Leslie Buck

Even those whose caffeine loyalties lie firmly with Starbucks are probably familiar with New York City's iconic blue, white and gold Grecian-style coffee cup. It's as much a symbol of New York as the Empire State Building, and no doubt the city's landscape would have been less colorful if it hadn't been for Leslie Buck, the man behind the Anthora. He had no formal artistic training, but Buck, who died April 26 at 87, designed the "We are happy to serve you" cardboard cup in the 1960s. Born Laszlo Büch in what was then Czechoslovakia, he survived Auschwitz and Buchenwald before moving to the U.S., where he eventually worked for the Sherri Cup Company. Buck's creation--inspired by the city's many Greek-owned diners and whose name reflects Buck's pronunciation of amphora, a type of ancient Greek vase--became ubiquitous. Today, however, the true Anthora is made only by request. The many knockoffs produced over the years serve as a testament to the original's appeal.