L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE D ear Readers, Perry Como was born May 18, 1913, and died in 2001 (May 12th) just six days short of his 88th birthday. Via the magic of reruns on public television I thought Perry Como had curtailed his performances to Christmas Shows only (after seeing his appearance on Christmas in Ireland) and was unaware that he had been suffering from Alzheimer disease for several years. A "laid back" singing star for over half a century, Perry Como, just fell asleep in an easy chair in the master bedroom of his three- story hillside home, in Florida's Jupiter Inlet beach colony and never woke up. It was very quiet and gentle as was the cozy, comforting Como persona fans had known and loved since rising to fame in the 1940's as a crooner. He sold more than 100 million records, recorded over 35 albums and 160 records hit chart singles. From 1948 to 1963, wearing his causal cardigan sweaters, he starred on prime time TV as host of Perry Como Show, a deeply family oriented show, and unlike some family value spouting hypocrites, Como was a dedicated family man who loved spending time with his wife Roselle, their sons David and Ronald and daughter Terri. After the death of his wife Roselle in 1998 friends said he took flowers to the cemetery nearly every day. After his weekly show ended in 1963, Como hosted a string of TV specials. It was hard for many Americans to imagine the holiday without his Christmas Show, but in 1994 he left the stage for good. Como spent his last years fishing and golfing. *** Pierino Rolando Como was born in 1913 to Pietro and Lucille Como in the small coal-mining town of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. His father had come to the United States from Italy and worked as a mill hand at Standard Tin Plate Corporation. Perry had loving memories of his parents who "raised 13 children on $35 a week and taught us we were our brother's keepers." Pierino was the lucky seventh son of a seventh son. Apprenticed to barbering at age ten, he opened his own shop at age 14. In 1933, Perry went to work as singer with the Carlone band for a whopping $28 a week. This was the year that he married his childhood sweetheart, Roselle Belline, whom he had met when he was 16 years old. Perry remained with the Carlone band for three years. One night in a gambling casino in Warren. Ohio, Perry struck it lucky - not at the tables but while performing on stage. Bandleader Ted Weems was taking a break from a win at roulette when he heard Perry sing. Weems was part of the big band craze that was taking America by storm. Weems liked what he heard and singed Perry on the spot. Perry worked with Ted Weems from 1936 through 1942. During those years, Perry traveled with the nationally renowned band as a vocalist, doing the one- night-stands and perfecting the mellow style that was to become his hallmark. When Ted Weems entered the army in 1942, the band broke up and Perry returned to Canonsburg and to barbering. He was negotiating a lass for a barber shop when an offer came from CBS for him to star in his own radio show. Perry was reluctant; by now he had a three-year-old son and entertainment wasn't the best vocation of a family man. But Roselle assured him he could always go back to his old profession if things didn't work out. In 1943, Perry signed his first recording contract with RCA Records, and his first single, "Goodbye, Sue" was released. In 1944, his radio show, "The Chesterfield Supper Club," became a huge success. Then Perry's big date at the Copacabana - Ney York's premiere night spot - and several hit records ("Till the End of Time") brought him a Hollywood contract. He went to the west coast to appear in "Something for the Boys," "Doll Face," "If I'm Lucky," and "Words and Music" four films he made for 20th Century Fox. In 1954, "Till the End of Time" became a million-seller and Perry's first number one hit. That was the first of many million sellers which have included "A Hubba-Hubba-Hubba," "Because of You," "Don't Let the Stars Gen in Your Eyes," "Temptation," "Prisoner of Love," "Wanted," "Papa Loves Mambo," "Catch a Falling Star," "It's Impossible," and "And I Love You So". Three of Perry's Christmas albums, "Seasons Greetings from Perry Como," "Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music," and "Christmas Album," were all certified gold of the Record Industry Assn. of America. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, thanks largely to that new invention called TV, his Chesterfield-sponsored 15 minute "Perry Como Show" was the most popular quarter-hour TV show in the country. And Perry even topped this with his 1955 "Perry ComoShow" Saturday nights, which became one of TV's most watched hour-long variety shows. In 1959, Perry singed with Kraft Foods. The hour-long "Perry Como Kraft Music Hall" colorcast was beamed around the world to a record number of viewers. *** Perry Como's television career spanned over four decades, and in 1990, he was inducted into the TV Hall of Fame.

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