TOLEDO — A restaurant whose hot dogs became known nationwide through their association with the TV series M*A*S*H is in a legal pickle.

        Members of the Packo family are feuding over who's in charge of Tony Packo's Cafe on the city's east side and its associated businesses.

        Anthony Packo Jr. and his son, Anthony Packo III, filed a lawsuit last weekin Lucas County Common Pleas Court seeking to dissolve Tony Packo's Inc.

        The lawsuit said it is no longer practical to carry on the business “because the owners are in a deadlock.”

        Nancy Packo Horvath, daughter of the restaurant's founders, filed suit earlier this month in Lucas County Common Pleas Court accusing her brother and fellow shareholder, Anthony Packo Jr., of libel, breach of duty and trying to force her out of the business.

        The suit asks for $500,000 in punitive damages and demands that Mr. Packo retract a June 28 memo to employees and suppliers that said Ms. Horvath is not an executive or an employee of the company.

        Ms. Horvath describes herself as a director and corporate secretary of Tony Packo's Inc.

        Joining Ms. Horvath in filing the suit is her son, Robin Horvath, a company vice president.

        Each family owns 50 percent of the company.

        The Packo lawsuit asks the court to appoint a receiver to take charge of the company and preserve its property while affairs are wound up and the company is dissolved.

        Ms. Horvath said she is not worried that Tony Packo's will cease to operate.

        “Absolutely not. It's been here 70 years and it will continue to be here,” she said.

        The original Tony Packo's Cafe, which remains in operation, was started in 1932 by Anthony and Rose Packo. Tony Packo's Inc. operates the cafe and three other area restaurants and sells pickles and other packaged food products through grocers in Ohio and surrounding states.

        The four Packo restaurants also are known for their collection of hot dog buns encased in glass after being signed by presidents, astronauts, actors and other celebrities.

        Packo's received national attention when its Hungarian hot dogs were mentioned several times on M*A*S*H by actor Jamie Farr, a Toledo native who played the cross-dressing Cpl. Klinger.

        The suit was filed in the same week as the area's annual women's pro golf tournament named for Mr. Farr, who is not a party to the legal action.

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