The Many Lives of Tony Luke, Jr. Part 2

Tony Luke, Jr. is a cofounder of Tony Luke's, a cheesesteak franchise with multiple locations. He's also an actor, TV personality, musician, and an anti-addiction-stigma activist.

In this Part 2 of a 2-episode series, you’ll hear how a small sandwich shop on a random corner in South Philly - that didn’t even sell cheesesteaks when it first opened - became the Philly cheesesteak sensation of the 90s. Tony, Jr. would take the momentum of a few press pieces and parlay it into viral TV commercials, multiple franchise locations, and a life of a TV and food celebrity.

But, the highest of highs would soon become the lowest of lows. Tony’s family would have a falling out about the direction of the franchise, which would be followed by a devastating lawsuit, the end of Tony’s TV show, and the heart-wrenching accidental overdose death of his son, Tony Lucidonio III.

Tony, Jr. now serves as an anti-addiction-stigma activist, educating and guiding addicts and their families towards better times.

@tonylukejr on Instagram, Twitter

Philly Who? Is a Cue9 Production. This episode is produced, edited, and hosted by Kevin Chemidlin, with associate production by Angela Gervasi and Bryce Loebel, music by Lee Rosevere, artwork by Lauren Carhart, and a special thanks to Bob Moore.

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