Victor Drai

Victor Drai (born July 25, 1947) is a Moroccan-Franco-American[1][2] nightclub owner, entrepreneur and film producer.[3] Drai rose to prominence in the 1980s, producing the movies The Woman in Red and Weekend at Bernie's, before leaving the industry to open a string of high-profile restaurants and nightclubs.[4][5][6]

Victor Drai
Born (1947-07-25) July 25, 1947
Casablanca, Morocco
NationalityMoroccan
Franco-American
OccupationNightclub owner, film producer
Spouse(s)
​
​
(m. 1984; div. 1986)​

​
​
(m. 1990; div. 1998)​

Yolanda Krupiarz
​
​
(m. after 2016)​
Partner(s)Jacqueline Bisset (1973–1980)
Children3
Websitedraisgroup.com

Early life

Drai was born in Casablanca, Morocco, to Jewish parents. He dropped out of school at 14 to move to Paris, France, with his family. In 1968, he launched a ready-to-wear line called Vicadam, which featured velvet jeans.[7]

In 1974, Drai met Jacqueline Bisset on a flight from Los Angeles to Paris and the two began a transatlantic relationship.[8] Drai sold the fashion line and relocated to the United States to be with Bisset and began a new business flipping Beverly Hills mansions.[7]

Film production

In 1982, Drai and then-girlfriend Kelly Le Brock traveled to Paris where they saw the movie Pardon Mon Affaire. With the help of David Begelman, Drai produced a remake titled The Woman in Red which was released in 1984.[9] Based on that movie's success, Drai then produced a series of comedies including another French remake, The Man with One Red Shoe (1985), and Weekend at Bernie's (1989).[4][10][11]

Restaurants and nightclubs

In 1993 Drai made the decision to open a restaurant, which he felt would be a more family-friendly career.[4] He contracted French chef Claude Segal, who'd replaced Wolfgang Puck at the upscale restaurant Ma Maison in 1985.[12] With Segal, he opened the restaurant Drai's in the L'Ermitage Beverly Hills hotel.

In 1995, Drai opened a second Drai's in Las Vegas. A couple years later, he started an afterhours club, "That started everything,” Drai stated.[13] In December 2013, he opened a steakhouse on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles called Rare by Drai's.[14]

In March 2010 he opened Drai's Hollywood, a rooftop restaurant, pool and nightclub at the W Hotel in Hollywood.[15]

In 1997, Drai opened Drai's restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip.[16] Two years later, Drai added a nightclub to the restaurant, re-branding it Drai's After Hours.[17] In Vegas Seven's 2012 Nightclub Awards, Drai's After Hours won "Best Place to Disappear".[18] He currently operates Drai's After Hours nightclub at The Cromwell Las Vegas.[19]

In 2007, Drai took over La Bete at Wynn Las Vegas and re-branded it Tryst.[20] In 2012, Vegas Seven's Nightclub Awards awarded Tryst "Best Place to Impress".[21] In 2013, Tryst placed #8 in the Top 100 Nightclub & Bar Roster for Nightclub & Bar Magazine.[22]

Drai opened XS nightclub at Encore Las Vegas in 2008.[23] In 2010, XS won Nightclub & Bar Awards for "New Club of the Year" and "Mega-Club of the Year.[24] " In 2013, Nightclub & Bar Magazine awarded XS the "Mega-Club of the Year.[25] " Technomic named XS number one nightclub in the US for 2010.[26] In 2010, Drai was bought out of his managing partnership at Steve Wynn's Tryst and XS to pursue other endeavors.[27]

On March 2, 2017, he opened Drai’s Vancouver which was located inside Trump International Hotel & Tower Vancouver [28] The club closed down in september 2018 [29]

He opened Drai's Beachclub & Nightclub,[30] on Memorial Day Weekend 2014, at The Cromwell Las Vegas.[31] This 65,000-square-foot venue has a party pool and an indoor/outdoor club spread out over two levels on top of the new Cromwell Hotel.[32] Drai also opened a beach club and a nightclub in Dubai and plans to expand his empire to other cities.[33]

Drai is one of sixteen professionals listed in the Nightclub Hall Of Fame[34]

Personal life

Drai was romantic and business partner with Jacqueline Bisset from 1973 to 1980.[35] Drai has been married three times. In 1984, he married Kelly Le Brock; their marriage ended two years later in 1986. His second marriage was in 1990 to Loryn Locklin. On April 24, 2016, he married his third wife, Yolanda Krupiarz.[36] Drai has one son and three daughters. Atlas Drai, Serenity Drai, October Drai, and Cypher Drai

Filmography

He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.

Film
Year Film Credit
1984The Woman in Red
1985The Man with One Red Shoe
The Bride
1989Weekend at Bernie's
1992Folks!
1993Weekend at Bernie's II
2016The Last Film FestivalCo-producer
As an actor
Year Film Role
1997An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood BurnHimself

References
  1. Welkos, Robert (July 7, 1994). "Drai's Restaurant: Parlez-Vous le Show Biz? : Industry: Hollywood powerbrokers flock to Victor Drai's West Hollywood restaurant. But is it for the former producer's Southern France-style food?". The LA Times. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  2. Weston, Jay (December 17, 2013). "Rare by Drai's Opens on Sunset Plaza Drive". The Huffington Post. Rare by Drai's Opens on Sunset Plaza Drive. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  3. Clarke, Norm. "NORM Q&A: Nightclub mogul Victor Drai sets sights on new Strip venture". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  4. Kaplan, Michael (Feb 27, 2014). "Vegas' After-Hours King Makes a Comeback". VEGAS Magazine. Niche Media LLC. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  5. Odell, Kat. "Drai's Restaurant at W Hollywood Shutters, Will Relocate". Eater LA. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  6. Leach, Robin (March 5, 2014). "Photos: Victor Drai's at Cromwell will be 'the most beautiful nightclub you have ever seen'". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  7. Windeler, Robert (August 1, 1977). "Out of the Shadows". People Magazine. 8 (5). Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  8. Lipson, Larry. "DRAI'S TURNS HOLLYWOOD CLOUT INTO MEATY SUCCESS". The Daily News (1996). The Free Library. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  9. Archerd, Army (9 August 1995). "Begelman's suicide shocks, saddens friends". Variety. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  10. "Victor Drai". IMDB. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  11. Sweeney, Louise (17 September 1984). "Film star Tom Hanks: having fun making movies filled with mirth". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  12. Parsons, Russ (November 4, 2011). "Longtime chef Claude Segal dies". The LA Times. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  13. "Victor Drai, Nightlife Impresario Behind Vegas Clubs Tryst, XS, Bringing New Concept to BLT Space". Wehoville.com. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  14. Chiao, Christine. "Rare by Drai's, a New Steakhouse in West Hollywood, Now Open". Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  15. "Vegas Debauchery on a Hollywood Rooftop". UrbanDaddy.com. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  16. "Drai's (Restaurant)". Vegas.Napkinnights.com. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  17. "Drai's After Hours - The Best After Hours Club in Las Vegas". Drai's After Hours - The Best Las Vegas After Hours.
  18. "Best Place to Disappear: Drai's After hours". Vegas Seven. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  19. Wynn Las Vegas, Victor Drai end partnership Amanda Finnegan Fri, Aug 27, 2010 Las Vega Weekly
  20. Elyzabeth, Michele. "Victor Drai: He Did It His Way". LATF The Magazine. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  21. "2012 Nighclub Awards". Vegas Seven. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  22. "Presenting the 2013 Top 100 NCB Top 10 Profiles". Nightclub & Bar Magazine. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  23. Leach, Robin. "Photos: Victor Drai's at Cromwell will be 'the most beautiful nightclub you have ever seen'". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  24. Woodman, Xania. "XS TAKES HOME TWO NIGHTCLUB & BAR AWARDS". Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  25. "2013 Nightclub & Bar Award Winners Announced". Nightclub & Bar Magazine. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  26. Clarke, Norm. "Wynn Las Vegas club named No. 1". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  27. Odell, Kat. "Victor Drai and Steve Wynn Part Ways: Waits Brothers at Helm of Wynn's Nightlife Empire". Eater LA. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  28. "Drai's Vancouver, the city's newest ultra lounge, will make its grand entrance into Vancouver's nightlife scene | Mar 2, 2017". March 6, 2017.
  29. "Vegas Goodbye, Drai's Vancouver Nightclub Shuts Down Unexpectedly". 604 Now. September 5, 2018.
  30. "Drai's Beachclub & Nightclub | The Best Club in Las Vegas". Drai's - The Best Las Vegas Nightclub.
  31. Medved, Matt. "Drai's Beach Club & Night Club Las Vegas Announces Eric Prydz and More as First Residents: Exclusive". Billboard.com. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  32. Feldberg, Sarah. "DRAI'S BEACH CLUB AND NIGHTCLUB WILL BE MORE THAN A 'MUSIC VENUE FOR MILLION-DOLLAR DJS'". Las Vegas Weekly. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  33. Dobson, Jim. "Vegas Nightlife King Victor Drai And Son Dustin Take The Drai's Club Brand Worldwide". Forbes.
  34. "Nightclub Hall of Fame Inductee Victor Drai".
  35. Freden, Marc (2010). Really!?! : a memoir and other observations from a man who's lived life "not quite famous enough". [S.l.]: Xlibris Corp. pp. 153–154. ISBN 978-1450073677. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  36. https://lasvegassun.com/vegasdeluxe/2016/apr/25/victor-drai-weds-yolanda-krupiarz--atop-cromwell-/,
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