Bob Budion, City Hall Gate Keeper for Several Mayors

NYPD Officer Bob Budion at the door at City Hall with his special charge, Mayor Ed Koch. 

Reporters who covered City Hall during the administrations of Ed Koch, Abe Beame, John Lindsay and even Robert Wagner will remember Bob Budion as the smiling, joking, plain-clothes New York City police officer who manned the front door and sat at the police desk outside Room 9.

Bob was a fixture at City Hall, and also at the Inner Circle. He was in charge of security for so many of our shows, and also ran the catering (his wife Millie’s cooking) for our rehearsals. More importantly, he was a good friend to many I.C. members. After retiring, Bob and Millie moved to Virginia and built their dream home, but always eagerly awaited receiving an Inner Circle program in the mail.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Bob served honorably as a corpsman in the United States Navy from April 1945 to December 1946. He tended to the ill and wounded with great care and empathy. He went on to serve as a New York City police officer for 30 years. As the doorman at City Hall for more than 16 years, Bob helped to protect four mayors and greeted celebrities from around the world. He died with his family at his side, on January 31, 2013. Thanks to IC Member Michael Lysak.