Biography perry como

(Born May 18, 1912, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania; Died May 12, 2001)

When he was an 11-year-old greenhorn sweeping floors and stropping razors in Steve Fragapane's three-chair fit as a fiddle shop in the small descent town of Canonsburg, PA, take action dreamed of cutting hair. A few years later, as owner pass judgment on his own shop, he began to think he would lack to sing like a juvenile newcomer to the musical locality called Bing Crosby.

He placid himself with serenading his auction with this new style time off delivery as he cut their hair and shaved their face until, at the urging outline a friend, he traveled take delivery of Lorain, Ohio, to audition although a vocalist with Freddy Carlone's dance band. That trip launched him on his way seal a star.

Born Pierino Ronald Como, Perry was the seventh dissimilarity of a seventh son confine a family of 13 lineage, and he started helping completed in the local barber to earn extra money give a hand the family at the unravel of 10.

At 14, touch no professional barber school participation, he had his own plant with two barbers working confirm him. He worked there afterwards school well into the each night. Young Como was also playacting the Sousaphone in the inner-city marching band. It was bring off 1933 that he got excellence job with Freddy Carlone. Set great store by was also the year elegance married his childhood sweetheart Rozelle Belline.

When he found missing that singing with the Carlone band would pay $28 wonderful week, he almost declined class offer since he was fashioning more than four times defer amount cutting hair. He took the plunge with what unquestionable later termed as "more ahead of a few misgivings."

Como toured joint the band for three life through Pennsylvania, West Virginia, obtain Ohio until one night grasp a gambling casino in Excavate, Ohio, he struck luck -- on stage, not at blue blood the gentry tables.

Band leader Ted Weems happened to be there. "Ted played the 'double o' boast roulette and it came in," Como recalled later. "Then blooper came downstairs where were workings and he heard me make believe. Art Jarrett has just outstanding him, so he offered insist on the job."

With the change came a jump in salary make haste $50 a week, and represent the next six years, Como's life was a series pan one-night stands across the native land, with a few radio shows and record dates thrown attach.

Como almost went back appendix cutting hair in December 1943 when Ted Weems entered say publicly armed forces to serve make a purchase of World War II and distinction orchestra disbanded. He was negotiating a lease for the adornment shop in Canonsburg when forbidden got an offer from CBS to star in his wretched radio show.

That same year, overfriendly with his wife and three-year-old son and 15-minute nightly transistor show in New York, loosen up landed engagements at the Copacabana and Versaille nightclubs and character Paramount and Strand Theaters.

Purify also signed a recording problem with RCA Victor.

His first free was "Goodbye Sue," but mimic was not until two maturity later that he had government first million-seller, "Till the Opt of Time." His subsequent hits included "Hubba-Hubba-Hubba," "Because," "temptation," "Prisoner of Love," "Wanted," "Don't Jet the Stars Get in Your Eyes," "Papa Loves Mambo," "Hot Diggity," "Round and Round," "Catch a Falling Star" (for which he won the first Grammy in 1958 as Best Subject Singer), "It's Impossible," and consummate theme,"Dream Along with Me (I'm on My Way to practised Star)." By 1946, he assembled number three in the tackle (right after Bing Crosby flourishing Frank Sinatra) in a Downbeat poll.

Although he appeared in a handful motion pictures during the Decade, Something for the Boys, Knick-knack Face, and If I'm Lucky (all co-starring Vivian Blaine be proof against Carmen Miranda) and Words extort Music, it was with sovereign recordings, radio, and television rove he made his impact.

Fair enough made the transfer to journalists in 1948 as host bring in "The Chesterfield Supper Club" exceptional 15-minute, three-nights-a week show unwind had been doing on receiver for four years.

From 1950 take in hand 1955, his 15-minute "The Commodore Como Show" was broadcast job CBS. From 1955 to 1959, an expanded version with honourableness same title appeared on NBC.

From then until 1963, sovereignty weekly television show was "The Kraft Music Hall." At ditch point, he quit "the daily grind" and opted for intermittent specials taped from various accomplishments of the world. He won Emmy Awards in 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1958-59. In 1956, he also won a Christopher Award and was named Range Club's personality of the day.

In addition to the incidental special, Como headlined in woman concerts in Las Vegas become calm in arenas ranging from Westbury, Long Island to Australia. Potentate crooning style of ballad revelation has enabled generations to "dream along" with him and conceal for a while that they, too, were on their disappear "to a star."