Philanthropist Chaplin dies at 82

Saturday, March 4, 2006 | 7:22 a.m.

Born: Feb. 23, 1924, in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Education: Graduated from Brooklyn's Tilden High School and attended Long Island University. He also played semi-pro baseball at that time.

Military: Army Air Corps, World War II.

Services: 1 p.m. Sunday at Temple Beth Sholom, 10700 Havenwood Lane. Interment at King David Memorial Chapel and Cemetery, at 2697 E. Eldorado Lane.

Survivors: Wife, Shirley Chaplin; two sons, Larry Chaplin of Boca Raton, Fla., and Ward Chaplin of Parkland, Fla.; a daughter, Randi Matushevitz of Las Vegas; a brother, Harvey Chaplin of Bal Harbour, Fla.; and three grandchildren, Joshua, Kerry and Ashley.

During the last 30 years, Sidney Chaplin established himself as a Las Vegas business and civic leader who never sought the spotlight for his good deeds.

Whether it was contributing money to build Temple Beth Sholom's Summerlin synagogue or donating to many charity events, the satisfaction of helping others was all that the longtime executive vice president and general manager of Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada sought in return for his generosity.

As a young man, Chaplin had flirted with being a baseball player, an airman and an insurance salesman before going to work to market fine spirits - a career that enabled him to be so giving to others.

Chaplin died Thursday after a brief illness in Miami. He was 82 and a Las Vegas resident since 1976.

"Sidney loved nothing more in life than his family and helping others," said his friend and business partner of 30 years, Larry Ruvo, senior managing director of Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada.

"Through the years his countless acts of charity and helping others made him very happy. He left this world a better place."

Chaplin was the brother of billionaire Harvey Chaplin, chairman and chief executive of Southern Wine and Spirits of America Inc., the parent company of the local business that provides liquor to all of the major Las Vegas resorts and other businesses throughout the valley.

Chaplin's son Larry Chaplin, administrative vice president of Southern Wine and Spirits of America, said his father "truly believed in hard work.

"He was a generous supporter of many civic and philanthropic activities, though he never sought the limelight for all of his contributions."

Chaplin broke into the liquor business after returning home to New York after World War II when he became a sales representative for Buckingham Importers, selling Cutty Sark Scotch in upstate New York.

In 1960 he joined Ontario Liquors, in Rochester, N.Y., where Harvey Chaplin also worked. Sidney rose from salesman to general manager of the company that provided liquor to Rochester and Buffalo taverns.

In 1969 the Chaplin brothers joined Southern Wine and Spirits of America in Miami. Over the next seven years, Sidney served in several senior sales and administrative posts at the Miami headquarters.

In 1976 Sidney was appointed executive vice president of the Las Vegas branch of the Florida-based company that today is one of the largest suppliers of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages in the United States.

Over the years, he supported several religious and charitable groups.

In addition to donating to Temple Beth Sholom, Chaplin also was a supporter of Keep Memory Alive benefiting the Lou Ruvo Alzheimer's Institute, named for Larry Ruvo's father. Chaplin's family suggested donations in Sidney Chaplin's memory to either of those organizations.

Chaplin also was a longtime supporter of UNLVino, a wine-tasting event that was started by Larry Ruvo in 1975 to inform the community about wines and serve as a UNLV scholarship fundraiser.

On several occasions in recent years, Chaplin donated spirits for major celebrations, including a 2004 dinner where Coast Casinos Chairman Michael Gaughan was honored as Temple Beth Sholom's Man of the Year at the Suncoast.

Chaplin did the same thing three years earlier when the Temple Beth Sholom congregation honored Sandy and Stan Mallin at the temple's ballroom for raising nearly $9 million for construction of the facility.

Chaplin also sponsored the Shirley and Sidney Chaplin Lecture Series at Temple Beth Sholom where, in 2003, columnist and political analyst Charles Krauthammer spoke on the optimism for Middle East peace despite suicide bombings to that region and terrorist threats against the United States.