Who was Dan Tana? Yugoslavian soccer player turned Hollywood restaurateur dies at 90

Dan Tana, born Dobrivoje Tanasijević on May 26, 1935, near Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia), lived two very different lives. First, he was a professional soccer player who started playing football at the age of 12 in Serbia, and later moved to Canada to play in the National Soccer League. Then he became a restaurant owner in Los Angeles, where his establishment was a prime spot for celebrities to gather, and the institution became synonymous with Hollywood sightings.

He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1950s after playing soccer in Europe and Canada. There, he began working in restaurants like La Scala and Villa Capri. These places gave him the knowledge and experience to build his own restaurant business.

In 1964, he opened Dan Tana’s, a small restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. Over time, it ended up becoming a Hollywood institution, serving classic New York-style Italian cuisine in the city of Los Angeles.

Dan Tana died in August 2025 at the age of 90. The restaurant announced his death on 16 August, through a Facebook post.

"The great Dan Tana has passed on. We all know that he created a very magical place. Our beloved little yellow house will forever feel his presence."

From Soccer to Acting

Tana first became known as a soccer player. He was born in Yugoslavia, where he started playing football at the age of 12. He was offered an apprenticeship at Red Star Belgrade, where he developed his skills as a striker. Tana later transitioned into playing for Montreal Hakoah Football Club in Canada for the National Soccer League.

His passion for the game remained with him even after he stopped playing football. Later in his life, he bounced back into soccer as a manager and leader of a club. He had a stint with the Los Angeles Toros as well as the Brentford F.C. in England, and also maintained an association with the Red Star Belgrade in Serbia.

Tana also liked acting besides sports. He learned acting after he relocated to Los Angeles with actors such as Natalie Wood and Kim Novak. He even managed to feature in the 1957 movie The Enemy Below. His career as an actor was brief, but it served as a pathway for him to the insiders of Hollywood, who became instrumental in making his restaurant a hit.

This concoction of soccer, drama, and service to people made his life special. He did not just associate himself with sports but also with film and food.

Read More: What’s the one thing Alicia Silverstone says she’s glad to leave behind in the ’90s?

Building Dan Tana’s Restaurant

The restaurant played the greatest role in the life of Tana in Los Angeles. In 1964, he acquired a small hamburger restaurant and converted it to one that served New York-style Italian meals. The restaurant was open late and open to all, and hence, it was the favorite place of several actors, musicians, and producers.

Lots of well-known names came to the restaurant over the years, including guests such as Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and Jack Nicholson, among many others. The restaurant was more than just a diner; it created business connections and solidified friendships in Hollywood.

Tana, who used to hang out at the restaurant all the time, invited people, told tales, and made them feel comfortable. He ended up selling the restaurant in 2009.

Trending

Decades later, Dan Tana's popularity remains as one of the most well-known restaurants in Los Angeles, and a symbol of old Hollywood.

Read More: Sydney Sweeney’s Americana bombs at the box office as it fails to impress fans, details explored

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback