We interrupt today’s regularly scheduled program – today would have been Perry Como’s 100th birthday!
He was best known for his smooth as silk crooning and gave us treasures such as “Dream Along With Me”, “Don’t Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes” and my favorite – “If I’m Lucky”.
From Wikipedia:
Pierino Ronald “Perry” Como (May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. “Mr. C.”, as he was nicknamed, sold millions of records for Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and pioneered a weekly musical variety television show, which set the standards for the genre and proved to be one of the most successful in television history. Como was seen weekly on television from 1949 to 1963, then continued hosting the Kraft Music Hall – variety program on a monthly basis until 1967. His television shows and seasonal specials were broadcast throughout the world. Also a popular recording artist, Perry Como produced numerous hit records with record sales so high the label literally stopped counting at Como’s behest. His combined success on television and popular recordings was not matched by any other artist of the time.
Here is a later photo of Perry and Dinah Shore from one of my vintage Family Circle magazines circa 1956!
…and thanks to the miracle of the Internet Archive, here’s The Perry Como Show shot LIVE in 1952!!!
Brought to you by Chesterfield Cigarettes! You can tell the advertisers were sweating the Federal Trade Commission back then, but not Mr. C. He was the voice and image of calm!
Happy birthday Mr. Como!
He looks like a young Anthony Quinn in the first pic.
I read that Mr. C. was amused by this skit…….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1yvS_m_7eE
At first glance, I thought he looked like Charlie Chaplin.
I saw that video for the first time this morning – I couldn’t stop laughing!!!
Catch a falling star…
I thought you would have picked “It Gets Lonely in the White House”.