Chip helped them develop and open their Hollywood store and loved being part of their organization.
Throughout, they have been and continue to be, incredibly generous and supportive friends.
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He was one the good guys...
ReplyDeleteI wrote this on my blog on the day I heard that Chip had passed way.
ReplyDeleteThe Loss of A Friend
I found out yesterday that William ‘Chip’ Hammack, an old friend of mine passed away on Saturday. I say old not because we had known each other for a long time, even though we did, but because he was a very good friend from another time in my life.
I knew him and his wife in Chicago, went to their wedding, directed a play he wrote and even moved into the apartment building they lived in when I moved to Los Angeles as they had done earlier. We stayed close for many years here in L.A., dinners with friends, joined a theater company together, visits to their apartment, etc., but then, through relationship break-ups, distances and time, we grew apart. I would hear from time to time how Chip and his wife were doing but I had moved on to new friends, other locations and different opportunities. Then a few weeks ago I had coffee with a mutual friend of ours who I hadn’t seen in awhile either. He told me that Chip had been diagnosed with stomach cancer too late and that it did not look good for him. I tried to email and even call, but it was too late. He was too weak to talk although I was glad I did have a nice conversation with his wife. But at that point what do you say.
When I got the news last night that Chip had died, it made me sad, but also forced me to think about all of the people I have known in my life. It really must be a staggering number when you think about it. And not just all of the really good friends, but mutual acquaintances, people you have worked with, even those you have just met socially. All of these people have touched your life in some way and you have touched theirs as well. But it is the ones you were closest to that stay with you forever. Even if the years and distances separate you, you remember all of details as if you had just experienced them. And when I think about all those people I knew and cared for, I wonder what has become of them I grow sad because in many cases I simply don’t know.
Chip was an expert in wine, something I never had any interest in. I started to think today how friendship, actually any relationship is like a good bottle of wine. We choose a bottle of wine like we choose a friend. We’ve heard good things about it, maybe we even had a chance to taste it and then we decide that it is something we want to have. But often times, we take the fine bottle of wine and leave it on the shelf or in the cellar to age. If we do this, then we never really have the joy of experiencing the wine. Just like a friendship, if we don’t experience it, then we miss out on what it has to offer.
We are given rare, often fleeting chances in our lifetimes to meet an enormous diversity of people, many of whom we are lucky enough to call friends. Even as lives change and people move on, it doesn’t take much in this intimately connected world to stay in touch, to even email a simple ‘how are you’ or post a picture of your latest endeavor for all your friends to see. These relationships matter even if it is in some small way and it is up to each of us to care for them so that we do not lose these uniquely human interactions.
I am truly sorry to hear that Chip is no longer here. I am sorry for his family, for the enormous loss they feel. And I feel sorry that I wasn’t there to help even in some small way. I can only hope that this loss will help me to be a better friend, to stay in contact with those I am close to and maybe even a few old friends that I have not seen in quite some time.
To Chip, I hope that you are at peace now and I want to say that I only wish I had taken the time before now to talk to you.
I missed Chip on my latest visit to LA back in June. There is a group of friends from Chicago who would gather at the Farmer's Market whenever I &/or my husband would come to town. But this time, instead of Chip & Natasha, I only had the pleasure of Natasha's company. She explained that Chip had gone out the night before to do some wine tasting and he had over-indulged and was laying low that day. I could certainly appreciate his enthusiasm for the wine and the company of fellow oeniphiles. It was a part of Chip's very being that he combine the joys of good wine and good friends.
ReplyDeleteMy first contact with Chip Hammack came from my experience as a talent agent in Chicago. He was just a picture in the files. But then the agency I worked for was co-erced by Terry Bozeman to sponsor a softball team in the Chicago Theatre Softball League. We were Harrisse Davidson's Rookie Phenoms. And Chip and I became teammates. My husband fondly recalls this period "when life was a beer commercial". He's an actor, too, and so it was a nice blend of quirky, creative people who had a passion for softball. We were the only team to line up on the first baseline to sing the National Anthem before each game. We played together for years, won a championship, partied drunkenly and, eventually, moved on to our careers. Chip & Natasha married during this period and decided to try their hands at show business careers in LA. We were sorry to see them go, but it was Chicago after all, and the best you could do was score a national commercial or get cast at the Goodman. So they went where the opportunities were more plentiful and settled down.
Terry Bozeman, TW Miller, David Weiss, David Westgore, Tim Halligan, Randy Wintory, Dawn Arnemann, Dave Reynolds, and more followed and established their own way on the West Coast. When Chip came close to getting a co-starring role in a sitcom we were pulling for him all the way. The fates were not so kind and he continued to audition, but started to use his skills as a wine enthusiast to become a trusted advisor to customers in the shop where he was employed. Eventually, my husband, Malcolm Rothman, and I followed the flow out to LA and were lucky enough to be embraced by those who had come before and we enjoyed many social hours with Chip & Natasha. But after 365 days in sunny LA we decided it wasn't for us and we went back to Chicago.
Chip & I shared his passion for wine as well. I remember a dinner at Chip & Natasha's where another wine afficionado, Henry Bishop, brought 5 bottles of red wine for Chip to blind taste. All I remember is his amazing accuracy in identifying varietals, regions and years. It was like being in the presence of a true magician. Even after I left LA, my path and Chip's would cross in the most interesting ways. I am now a food service professional and at the time was working at The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton. During dinner service one night, I was advising a guest on his wine selection and he made a comment that he wishes his wine guy was here to offer an opinion. I asked who his wine guy was, as I knew a lot of folks and was just looking to make conversation. He explained that he was from LA and that he had this great guy who was a salesman at the wine store near his house in the Larchmont section of LA. I took a shot and asked if his name happened to be Chip. Of course it was.
I will always remember Chip's resilience and humor. The way he could roll with the punches made me believe that he was going to beat this horrible cancer. But I guess the spirits deserve a little good advise on their wine selections, too, and they now have him enthroned in a place of honor along with Dionysus and Bacchus to share the fruit of the vine with him. May you rest in peace. S'lante.
During my time in Los Angelos, I, along with a very compelling group of Chicago actors and other performers from around the city formed a group which we called The Blue Line Theater Company.
ReplyDeleteAmong those members was a warm and loving couple named Chip and Natasha whom I liked instantly and never forgot. How shocked and saddened I was to hear of Chip's death and Natasha's loss. I will remember Chip as the sweetiest and most generous of souls. My love and heartfelt condolences go to you, Natasha.
Bonnie Pemberton (Baker)
Chipper was a schoolmate, a roommate, a team mate,(Rookie Feenoms Forever), and a first rate Human! I cannot fathom that I will never see him in this life again! His passion for life, art, wit, and wine, are the stuff of legend. My daughter, Natalie (15), is named after his beloved wife Natasha! He was one of the BEST people I have ever known. It had been years since I'd seen him and I learned of his condition shortly after diagnosis. It is a terrible thing to know. It took my own Dad at age 49 in 1976. Bless you, Natasha, for your Love, Dedication, Care, and Support for our beloved Chipper. We love You and miss him and his life and his humor! May God keep You and Chipper in his Loving Hands!
ReplyDeleteGlenn Markos
Chip is one the truly rare people you meet who you can look back on and say "This person had a hand in my becoming the man that I am."
ReplyDeleteI have always known this in the time that I knew Chip. He tought me the ways in which to see beauty in life, work, and more importantly people. His loss and the loss of a dear shared friend, Mark Estrin, have been difficult to internalize. Both men had great impact on me and I credit them both for many personal accomplishments achieved in life.
To pass the days at the Wine House, where I spent my formative career, Chip was my inspiration behind my drive to explore wine as a serious individual, he tought many of us there how to interpret the taste of wine, the appreciation one could/should have for wine, the wine maker, the person who sells wine and the customer who buys wine. And along the way for that matter he threw in a lesson or two on the joys of Jazz - He introduced it all to me.
Foremost on my mind today is his sense of humor - we had the best time together, teasing our colleagues, the wine reps, sharing industry gossip and the like. Chip would share stories from his old Chicago Sam's Wine & Spirits days, it seemed like a different era then - I hope everone who has ever met him can recall the story of the day a pidgeon was punched out in the store...just thinking of it now I recall the details he would color his tale with, the cold temperature of working a Chicago winter, the fingerless gloves, his cap, the crazy and colorful coworkers from this nascent part of his own career.
It's hard to think of losing someone like Chip. To fortify myself I like to think of the many wonderful people we knew together and that he and Natasha introduced me to over the years. I still see some of you from time to time and I will be thinking of Chip when I see you next. This is his enduring legacy with me and I cherish it dearly.
I will miss you my old friend.
Love,
Scott
Chip will be missed in our family.He loved Natasha and made her happy and for that he was a prince in my eyes. I will miss his quick wit and wounderful humor that were always present when we spoke.I could never tell who was putting who on but, always enjoyed the match.So to Chip, loved by his wife,family and friends.Respected in his business by his customers and peers.
ReplyDeleteSip a little wine,play some jazz and don't bet against the Lakers .I was blessed to have known Chip Hammack. Rick
Just a few wine buyer can be always desirable to see. I know it too well, I spend my life in this theater on both side. "Chip" on the shoulder taints many but our chip was a gentleman by nature.
ReplyDeleteI miss him now, and with his passing we have to run without him....
In early Chicago theater days there was Feenoms, Gingerman, working Chgo-fests, and great apartment parties! Moving into the city brought me a whole passel of passionate theater friends. Including Chip and Natasha whose wedding was on a perfect blue-sky day. I still remember Chip looked like a KID dressed up for a party. Which makes sense, because that’s how he saw the world …a big, rich celebration.
ReplyDeleteThank you both (ya listenin’ Chip?) for the joy we shared as you committed to love, honor, and care for each other. And even more important, that promise got fulfilled. What terrific spirits you are!
Diane Dorsey & Danny Goldring
The Jimmy Ellis music was so terrific at your wedding we had them play for ours! (D&D)
ReplyDeleteI believe that the reason our store is in Hollywood is due to Chip. I was assigned to find a spot in LA two years before store opened when Chip was hired. So Chip and I and Tommy (who was in LA at the time) set out to find locations. K&L really was looking for locations on the west side near Santa Monica, but Chip mentioned a place available in Hollywood-I remember spending one day looking at places with Chip-most in Santa Monica area and one in Hollywood. I asked Chip about the Hollywood location before we looked at it. He maintained that Hollywood had a bad rap and that it was really changing for the better. He did say that Santa Monica was a more prestigious address but that little bit of Hollywood in Chip said we should look at the location. When Chip and I walked into the Hollywood store, we looked at each other and pretty much said “This is the spot” . Hell 1400 VINE Street just off Sunset Blvd and the Walk of Fame stars!! Chip and I joked that someday K&L could get their own star!. From that day on, we pursued this location and the rest is history.
ReplyDeleteClyde beffa
Chip was the only guy who could understand me when I diverted back to my "Chicago" accent. I miss Chip. He was one of the "great" ones...
ReplyDeleteChip was and incredibly positive and generous person. A good friend who helped me as a young man in the wine business sharing his experience and time. I'm very grateful.
ReplyDeleteAdam
i am chip's daughter. he was not my biological father but he might as well have been. i love him so much and will miss him everyday. why this happened now, i dont know. he touched my heart like no one else could know. i wouldnt be here if it wasnt for him. not friends or other family could feel the bond i have with him. he was always there for me, even when i called at 3 in the morning lieing that my bus broke down. i wanted to stay with my boyfriend (now husband) and fly the coop. he was always there for me as a father, a friend, a mentor. even 4 months ago when i needed to talk. he would do anything for me and now i dont know what ill do without him. MY AUNT AND UNCLE ARE MY SAVORS. even when i was a brat, they were there. even when i fucked up, they were there. when my mother went crazy, when i was 12 yrs old. they were there. taking me in as their own. their own daughter, i will forever be! they put me under their wings. helping me through life and helping me fly. WORDS CAN NOT EXPRESS HOW I LOVE MY FATHER! NO ONE CAN UNDERSTAND A FATHER AND DAUGHTER BOND. I CAN SCREAM AT THE CRESCENT CITY OCEAN IN PAIN FOR MY LOSE. HOW I WILL KEEP GOING WITHOUT MY FATHER, ILL HAVE TO FIND OUT. people from years ago and even from the last few years, could never understood the man he was. my aunt and i were his girls! how do you live without a father? well at least i have my aunt who is a better mother then my biological mother could ever be. we will keep our spirits going because my uncle would have wanted it that way. if anyone can be there for my aunt, BE THERE! how do you loose a soulmate and father?? i will GO WITH THE FLOW- as he always told me.
ReplyDeleteHow to say how I feel with the 500 words I'm speaking English with, Chip. You are a gardener and you can be proud of you and your "jeunes pousses". You are paragliding somewhere my friend.
ReplyDeleteMy brother was a remarkable man and a good, good brother. He always tried to understand me and listen to me. Once I mentioned the name of a musician and he immediately knew where the musician was from and his latest CD. I remember when he played the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz in 8th grade. As kids, we climbed trees and swam together in upper state New York. I was sort of a tom-boy and he never excluded me when it came time to play. Even though this disease has put out his light, we all have to go on shining our lights and that's the hard part for me, but I know I have to. It all seems so unfair. I was looking forward to another thirty years of time with my brother. My sympathies are with Natasha and Laura and all of his friends. He died with the same dignity and grace that he lived his life. I was able to see him before his death and that means a lot to me. I will carry on the good times I shared with him by sharing them with others. I will always remember him. He will live on in all of our memories.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteANNIE- Not sure if my 1st attempt went thru here, but... I just found this notice of CHIPPER'S passing and I am So Sorry ! (I posted below with comment as to how I knew him & your Parents). Bill & Tinker kept in touch with me, even visited in San Francisco and here in Sacramento. I think I talked with you after your Dad passed and I'm thinking your Mom has also made the transition. I'm sorry for your losses and extend my sympathies to you and Chip's Family. PEACE & LOVE
DeleteAnnie - I'm Gwen. Your cousin from your Uncle Lewis. Find me on Facebook. (Link added here)
DeleteChip’s Trip…..
ReplyDeletePart One
The season of Thanksgiving is the bridge to the Holidays and truly a time to give thanks for all the wonderful people in our lives, and time for family gatherings and reflection. It is also very busy and difficult time in the retail wine business. Business goes nuts for 2 months and people are stressed out; wines sell out quickly, orders take longer to get process and delivered, people’s fuses get real short and explosions happen. It will be during these rough moments that I will think of our good friend Chip Hammack who we lost last month to cancer at 55.
If you missed the lovely tribute written by my good friend Joe Zugelder to Chip in Octobers Wine Newsletter, please go back and check it out, because it is such a perfect piece. I met Chip in Bordeaux before he worked for K&L and liked him right away and was thrilled when we hired him to run our Hollywood store, it pretty much was a guarantee of future success to have an experienced veteran of the business like Chip in place. Chip was just a sweetheart, and always an upbeat wine professional with a sharp palate. Chip was also very well known and very well liked by all our friends in France, where his name was affectionately pronounced “Cheeps”. I love the way it’s sounds and called him that often.
I will never forget my first and only trip to Bordeaux with Chip as a K&L team member for many reasons, but mostly because Chip was on fire guessing wines blind! I sat next to Chip on the plane, shoulder to shoulder in the car for 10 days and at dinner every night and I learned a lot about him and what he loved; Natasha, Wine and Jazz.
Ralph Sands
Chip's Trip....
ReplyDeletePart Two
The 1982 vintage was 8 years before I started going to Bordeaux, but when we landed on April 3rd 2006 we were both as excited as our first visit, because it was Chip’s Birthday and we were here to taste the greatest vintage since 82, 2005.
Our first dinner we were treated blindly to the greatness and longevity of 2nd growth Ch. Pichon Longueville Baron as we tasted 1986, 1982 {which Chip guessed}, and 1955, my birth and year all poured out of 3.0 bottles! 2006 will certainly be a vintage that will develop like those and we have a good selection of bottle sizes .750 $99.99 1.5’s are $199.00 and 3.0 are $399.00. Fois gras started that meal we had the glorious 1989 Ch. Suduiraut from Sauternes, and with the raspberries and chocolate mousse it was the 1982! We are selling the outstanding 2007 Suduiraut which will surely rival the quality of 89 for $79.95 full bottle and .375’s for $39.95.
At a great dinner later in the week in the home of Mary Claude and Pierre Antoine Casteja chip had one of the greatest nights of blind tasting I’ve ever seen, we had 2 wines in front of us, both were very, very good wines. Alfred Tesseron was in attendance so we had the feeling they may be his now great, Ch. Pontet Canet. They were indeed; and the first wine was 1999, I guessed 1996, the second was 1995, I guessed 1990. Chip got them both correct. We both agreed that the Pontet Canet is making wine far above its current pricing and rivals Bordeaux first growths. 2006 is $64.99.. 3.0’s $299.00..6.0’s 649.00
We moved on to two more blinders and with my golf partner at the table Jean Hubert Delong, we figured correctly that his legendary 2nd growth Ch. Leoville Las Cases was next. The first wine was so great I thought it was 1989 but it was 1988, Chips guess! The next wine was also awesome, I guessed 1982, Chip guessed 85 and it was 1985. It was clear to us both that the winemaking and viticulture of the Las Cases team is just fantastic and the newest proof is the wine of Ch. Nenin which was rescued by this ownership and has completely rejuvenated this excellent estate where 2006 is an excellent vintage and 2006 Nenin is 49.95.
The Cheese wine was poured, and I said to myself, this is Ch. Latour! I excused myself to use to restroom and when I returned Chip says its 1978 Latour and I guessed it! Chip turns his body all the way around in the chair to face me and hide his giddiness and say’s to me “man I can’t believe this; I never get any of these wines right!” I told him it was just knowledge and experience coming together and to stay hot! The next year I had Chip over for dinner and told him go into my wine cellar and pick out any 2 bottles he wanted for our steak and jazz night; he comes back with 1978 Las Cases and 1979 Latour. I smiled when he returned because I had an educated guess of what he might pick.
We were exhausted when we pulled into Les Sources de Caudalie the last night; the gang wanted to have one last after dinner degestif, but I was done, no booze for me and I said goodnight. I was in my PJ’s a few minutes later when there is a knock on the door and its Chip to tell me you have to get dressed and back out here as our friend Jim is opening the just released 1996 Dom Perignon Rose! So back to the bar I went, and what a fantastic glass of Champagne to end this special trip with Chip.
This holiday season there will be quite a few glasses raised around the wine world in Cheers for Chip as well as a few tears; exactly the way it should be for this wonderful man.
Cheers to Cheeps! Toujours Bordeaux and Go Niners!
Ralph Sands
I think think the California Life Celebration is happening right now. Thank you Sir Bozeman....I think you were and are his awesome friend! Thank you Natasha for making sure I had that last loving converstion with Chipper! Chip was an incredible comic and wit, intellectual seeker, conversationalist, male buddy, drinking companion, sensualist, wine guy, Best Man at my wedding in 1978, jazz enthusiast, coolmotherfucker and gentleman! There is a hole in my heart where he has departed, but nothing compared to the expansion in my heart and soul for what he gave me with his friendship and love. Forever....Friend....Forever
ReplyDeleteI Love You,
Henry Ferree
Hey Natasha,
ReplyDeleteI hope you are doing ok. Not sure if you will get this, but I hope you do. I was able to sell Chip's saxophone and have a check for you. I've tried the phone number that you gave me a bunch of times, but there was no answer and no answering machine. Email me or call. swayne@hw.com or 818-980-1990. Love,
Starr
Did you ever get a response? I'm Chip's cousin, Gwen.
DeleteI worked with Chip at the Wine Shop on Larchmont for a couple years. He was one of the nicest, coolest, funniest guys I ever met. I was so sad to recently hear about his passing. The world lost a truly great man a few years ago, my heart goes out to his family & friends.
ReplyDeleteRich
Chip's Dad, Wm. Hammack, was a drama teacher at my high school (Morton East in Cicero, IL). In the 60s he directed a production of Hamlet and Chip was around a lot during rehearsals. Later the school did A Thousand Clowns, and Chip played Nick, the young kid. I did costume and scenery work on both plays and I remember Chip, at 12, as a very nice kid and a good actor. I just came across a pic of him in a high school photo album, and decided to Google his name just for the heck of it. What a sad shock to find out that he passed! ...Linda C
ReplyDeleteI will miss my childhood friend from Garfield and Proviso East. You always had time for me... RIP Chip
ReplyDeleteLloyd (Buster)
Chipper ,at age 9, was "a boy" in my 1st stage play, ("WAITING FOR GODOT"; I was "Lucky"), 17-19OCT1963, at Morton Jr. College, Cicero, Illinois, directed by his Dad, William D. Hammack. His Mom, "Tinker"/Ruby, was Dance Teacher for Morton West High School. I know both of his Parents have passed and it is sad to hear of Chipper's passing. I can remember his Sister Annie just slightly and offer my condolences to her and all other Family Members.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, I'm the "Unknown" in the above reply. I'm in Sacramento, CA dougkopecky1@gmail.com , but they may not let me put that info in.... Anyway. PEACE & LOVE
ReplyDeleteI worked with Chip at the Chicago Northwestern Railroad in the mid-70’s. Great guy. I remember he left to study Acting (I think at the Goodman) and lost touch with him after I left to go to college. I don’t know why I was thinking of him but I googled his name and came across this blogpost. So sad he died at such as young age but reading the comments he had a life well-lived with lots of love and friends. Rest in Peace old friend.
ReplyDelete