1627-13 Interviews BERCUSON, BERNIE
MAY 27, 2004
Came on vacation 1938.
Next year stayed hotel, learned basics of hotel business
One of first hotels was summer lease Ocean Grande. Made a few bucks
Following year, leased another hotel.
Got job Embassy Hotel late summer/fall 1941
Pearl Harbor, went to work that day[; owner crying; may not be in biz.
Across street Monroe Towers—walked across street, met Novack. Told him I could do
anything. Got job in front office.
Fellow named Ed Collins worked next door, said there was a chance to lease a hotel on
south beach: the Biscayne. We took lease.
Army took Monroe Towers; I was drafted into army in spring in late spring 1942.
'Was MP in Georgia at POW camp.
War ends, Novack had Atlantis, worked there a short time.
Took lease on Ocean Grande for a couple of years.
1948 Sherry Frontenac was opening, needed a manager.
When I worked for Novack, I did all the work.
I wanted a piece of the Sherry, got a small percent. Hotel had a manger, threw him out
and I became manager. One of the owners was Sam Cohen and partner Martin Fisher.
Cohen didn't want to spend money on advertising; told him he would have to in order to
get to the markets. I was the first (1966) with WATS lines; had Desert Inn and Singapore.
"I can call this hotel in Florida for free." WATS lines rang all day.
Deal came to become partner at Versailles with Landsbergh and Lifter. I ran Versailles,
Lifter ran Versailles. (Something wrong there.)
Then I got a piece of the Cadillac. There was a scam there. I had 30%, kept getting new
partners, too many partners—got out. Then got piece of the Desert Inn. Then Aztec and
Singapore. Majestic Condo replaced Singapore.
Living this building since 1979.
Art freak, see handwritten notes.
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