Young, in love, in Moodus

Hi. Just thought it would be fun to go back to the Ted Hilton resort for our 60th anniversary. We were there only once, went by bus with a cardboard suitcase. We didn't own a car then. We were there the week of August 8th l949. We were very young & in love. We're still together, healthy & still young at heart. We stayed a week in a cabin on a hill. One of my fondness memories were the fresh blueberry pancakes. I make a batch at least once a week ever since I ate yours. All the meals were good then. I 'm amazed I found you on the internet. When I made the blueberry pancakes this morning I remembered your place. We will pleased to receive information on Ted Hilton's Resort. Thank You,

--Mr & Mrs Michael Grella, Hicksville, NY

Memories of Coo Coo

My parents went to Ted Hilton's for their honeymoon in 1949, and our family went to Frank Davis Resort every summer in the 70's.

I especially remember fondly Roy "Coo Coo" Duka, the entertainer from those summers. He used to recruit campers at 6 am to go around with instruments and wake up the other campers. He would blow smoke bubbles from his cigars and run all sorts of activities for kids and adults. He even had a nightclub act for the adults. Sometimes he rode around on a white horse during the Hawaiian barbecue. All very fond memories!

Happiest days at Grand View

For the first 14 years of my life, summers were spent at the Grand View Hotel.  I was one very lucky girl because my Father & Mother worked at the hotel and my family spent the entire summer there.  

Let me tell you about my Dad.  His name was Lew Nadell and he first worked for the Greenbergs in the 1930's, at both of their resorts, summers in Moodus and winters in Lakewood, N.J.  After he married my mother in 1939 he only worked summers because the job he had at a manufactuing firm in Manhattan gave him an unpaid sabbatical leave so he could spend three months in Moodus.

At the Grand View, he ran a concession that was located in the Playhouse.  There he would have candy, soda, ice cream and even sandwiches, just in case the guests would get hungry between meals!  He would go out early in the morning to town and pick up the New York newspapers and sell them to the hotel guests.  During the day, when guests were at the swimming pool or the baseball field or just sitting around the grounds, Dad would walk around with a large cooler strapped to him that held ice cream and soda.  

Meanwhile, my Mother would be behind the concession counter to serve anyone who would come into the Playhouse to play ping pong or listen to the jukebox.  Of course that wasn't my Dad's only job.  He was also the Social Director and was very popular.  Many guests would return year after year because of Lew Nadell.

Dad was a former Vaudevillian and Borsht Circuit entertainer.  He was on stage every night.  Most of his skits had a Jewish flavor to them.  He could sing and dance and was very funny, expecially when he dressed in drag.  Most of the summertime help, like the waiters and busboys were part of the skits.  I remember being on stage singing "A Pretty Girl in Like a Melody" and all the guys came out dressed as girls.  The band for many years was the Al Jarvis Band.

Sometime in the late 1940"s the Grand View was sold to the Pivnik family.  My Dad stayed on until 1954.  My parent's had bought a restaurant in New Haven and Dad couldn't be away all summer.  

When I first came to Moodus, I was only a baby and my parents didn't stay at the Grand View even though they worked there.  We stayed across the road at a small resort called "Steins".  When I got older we did stay at the Grand View but not in the Main House.  We stayed at what was called the Grey House which I believe was where the owners lived.  

We ate with the staff and I was always treated like a Princess by the staff since I was the only little girl that ate with them.  I also was given the privilege of ringing the big bell that called the guests to meals.  I had all my birthday parties at the hotel since my birthday was in July.  The Hotel's baker would make fabulous cakes for me and an announcement went out over the loud speakers inviting all the kids staying at the hotel to come to my birthday party.  Those summers were the happiest days of my childhood.  

--Elinor Nadell Snow

Lifelong friendships

I was a waiter/busboy at Orchard Mansion in both the “Kid’s Dining Room” and “Adult Dining Room” from my Junior Year in H.S. through College. Before that I was a camper from 11 to 14. At 15 I started working at the resort. Most of your memories are right on except for a few points.

1. The tennis court was not lopsided. Actually it was one of the best features (besides the pool) about the resort.
2. The wooden handball/tennis court adjacent to the real tennis court was lopsided.
3. The long narrow table next to the kitchen was in the Adult Dining Room & was what was called the “Teenage Table”. There was a separate “Kid’s Dining Room” in another wing.
4. Dinner was never next day’s lunch as lunch was always dairy & dinner was always meat (except for Sunday).

From someone who is extremely familiar with Orchard & its owners, this time of year I still can hear the dinner bell ringing. Friendships were made by the staff that carry over to this day (I turn 60 in Jan). I would say more professionals came out of the resort staff that would make any Jewish parents proud.

Great article – thanks for the memories.

--Roy Goldstein