Ermenegildo ‘Jilly’ Rizzo was an American restaurateur, entertainer and a long-time friend of Frank Sinatra. Born in 1917 in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York, Rizzo first worked for his father delivering ice to cafes and had a variety of other restaurant jobs before opening his eponymous saloon. Jilly’s, located in midtown Manhattan, became known as the city’s swinging-est place to be. Sinatra frequented his old pal’s place often and brought along friends like the famous American bandleader and composer Count Basie. Rizzo later became one of Sinatra’s chief aides and closest confidantes and was referenced in his cover of “Mrs Robinson”, featured on Sinatra’s 1969 album My Way. Sinatra changed the lyric from “And here’s to you Mrs Robinson, Jesus loves you more than you will know” to “… Jilly loves you more than you will know…’
Rizzo was also a frequent guest on the comedy show Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, delivering one-liners in his monotone New York accent.
Sinatra, who was based in California, persuaded Jilly to open another establishment there in the late 1980s.
Rizzo died at the age of 75 in Rancho Mirage, CA, in 1992, when his car was struck by a drunk driver. According to reports at the time, Sinatra went into seclusion on news of the death of his old friend. Sinatra died in 1998.
This 1960s matchbook cover from Jilly’s even comes with Frank Sinatra’s personal endorsement!