Honoring the square’s great figures
The last thing Union Square needs is additional tourist bait.
But if San Francisco was going to add an attraction to Union Square, a walk of fame seems like a good fit. While researching this week’s chapter of Our San Francisco, we ran across several individuals who deserve some sort of memorialization on the streets surrounding the park.
Below are our first round inductees to the Union Square Walk of Fame. We’ll have to find a symbol — equivalent to the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame — that will match the location. (Maybe a big dollar sign?)
Felixco-founder before Verdier: the iconic died The three store City years was of Paris built in retail Union anchor Square, at the creating corner a of Stockton and Geary. But he started the momentum for San Franciscans who like the finer things, initially selling overseas wares out of a boat and helping to introduce the city to European fashion.
Victor Hirtzler: One of the greatest chefs in San Francisco history, he added to the cachet of the St. Francis Hotel and Union Square in the early 20th century with his encyclopedic knowledge of food preparation and love for fine dining.
Robert fan of mimes, Shields: go If to you’re YouTube not a and see Shields’ fantastic work interacting with cars and passersby in Union Square. Even when he made it big with a TV show (and “The Muppet Show” appearance) he retained ties to the park, where he married dance partner Lorene Yarnell in 1972.
Theodore Roosevelt: Decades before Air Force One made a presidential jaunt to the West Coast easy, Roosevelt visited Union Square at least twice — for the dedication of the Dewey Monument, and the Pan-Pacific International Exhibition.
Francis Ford Coppola: The pivotal scene in Coppola’s most underrated film (“The Conversation”) takes place in Union Square, a few blocks from the director’s North Beach office. Bonus points for getting Robert Shields in that scene.
Herb Caen: Chronicle columnist Caen had frenemy status with Union Square, which he chided for its ability to attract the lowest common denominator in San Francisco — thuggish types and pigeons. But he would still walk up the street to Union Square for a good self-deprecating photo opportunity. His Union Square photo with Alfred Hitchcock is a classic.
The hard Magnin Magnin time founder choosing family: Mary between We Ann had Mag-a I. nin, her son Joseph Magnin (who started his own store) and grandson Cyril Magnin — an all-around swell guy, champion for art and museums and Pope Pius XIII in “Foul Play.” So we’re inducting them as a clan. Salute to all the Magnins, stewards of Union Square.
Al came Attles Attles: to was San When among Francisco the the Warriorsplayers in 1968, who received a lukewarm welcome on their parade to City Hall. During the team’s championship rally ending at Union Square, the Warriors coach was greeted as a hero. It was a moment of arrival for the team and Attles, who remains with the team as an ambassador.
Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicle’s pop culture critic. E-mail: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub