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MONTEREYCOUNTY
MONTEREY C O U N T S LARGEST NEWSPAPER
M A I , EDITION
56 PAGES
50 CENTS
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S AT U R D AY, M A R C H 30. 1996
Plenty of Gumption
No, it's not actor Tom Hanks in his Oscar-winning role as Forrest Gump strolling around Cannery Row
yesterday. It's actually Steve Weber of Santa Clara, a Hanks impersonator hired to launch the first Bubba
Gump Shrimp Co. restaurant. Story on l a
Vern Fisher/The Herald
Bubba Gump restaurant
opens on Cannery Row
BYJUDY HAMMOND
Heraici Stall Wnter
cess.
The restaurant, which features a
family-style menu o f shrimp and
seafood dishes named for characters in the movie, opened in midweek without fanfare and was an
instant attraction, said Ted Balestreri of the Cannery Row Co., the
restaurant's landlord.
The retail store, which sells Forrest G u m p T-shirts, sweatshirts,
recipe books and other paraphernalia from the film, sold out the
first day and had to restock.
"Business has been phenomenal," Balestreri s a i d , " O f a l l
places, they chose Cannery Row."
Sherry Lansing, chairwoman o f
Paramount Pictures, said: " I ' m
overwhelmed by it. The site is as
beautiful as anything I've seen."
Two good things have happened
this w e e k —
"Braveheart"
and this restaurant, she said.
"Braveheart," a
Paramount r e lease, won five
Oscars.
The Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Restaurant St Market celebrated
its grand opening yesterday o n
Cannery Row in Hollywood style.
The music o f a Cajun band
echoed through Cannery Row as
film studio dienitaries and local
officials gathered t o launch t h e
first o f a chain o f Bubba Gump
Shrimp Co. restaurants based o n
the theme o f t h e 1994 Oscarwinning film "Forrest Gump."
Actor Tom Hanks, who won an
Academy Award for his portrayal
of the title character, was not at
the opening, but an uncanny lookalike attracted sidewalk spectators
for a closer look.
The restaurant w a s created
jointly b y t h e
Rusty Pelican, a
nationwide
chain o f 14 restaurants, a n d
Viacom C o n sumer Products,
the licensing di- — S h e r r y Lansing, P a r a m o u n t
Pictures chairwoman
vision for Para''I'm j u s t
mount Pictures,
knocked out by
the studio that
this," Lansing
said. "Memorabilia from 'Forrest
produced "Forrest Gump."
The decor features memorabilia Gump' brings back all the wonderfrom the film, including the origi- ful memories of the movie."
Lansing. w h o a l s o produced
nal costumes w o r n b y Hanks,
Robin Wright, G a r y Sinise and "Fatal Attraction" and "Indecent
Sally Field. The background music Proposal," s a i d Paramount i s
working on a sequel t o "Forrest
is the film soundtrack.
Gump," but it would be done only
Forest's suit, scruffy shoes and
if all the principals were available.
suitcase containing a box of chocoThe actors have said they will take
lates are kept i n a glass display
if the script is good. she said.
case, but a replica o f the bench part
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is
where Forrest sat is available for theThe
first time Viacom and Paraanyone to use,
mount have entered into the resSteve Weber, the Hanks look- taurant business, s a i d A n d r e a
alike, posed f o r pictures on the Hein, president o f Viacom Conbench while clutching a box o f sumer Products. They are looking
chocolates. " A l l my life I've been at San Francisco. Orlando and San
told I look like Hanks," said Web- Diego as choices for the next reser, who lives in Santa Clara,
taurant, she said.
In t h e f i l m , Forrest becomes
"We picked Monterey because
friends w i t h a shrimper named it's next t o the aquarium, on hisBubba while the two are serving in toric Cannery Row and has a long
Vietnam. They agree to operate a fishing history," Hein said.
"I think they've got a winner,"
shrimp b o a t together after t h e
war, but it is left to Forrest to ful- Monterey Mayor Dan Albert said.
fill the dream after his friend is
The restaurant replaces Rusty's
killed in combat. His Bubba Gump Seafood Grotto, which was bought
Shrimp Co. turns into a huge suc- by Rusty Pelican Inc. in 1990.
'The site is as
beautiful as
anything I've seen.'