; the Long Beach Branch also begins there, heading east and south to Long Beach,...
of the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
. All five communities are part of the Town of Hempstead
Town of Hempstead, New York
Hempstead is one of the three towns in Nassau County, New York, United States, occupying the southwest part of the county. There are twenty-two incorporated villages completely or partially in the town. Hempstead's combined population was 759,757 at the 2010 Census, the majority of the population...
. Woodmere is the largest and most populous community in the Five Towns.
Education
There are two school districts in the Five Towns, the Lawrence Public Schools (District 15) and the Hewlett-Woodmere School District (District 14). Roughly speaking, the Lawrence school district contains all of Lawrence, Cedarhurst and Inwood, and part of Woodmere while the Hewlett-Woodmere district contains all of Hewlett and part of Woodmere and extends partly into the neighboring villages of LynbrookLynbrook, New York
Lynbrook is a village in Nassau County, New York, USA. The population was 19,427 at the 2010 census. The Village of Lynbrook is inside the Town of Hempstead. The Village of Lynbrook's current mayor is William Hendrick....
and Valley Stream
Valley Stream, New York
Valley Stream is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population in the village of Valley Stream was 37,511 at the 2010 census...
(North Woodmere and Gibson in particular).
Five Towns College
Although Lawrence was planned to be the location for Five Towns CollegeFive Towns College
Five Towns College is a for-profit institution of higher learning located in Dix Hills, Long Island, New York . Founded as a business school in 1972 by Stanley G. Cohen, Ed.D...
, the original site was no longer available by the time the school received its charter in 1972. The college is currently located in Dix Hills
Dix Hills, New York
Dix Hills is a hamlet Dix Hills is a hamlet Dix Hills is a hamlet (and a census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of Huntington on the North Shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York, United States. Dix Hills was named the 19th most affluent U.S. neighborhood by Forbes in 2008.. It is one...
, Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
. Other than the proposed original site, the school never had a physical connection to the Five Towns.
Popular culture
- The 19931993 in filmThe year 1993 in film involved many significant films, including the blockbuster hits Jurassic Park, The Fugitive and The Firm. -Events:...
movie, Amongst FriendsAmongst FriendsAmongst Friends is a 1993 film written and directed by Rob Weiss. The film portrays the conspicuous consumption and aggressive upward mobility among the mobsters and drug dealers living among the affluent communities in the Five Towns in southwestern Nassau County, New York...
by Rob WeissRob WeissRob Weiss is an American television and film producer, screenwriter, actor, and director. His break came in 1993 when he wrote and directed the 1993 film Amongst Friends. The film was well received at film festivals and scored Weiss a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film...
, was filmed and set in the Five Towns.
- The television show, EntourageEntourage (TV series)Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
, features a fictional show titled Five Towns, in which Johnny Drama stars as a character
- Karen Hill, who married Mobster Henry Hill - whose life was immortalized by Nicholas Pileggi's book Wiseguy and Martin Scorsese's 1990 film GoodfellasGoodfellasGoodfellas is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese...
- hailed from Five Towns, and the newlyweds initially lived there with Karen's parents
- In Thomas PynchonThomas PynchonThomas Ruggles Pynchon, Jr. is an American novelist. For his most praised novel, Gravity's Rainbow, Pynchon received the National Book Award, and is regularly cited as a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature...
's 1963 debut novel V.V.V. is the debut novel of Thomas Pynchon, published in 1963. It describes the exploits of a discharged U.S. Navy sailor named Benny Profane, his reconnection in New York with a group of pseudo-bohemian artists and hangers-on known as the Whole Sick Crew, and the quest of an aging traveller named...
, he mentions the Five Towns, however, he includes Malverne as being part of the group.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of the Five Towns include:- Lyle AlzadoLyle AlzadoLyle Martin Alzado was a professional American football defensive lineman of the National Football League famous for his intense and intimidating style of play....
(1949-1992), NFL footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player - Lee BienstockLee BienstockLee Harrison Bienstock was a contestant of the fifth edition of the NBC reality show The Apprentice, where he was the runner-up to winner Sean Yazbeck. Bienstock was born and raised in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, and at the time of the show lived in Lawrence, New York.At the age of 22,...
(born 1983), Apprentice 5 runner up - Bruce Blakeman, Politician, Member of the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New JerseyPort Authority of New York and New JerseyThe Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
. - Ross BlecknerRoss Bleckner-Life and work:"'I always absolutely thought there was a difference between being a young artist and an important young artist,' said Mr. Bleckner, who grew up in Hewlett, L.I., graduated in 1971 from New York University and earned an M.F.A...
(born 1949), artist. - Peter BregginPeter BregginPeter Roger Breggin is an American psychiatrist and critic of biological psychiatry and psychiatric medication. In his books, he advocates replacing psychiatry's use of drugs and electroconvulsive therapy with humanistic approaches, such as psychotherapy, education, and broader human...
, Psychiatrist - Howard DeutchHoward DeutchHoward Deutch is an American film director. His most recent theatrical release was My Best Friend's Girl, starring Jason Biggs, Kate Hudson, Dane Cook, and Alec Baldwin...
(born 1950), movie director - John DiRestaJohn DiRestaJohn DiResta is an American former New York Transit police officer turned comedian and television star.-Career:He was the title star of a short-lived UPN sitcom called DiResta from 1998-1999. He has appeared in several films, including Miss Congeniality and its sequel, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed...
, actor / comedian - Debra DrimmerDebra DrimmerDebra Drimmer, more commonly known as Debbie Drimmer, was formerly Vice President of Talent at Comedy Central. She was also a staff member at The Late Show with David Letterman. She has a notable appearance on Last Comic Standing in the Season 2 episode where the comics had to perform in a...
, VP of Talent, Comedy CentralComedy CentralComedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated.... - Gordon EdelsteinGordon EdelsteinGordon Edelstein is in his eighth season as Long Wharf Theatre’s Artistic Director. In addition to his work on the world premiere of Athol Fugard’s Have You Seen Us?, Mr. Edelstein will also direct and adapt Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House later in Long Wharf Theatre’s 2009-10 season. In addition, Mr...
, Artistic Director of the Long Wharf TheatreLong Wharf TheatreLong Wharf Theatre is a nonprofit institution in New Haven, Connecticut, a pioneer in the not-for-profit regional theatre movement, the originator of several prominent plays, and a venue where many internationally known actors have appeared....
in New Haven, ConnecticutNew Haven, ConnecticutNew Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and... - Jane FriedmanJane FriedmanJane Friedman is the CEO and Co-Founder of Open Road Integrated Media. She was the President and Chief Executive Officer of HarperCollins Publishers Worldwide, one of the world's leading English-language publishers, from 1997 to 2008....
, President and CEO, HarperCollinsHarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide... - Jeffrey M. FriedmanJeffrey M. FriedmanJeffrey Friedman, MD, PhD, is a molecular geneticist at New York City's Rockefeller University. His discovery of the hormone leptin and its role in regulating body weight has had a major role in the area of human obesity.-Biography:...
(born 1954), molecular geneticist and discoverer of leptinLeptinLeptin is a 16 kDa protein hormone that plays a key role in regulating energy intake and energy expenditure, including appetite and metabolism. It is one of the most important adipose derived hormones...
. - James GaffneyJames GaffneyJames Edward Gaffney was the owner of the Boston Braves of the National League from through . In 1912, he purchased the club from William Hepburn Russell's estate. In 1915, he sold the franchise to Percy Haughton....
, owner of the Braves baseball team, winners of the 1914 World Series - Lisa GlasbergLisa GlasbergLisa Glasberg is a radio News person. Glasberg was born on June 6, 1956 and grew up in Woodmere, Long Island, New York. She graduated from Hewlett High School in 1974...
, NYC radio DJ - Barbara Gaines, Producer, The Late Show with David Letterman, Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
Winner - Rande GerberRande GerberRande Gerber is a former model and the owner/operator of the Midnight Oil chain of bars and lounges. His brother Scott runs the financial end of the company, called The Gerber Group. Their youngest brother Kenny is also involved....
, nightclub owner married to Cindy Crawford - Brent GlassBrent GlassBrent D. Glass is Elizabeth MacMillan Director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. A national leader in the preservation, interpretation and promotion of history, Glass is a public historian who pioneered influential oral history and material culture studies...
, director of the SmithsonianSmithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
National Museum of American HistoryNational Museum of American HistoryThe National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker's... - Louise GlückLouise GlückLouise Elisabeth Glück is an American poet of Hungarian Jewish heritage. She was appointed Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 2003, after serving as a Special Bicentennial Consultant three years prior in 2000....
, Poet, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for Poetry in 1993, United States Poet LaureatePoet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of CongressThe Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—commonly referred to as the United States Poet Laureate—serves as the nation's official poet. During his or her term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of...
2003-04 - Carolyn Gusoff, WNBC News Anchor
- Mickey HartMickey HartMickey Hart is an American percussionist and musicologist. He is best known as one of the two drummers of the rock band the Grateful Dead. He was a member of the Grateful Dead from September 1967 to February 1971, and from October 1974 to August 1995...
, Drummer of The Grateful Dead - Red HolzmanRed HolzmanWilliam "Red" Holzman was an NBA basketball player and coach probably best known as the head coach of the New York Knicks from 1967 to 1982. Holzman helped lead the Knicks to two NBA Championships in 1970 and 1973, and was elected into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985...
(1920-1998), New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
head coach. - David M. IsraelDavid M. IsraelDavid M. Israel is a Jewish television producer and writer as well as a former sportscaster for the New York Mets. He has worked on The Tracy Morgan Show, 3rd Rock from the Sun and Grounded for Life as well as other shows....
, TV Producer/Writer - Donna KaranDonna KaranDonna Karan is an American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels.-Early life:...
(born 1948), fashion designer. - Aline Kominsky-CrumbAline Kominsky-CrumbAline Kominsky-Crumb is an American underground comics artist best known as the wife of cartoonist R. Crumb....
, comics artist - Peggy LiptonPeggy LiptonPeggy Lipton is an American television actress. She played "Julie Barnes" in The Mod Squad, and Norma Jennings in Twin Peaks.- Personal life and background :...
(born 1946), actress - Steve MaddenSteve MaddenSteve Madden is the founder and former CEO of Steve Madden Ltd., a footwear company.Born in Far Rockaway, Queens, Madden grew up in adjoining Lawrence in Nassau County, New York....
(born 1958), shoe designer. - Gene MayerGene MayerGene Mayer is a former tennis player from the United States who won fourteen singles titles during his career.Mayer was born in Flushing, Queens, New York. He grew up in Wayne, New Jersey, and played tennis at Wayne Valley High School, where he went unbeaten in his two years on the tennis team...
, professional tennis player. - Harvey MilkHarvey MilkHarvey Bernard Milk was an American politician who became the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors...
(1930-1978), first openly gay man to be elected to public office in the United States, as a city supervisor in San Francisco. - Bruce MurrayBruce Murray (sportscaster)Bruce Murray is an American sports radio personality and is currently the host of a daily radio show on Mad Dog Radio on Sirius XM. Bruce can also be seen Tuesday and Thursday hosting "Daily News Live" on SNY in New York....
, host Murray in the MorningMurray in the MorningMurray in the Morning was a radio program that aired on Sporting News Radio from 2002 to August 12, 2005. Hosted by Bruce Murray, T. J. Shanoff, Tanyette Colon , and Kevin Fleming , it was known for its comedic features, eccentric "borts", and extremely informal discussion of sports...
Radio Show - The Legendary Danny O'Doul, Featured Columnist in The South Shore Standard, legendary singer, master chef, Friend of the American Indian and Celebrity Metallurgist.
- Evan RobertsEvan Roberts (radio personality)Evan Roberts is an American sports radio personality. He currently hosts the midday show with Joe Benigno on WFAN in New York City.Roberts grew up in Cedarhurst, New York and graduated from Lawrence High School in 2001....
, WFANWFANWFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
Host. - Seth RudetskySeth RudetskySeth Rudetsky is an American musician, actor, writer, and radio host. He currently is the host of "Seth's Big Fat Broadway" on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio's...
, composer, musical director and talk show host. - Peter Shulman, Well known artist (born 1937 Lawrence)
- Jim SteinmanJim SteinmanJames Richard "Jim" Steinman is an American composer, lyricist, and Grammy Award-winning record producer responsible for several hit songs. He has also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer...
, music producer, composer - Rob WeissRob WeissRob Weiss is an American television and film producer, screenwriter, actor, and director. His break came in 1993 when he wrote and directed the 1993 film Amongst Friends. The film was well received at film festivals and scored Weiss a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film...
, director/producer Amongst FriendsAmongst FriendsAmongst Friends is a 1993 film written and directed by Rob Weiss. The film portrays the conspicuous consumption and aggressive upward mobility among the mobsters and drug dealers living among the affluent communities in the Five Towns in southwestern Nassau County, New York...
, EntourageEntourage (TV series)Entourage is an American comedy-drama television series that premiered on HBO on July 18, 2004 and concluded on September 11, 2011, after eight seasons...
. - Stuart WeitzmanStuart WeitzmanStuart A. Weitzman is the designer of the international, high-end shoe company, Stuart Weitzman.Stuart Weitzman's trademark use of unique materials , and his attention to detail, garnered him and his company a global following...
, shoe designer - Leslie WestLeslie WestLeslie West is an American rock guitarist, singer and songwriter.-Biography:Originally named Leslie Weinstein, West was born in New York City, grew up in Hackensack, New Jersey, and in East Meadow, Forest Hills and Lawrence. After his parents divorced, he changed his surname to West...
(born 1945), musician of the hard rock group MountainMountain (band)Mountain is an American hard rock band that formed in Long Island, New York in 1969. Originally comprising vocalist and guitarist Leslie West, bassist Felix Pappalardi and drummer N. D. Smart, the band broke up in 1972 before reuniting in 1974 and remaining active until today...
. - Alan ZweibelAlan ZweibelAlan Zweibel is an American producer and writer who has worked on such productions as Saturday Night Live, PBS' Great Performances, and It's Garry Shandling's Show.-Early life:...
(born 1950), writer / producer. - Jake Burton (born 1954), carpenter / founder and owner of Burton Snowboards.