Premiere in Munich: A film about Roy Dubowy and his legendary bar – Munich

When the party finally starts late Monday evening, the main character has been in bed for a long time. The documentary “Roy – a legend comes to an end” has had two sold-out film festival premieres in the Museum-Lichtspiele, after midnight the guests head towards Sendlinger Straße, into the vaulted cellar of the Altes Hackerhaus, where the makers of this “nightclub with a bar atmosphere ” been trying the impossible for over a year: to resurrect the “Roy”, this plush legend of a bar. Nice try, but unfortunately it doesn’t work.

As at the opening party there last year, the man after whom both the film and the successor establishment are named is not one of the guests: Roy Dubowy. During a conversation a few days before the premiere, he explains why: “I can’t do that. I don’t go out in the evening.” Says the man who for decades made the city’s night owls happy with food, drink and adventure at a time when there was nothing to drink or see in Munich after one o’clock in the morning.

In the “Roy” you could experience something. Of course, nobody knew what beforehand, but the bar in Herzog-Wilhelm-Straße 30 was one of those establishments that were rare even back then, where everything was possible, from a cozy nightcap to total ecstasy, not just on weekends, but also on weekdays. Novices who plucked up their courage and presented themselves to the 2.06 meter tall and not so wide bouncer Charlie didn’t have to be looked over from head to toe, but were politely invited in, into a world that you won’t find anywhere else in the city gave. A world of plush and a lot of red velvet, of wild bird decorations, with an excited little crowd, which today one would probably call diverse, with umpteen faces from the world of hits, pop and rock – and with a host who also welcomes newcomers, so to speak conveyed the feeling of belonging by laying on of hands, no matter where you came from and how big your wallet was. In short: a living room at night. The eternal entertainer Thomas Gottschalk says in the film: “It was a bit wicked when you went in there.” For Monika Gruber, “even a normal visit was an experience – because there was so much to look at”.

Probably true. The story of Roy, that of the bar and the operator, is a story full of names, very many, very prominent guests: Michael Jackson, Peter Ustinov, Tina Turner, Mario Adorf, Peter Alexander, Siegfried & Roy, Zubin Mehta, David Copperfield and Claudia Schiffer, Udo Jürgens, Jopi Heesters, Richard Chamberlain, Tony Marshall, Loriot, Franz Beckenbauer, Bata Ilic, Bryan Adams – the list of VIPs who weren’t there is definitely shorter. Chris de Burgh, whose daughter Dubowy was the godfather, was part of the inventory when he was the opening act for Simply Red. Today he describes the “Roy” as “my second home and Roy was the reason people came”. Herman van Veen raves about the “best shaved man in town”. But how did all the stars find their way to this rather dark corner of the city? Well, that’s where Monti Lüftner comes into play. But one after anonther.

Roy Dubowy was born on Christmas Day 1949, grew up in Bogenhausen with a brother, later his mother Helene moved to Herzog-Wilhelm-Strasse – and opened Café Dubowy there in 1958. Little Roy comes by after school to help – and enjoys the job. He does an apprenticeship as a chef and hotel clerk, which later suits him: “I had wonderful employees, but when there were bottlenecks, I had to help cook.” Even today, former guests rave about the city’s spiciest goulash soup, the legendary Viennese sausage pyramids or meatballs at three in the morning.

Open detailed view

As a boy, Roy was still an errand boy, often bringing food up to the first floor. The Ariola record company was based there, Monti Lüftner was an apprentice and was responsible for looking after the stars. It was not foreseeable that he would one day be a member of the Bertelsmann Group Executive Board and would tie superstars such as Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Cat Stevens and Tina Turner to the fourth largest record company in the world in the mid-1970s. Dubowy remembers: “Everyone was there: Adamo, Dalida, Horst Wendlandt, Jimmy Makulis, I can’t even list them all. I liked that, all these artists. Jean Thomé, big and strong, I always gave him three chops. Or Jan & Kjeld: “Sing a song, sing a song, little banjo boy”. I had autographs signed, was allowed to go to the drawers and look for everything. I had freedom of fools up there, and that’s how it all came about.”

In the mid-1970s, things are being remodeled, it’s getting colourful, but really! The “Roy” was a unique cosmos, a bird of paradise colorful parallel world. Dubowy says: “If you don’t invest, you can’t reap anything. Nothing should be cheap in the restaurant – that would be saving in the wrong place. I was at work the whole time and I wanted it to be nice. My employees were dressed in the same it was a hearty vibe. A joy, not a job. I’m never reluctant to work, nor are my co-workers. They were all wonderful.” In the film, many tell of the time in “Roy”: the wonderfully loud cloakroom attendant Hanni, the gentle bouncer giant Charlie Lohr, and that the best parties were behind the kitchen is also not left untold. Music cabaret artist André Hartmann summarizes: “If you haven’t experienced it: condolences!”

Open detailed view

In 1998 Roy Dubowy gave up the bar and moved to Lake Garda, Günther Grauer, the Starnberg restaurateur, pop singer and carnival prince of the 2000/2001 season, took over, transformed the “Roy” into a hit palace and modernized the shop in 2006. But the special magic the soul of the house cannot be restored. It will be over in autumn 2020: the lease will not be extended, the house is to be demolished, which has not happened to this day.

Film producer Franz Meiller takes up the idea of ​​BR production manager Thomas Hock to shoot a documentary about “Roy”. The result is a melancholic look back at a bygone era of Munich nightlife. The first scenes are hard, because you see what’s left of the glamour: a dreariness on a construction site filmed in black and white, a documentation of the decay. “You could see wallpapers that were more than 60 years old. I recognized them,” says Dubowy at the preview, “but the most touching were the scenes when I saw my mother. Memories came up, great emotions.” Also melancholy? “Not necessarily. The beautiful pictures bring good memories. But one or two tears have already flowed,” he says and has to blow his nose hard again.

It’s beautiful on Lake Garda. Nevertheless, he is often in Munich and enjoys it

He looks good, wears a white polo shirt with jeans, talks about life without the “Roy” in Torri del Benaco: “A small village, I have everything there: lake view, big house, nice staff – wonderful! But in Munich I like being just as much. Also to go to the cinema. Otherwise I have to drive to Verona – I can’t afford that in time. That’s why Munich is so beautiful.” In general, “everything is more convenient here: there is a subway, the nice neighborhood, the doctors, the friends, family, I have a very nice domicile here, also a property management – and a large circle of friends and acquaintances, which I still do As beautiful as it is on Lago di Garda: I like being in Munich”.

Only with the old “Roy” he was never more. For self protection? “Not at all. Even if I used to have problems at work, I didn’t take them home with me. I can switch off well, even after I’d quit I could make a point. It was my wish to quit. For 30 years always until four in the morning. I didn’t come home until six, often getting up at nine: That was tough. But I liked doing it. And always one hundred percent, which unfortunately many don’t do. Many people take this job relaxed and easy – he is not. Service! Serve and perform!” And the new Roy in the hacker house? “I don’t know. Has nothing to do with the old one.”