Update 2-15-05
Hey,
A little mail from a couple of elusive teachers:
From Toni Rea: I am alive, well, and currently in Naples, Florida, but will be returning to East Hampton, New York, in a couple of weeks. My iBook had some configuration problems when we first arrived here in December which finally resulted in a clean install. It was out of commission for more than a week so I may have missed Ryki's e-mail then.
I've continued to read the South High Class of '65 newsletters ever since that wonderful reunion I attended a couple of years ago. What a great treat to see so many of you again. Can't say at this point if I'll be able to get to the August one being planned, but I'm sure it will be another memorable outing for all who can attend.
Please pass along my warm regards to all and especially to you, Rich, for the amazing job you do on this newsletter.
[Rich -- Thanks, as Linda Cohen Greenseid has beaten me into saying.]
This next note needs to be inserted here to help the note following it make sense. From Ira Mitzner: I believe Janet Porter married a physical education teacher by the name of Rylander.
From Bernie O'Brien: Many thanks for all your messages. Janet Porter married Tom Rylander (he was a shop and mechanical drawing teacher). He also helped with the JV wrestling team. I think they moved to North or South Carolina, but you might contact Toni Rea on that.
Best wishes to one and all. Tell the “Big Bitts,” I have e-mailed him a number of times and NEVER got a response. After your last reunion, I told him I would e-mail him the next day, which I did, and the next, etc. He was one of the “Main Man” guys at Valley Stream South. Many great memories with him and “The SEEL.”
Take care and I will get a check to you shortly (grandchildren keep us broke). We now have “22.”
[Rich -- a couple of things. First, I want to remind all the teachers that if you come to the Saturday night reunion party, we will pay. It's our small way of thanking you for all that attention 40 years ago. Next, I just found out that Jerry Bittman had been trying to write Bernie O'Brien, as Ryki Zuckerman had been trying to write Toni Rea. In both cases, the e-mail addresses were correct, but the mail wouldn't go through because of problems with the servers. For some reason, I can get through using AOL, and last week, I forwarded mail from Jerry to Bernie O'Brien and from Toni Rea to Ryki. So if you're having trouble writing someone on our class list, before you give up, please let me know.]
A suggestion from Irene Saunders Goldstein about finding other teachers: Someone who is motivated to track down teachers might try doing so through the teachers union(s) or whoever administers pensions. Perhaps South's administrative office might be able to point the way.
[Rich -- This is a good suggestion which, I believe, Paul DeMartino tried for the 37th Reunion. It was made easier because Terri Donohue Calamari knew the contact person for the school district and was able to help us make a connection. The problem though is it only works for teachers who spent their entire careers within our district. When teachers moved on, or only taught for a few years so never collected a pension, the district has no way to track them.]
From Steve Gootzeit: I recall Jerry Lewis as the "try-out" host for "The Tonight Show." Tuck tape was one of the sponsors, and he did a live commercial mistakenly referring to it as Scotch tape. He then did a five minute speech on the virtues of Tuck tape. I also recall his "memory" routine, which started with "one hen" and ended with "ten lyrical, spherical, diabolical denizens of the deep, who haul, stall around the quo, the quay, the quivy, all at the same time (forgive spelling errors, I never saw the routine written out). Finally, Jerry got a Saturday night (live) show as a result of his appearances on Tonight, but he refused to prepare, and the show bombed (on ABC). It was replaced by "The Hollywood Palace." One last bit of trivia: "Saturday Night Live" was named "Saturday Night" in its first season because ... (wait for it) ... Howard Cosell had a show called "Saturday Live," which did not make it to a second year.
If there are historical inaccuracies in any of the above, I apologize, but I believe all of this is correct. Time to take my ginko.
A change of address from Robin Seader Cottmeyer: Please pass on my new e-mail address, effective immediately: rcottmeyer@comcast.net Thanks, Happy Valentine's Day, and see you soon.
From Robert Fiveson: Good fun (good clean fun) http://www.frontiernet.net/~cdm/age1
[Rich -- I haven't checked out the site Robert's suggesting, and -- though he's promised not to -- one of these days, Robert's going to sting me by forwarding something like the link to Inside Deep Throat. (Harry Reems lived and is selling real estate. Linda Lovelace died broke. Where's justice?)]
[Rich -- more: It's about the time of year I update the online e-mail address list. People have been great about sending their new addresses, but I've still managed to lose track of the following folks in the past few months. If you know them and can reach them, please have them send me their new addresses. Thanks.
Linda Iaquinto and Dennis O'Hara; John Dowie; Michelle Cohen Collins; Kathleen Hyland Farmer; Jo-Anne DeGenarro through her sister Jeanie; and Robert Grandt.
Finally, last week I scrambled a couple of e-mails. The original was from Amy 1, and I thought it was from Amy 2, so I attributed it to her. Then Amy 2 responded saying it wasn't, and I wrote back saying it was, then, after checking out Larry Miller's online photo, to see if he really was bald as indicated in the e-mail, I accidentally confirmed this to Amy 1. At that point she mentioned that I'd referred to her by Amy 2's name in the update, which made everything clear. As I told them both, apologizing: I should retire. Then I realized I was retired.
The proper "Amy" was Amy Lieberman.]
The repeating reunion information:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Update 2-8-05
Hi,
So two nuns and Jerry Bittman walked into a bar and asked about a Valley Stream stand-up comic:
From Andy Dolich: Larry Miller, the actor/comedian is from Valley Stream.
From Donald Faber: I didn't see the Comedy Channel show, but one stand-up comic I know from Valley Stream, who has also had some success as a writer and actor, is named J.J. Wall. Don't know if this is who Jerry had in mind, but I know that J.J. was definitely a schoolyard stickball player.
From Amy Bentley: You can ask Jerry Bittman if the comedian he saw on TV was possibly younger than himself, bald, and in a lot of TV and movies. That would be Larry Miller. He's from Hungry Harbor Road, South class of '71.
From Steve Cahn: The only professional comedian I am aware of from Valley Stream is Larry Miller. I don't know if he is the comedian Jerry saw on TV. I was good friends with Larry -- whose nickname at South was "House" due to his large size -- and I've followed his career. He started in stand-up about 20 years ago and has gone on to play in nearly 50 movies (Pretty Woman, Princess Diaries, Raising Helen, Glory Days) and many TV series (Fame, Boston Legal, Law & Order, Seinfeld, Single Guy). Larry was also the subject of a big Internet hoax, when an article he wrote on Israeli/Palestinian relations was attributed to stand-up comic and talk show host Dennis Miller. It was one of those popular e-mails that was forwarded around and around. Larry ended up appearing on Dennis Miller's show to talk about the popularity of the essay and the mix up of the two Millers. Larry is a member of the class of '71. His filmography appears at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0588777/
From Ryki Zuckerman: Did we already "talk" about a somewhat famous Valley Streamer in Hollywood -- Steve Buscemi? And, of course, Les Moonves (CBS president) is a Valley Stream alumni, but both he and Buscemi were at Central High. My sister, who sometimes writes for The Hollywood Reporter and Premiere magazine, asked Buscemi if he would do a phone interview with her, but I don't think he even answered. She graduated from South in 1960, a few months before I started there.
From Barnet Kellman: Well, I didn’t see the Comedy Central show Jerry saw, but if the guy is bald with a craggy face, it’s Larry Miller, who went to none other than South High. He’s a hugely funny guy and a very outspoken political columnist as well. The tiny role that first brought him notice was as the supercilious Rodeo Drive salesman that Richard Gere gives his Amex Card to in Pretty Woman and says, "Now I want some real sucking up."
Also, not to show any disrespect to Johnny Carson, but do any of you remember the two-week period when we were about 14, just before Carson took over The Tonight Show? They were trying out replacement hosts for Jack Paar, and Jerry Lewis was on every night. Now THAT was funny!
Something else that got lost during the Johnny Carson week tribute, from Zelda White Nichols -- who should now be comfortably settled in North Carolina: We have been in southern California for 6 1/2 years and have come to the conclusion that Alpine is a town of extremes. Extreme fires, extreme heat in the summer, and extreme winds. In six years, we have been in three major fires and have seen smoke from at least one hundred other brush fires that pop up here and in Mexico (we aren't too far from the border). This last wind storm between Christmas and New Year's uprooted trees more than any hurricane I had ever been in while living on the East Coast. We lost four trees ourselves. Many of our roads have been closed on-and-off during the last month due to flooding and mudslides (fortunately none so severe as to be newsworthy). Whenever the Santa Anas winds blow, we know to prepare for a messy yard and fire weather. Living in a high desert area, it gets HOT in the summer. I don't care how dry it is, after the first year, when your body adjusts, hot is just plain hot. I never would have dreamed I would actually say I miss winter, but it has happened this year, and we are looking forward to heading east again with our three cats.
Some other mail, first from Grace Dibble Kincade: We had some computer trouble a while ago, lost some things, and then went with DSL. We tried to send our new address to everyone, but apparently it didn't always get through. It's now: glkincade@sbcglobal.net
Also from Grace: At the moment, my husband Larry and I are getting ready for a trip to Abilene, Texas to visit Travis and family -- which will be growing by another son in mid-May. They are also moving to the Dallas area in a few weeks, which means I will be able to visit with Ellen Epstein Silver.
From Barbara Blitfield Pech: I keep forgetting about it, but I did happen to visit the reunion home page a few weeks back and found new pictures. I must remember to "stop by" more often.
Also, my son Evan's wedding is in just a few weeks -- March 19th. I'm getting mother-of-the-groom antsy, so, as I mentioned to Grace Dibble Kincade, it's a good time for her to give me her best "Been there, done that, mom talk." It's going to be a big old Saturday night black tie affair. I'm quite sure Evan is ready for this, but the question, of course, is ... "Am I?"
From Allen Moss: Who are the teachers that are invited to the reunion, and did we make sure to invite Mr. Saffrin this time? We invited him at the last minute for our 37th, and he was not able to come.
[Rich -- as I wrote Allen: I think Paul DeMartino plans to invite any teachers we can track down. The biggest problem is finding them. Though we have plenty of planning time for this reunion, so everyone should get invited well in advance. Still, if there are any teachers you're interested in finding, and if you have any clues as to where they might have gone, send them along. I'll ask in the newsletter, too.]
Allen wrote back: The only other teacher I can think of is Janet Porter, who we tried to locate last time. She married another Valley Stream South teacher with the last name of Van-something. I believe he was a history teacher.
[Rich -- I think it's Van Tassel. But knowing that didn't help us last time, either.]
Further travel notes from my friend Melody Eckhart in Singapore: We learned about the tsunami the same way most of you did, on television. Singapore was not affected at all, as it's a charmed little country which sits in a protected area at the base of Malaysia. It faces the South China Sea, but has the buffer of Indonesia to its west and south and Malaysia to its north. The tsunami was two land masses to our west, so didn't even raise the water level here. However, the Singaporean armed forces provided some of the first rescue teams to arrive in Banda Aceh, and they have been lauded by all of the Asian communities for being supremely organized and being able to aid the stricken people when they most needed it.
Right now, most of the volunteers going to help are health workers, though some people are going with churches to aid children and help identify what will be needed for the future. At present, Ken and I have been able to do nothing more than donate money, but we're hoping that, in the future, there will be house-building trips available where people with no medical skills can make a contribution.
On a happier thought, one of the more enjoyable parts about living here is that we celebrate all the holidays of all the religions and ethnic groups. Gong xi fa cai means "Wishing you great prosperity," and it's the greeting used for the new year in China, which this year falls on February 9th. This holiday is the largest and most important to the Chinese people, wherever they live. Everyone is expected to return to his or her home, to be with and celebrate with family, so many shops and businesses are closed for the entire week. Chinatown is especially ablaze with lights and hung with streamers. People also gather in the streets to eat and play, and there are numerous lion dancers. The rest of Singapore also dresses up, with festive-looking lanterns hung from trees and posts and red banners flowing from doorways (red is the color of good luck). Another colorful and symbolic decoration is the miniature orange tree, about four-to five feet tall and packed with tiny oranges. They represent good luck and money. Oranges are also a good gift to your neighbors, and red packets called ang mos are filled with small amounts of money and generally given to children. But they may also be given to people who've helped you throughout the year.
This new year is the Year of the Rooster, so anyone born in this year is a taskmaster, a seeker of perfection who strives for precision. In this year, all things will be restored to their rightful places, which sounds pretty good to me. Next Tuesday, we are off to Phuket, Thailand, for five days, to celebrate. There may be some travel and hotel problems due to the tsunami, but it's important for the economy that people don't stay away. As one web site for tours says, "We don't want your handouts -- we want your business."
Finally, the repeating reunion information:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Hi,
So two nuns and Jerry Bittman walked into a bar and asked about a Valley Stream stand-up comic:
From Andy Dolich: Larry Miller, the actor/comedian is from Valley Stream.
From Donald Faber: I didn't see the Comedy Channel show, but one stand-up comic I know from Valley Stream, who has also had some success as a writer and actor, is named J.J. Wall. Don't know if this is who Jerry had in mind, but I know that J.J. was definitely a schoolyard stickball player.
From Amy Bentley: You can ask Jerry Bittman if the comedian he saw on TV was possibly younger than himself, bald, and in a lot of TV and movies. That would be Larry Miller. He's from Hungry Harbor Road, South class of '71.
From Steve Cahn: The only professional comedian I am aware of from Valley Stream is Larry Miller. I don't know if he is the comedian Jerry saw on TV. I was good friends with Larry -- whose nickname at South was "House" due to his large size -- and I've followed his career. He started in stand-up about 20 years ago and has gone on to play in nearly 50 movies (Pretty Woman, Princess Diaries, Raising Helen, Glory Days) and many TV series (Fame, Boston Legal, Law & Order, Seinfeld, Single Guy). Larry was also the subject of a big Internet hoax, when an article he wrote on Israeli/Palestinian relations was attributed to stand-up comic and talk show host Dennis Miller. It was one of those popular e-mails that was forwarded around and around. Larry ended up appearing on Dennis Miller's show to talk about the popularity of the essay and the mix up of the two Millers. Larry is a member of the class of '71. His filmography appears at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0588777/
From Ryki Zuckerman: Did we already "talk" about a somewhat famous Valley Streamer in Hollywood -- Steve Buscemi? And, of course, Les Moonves (CBS president) is a Valley Stream alumni, but both he and Buscemi were at Central High. My sister, who sometimes writes for The Hollywood Reporter and Premiere magazine, asked Buscemi if he would do a phone interview with her, but I don't think he even answered. She graduated from South in 1960, a few months before I started there.
From Barnet Kellman: Well, I didn’t see the Comedy Central show Jerry saw, but if the guy is bald with a craggy face, it’s Larry Miller, who went to none other than South High. He’s a hugely funny guy and a very outspoken political columnist as well. The tiny role that first brought him notice was as the supercilious Rodeo Drive salesman that Richard Gere gives his Amex Card to in Pretty Woman and says, "Now I want some real sucking up."
Also, not to show any disrespect to Johnny Carson, but do any of you remember the two-week period when we were about 14, just before Carson took over The Tonight Show? They were trying out replacement hosts for Jack Paar, and Jerry Lewis was on every night. Now THAT was funny!
Something else that got lost during the Johnny Carson week tribute, from Zelda White Nichols -- who should now be comfortably settled in North Carolina: We have been in southern California for 6 1/2 years and have come to the conclusion that Alpine is a town of extremes. Extreme fires, extreme heat in the summer, and extreme winds. In six years, we have been in three major fires and have seen smoke from at least one hundred other brush fires that pop up here and in Mexico (we aren't too far from the border). This last wind storm between Christmas and New Year's uprooted trees more than any hurricane I had ever been in while living on the East Coast. We lost four trees ourselves. Many of our roads have been closed on-and-off during the last month due to flooding and mudslides (fortunately none so severe as to be newsworthy). Whenever the Santa Anas winds blow, we know to prepare for a messy yard and fire weather. Living in a high desert area, it gets HOT in the summer. I don't care how dry it is, after the first year, when your body adjusts, hot is just plain hot. I never would have dreamed I would actually say I miss winter, but it has happened this year, and we are looking forward to heading east again with our three cats.
Some other mail, first from Grace Dibble Kincade: We had some computer trouble a while ago, lost some things, and then went with DSL. We tried to send our new address to everyone, but apparently it didn't always get through. It's now: glkincade@sbcglobal.net
Also from Grace: At the moment, my husband Larry and I are getting ready for a trip to Abilene, Texas to visit Travis and family -- which will be growing by another son in mid-May. They are also moving to the Dallas area in a few weeks, which means I will be able to visit with Ellen Epstein Silver.
From Barbara Blitfield Pech: I keep forgetting about it, but I did happen to visit the reunion home page a few weeks back and found new pictures. I must remember to "stop by" more often.
Also, my son Evan's wedding is in just a few weeks -- March 19th. I'm getting mother-of-the-groom antsy, so, as I mentioned to Grace Dibble Kincade, it's a good time for her to give me her best "Been there, done that, mom talk." It's going to be a big old Saturday night black tie affair. I'm quite sure Evan is ready for this, but the question, of course, is ... "Am I?"
From Allen Moss: Who are the teachers that are invited to the reunion, and did we make sure to invite Mr. Saffrin this time? We invited him at the last minute for our 37th, and he was not able to come.
[Rich -- as I wrote Allen: I think Paul DeMartino plans to invite any teachers we can track down. The biggest problem is finding them. Though we have plenty of planning time for this reunion, so everyone should get invited well in advance. Still, if there are any teachers you're interested in finding, and if you have any clues as to where they might have gone, send them along. I'll ask in the newsletter, too.]
Allen wrote back: The only other teacher I can think of is Janet Porter, who we tried to locate last time. She married another Valley Stream South teacher with the last name of Van-something. I believe he was a history teacher.
[Rich -- I think it's Van Tassel. But knowing that didn't help us last time, either.]
Further travel notes from my friend Melody Eckhart in Singapore: We learned about the tsunami the same way most of you did, on television. Singapore was not affected at all, as it's a charmed little country which sits in a protected area at the base of Malaysia. It faces the South China Sea, but has the buffer of Indonesia to its west and south and Malaysia to its north. The tsunami was two land masses to our west, so didn't even raise the water level here. However, the Singaporean armed forces provided some of the first rescue teams to arrive in Banda Aceh, and they have been lauded by all of the Asian communities for being supremely organized and being able to aid the stricken people when they most needed it.
Right now, most of the volunteers going to help are health workers, though some people are going with churches to aid children and help identify what will be needed for the future. At present, Ken and I have been able to do nothing more than donate money, but we're hoping that, in the future, there will be house-building trips available where people with no medical skills can make a contribution.
On a happier thought, one of the more enjoyable parts about living here is that we celebrate all the holidays of all the religions and ethnic groups. Gong xi fa cai means "Wishing you great prosperity," and it's the greeting used for the new year in China, which this year falls on February 9th. This holiday is the largest and most important to the Chinese people, wherever they live. Everyone is expected to return to his or her home, to be with and celebrate with family, so many shops and businesses are closed for the entire week. Chinatown is especially ablaze with lights and hung with streamers. People also gather in the streets to eat and play, and there are numerous lion dancers. The rest of Singapore also dresses up, with festive-looking lanterns hung from trees and posts and red banners flowing from doorways (red is the color of good luck). Another colorful and symbolic decoration is the miniature orange tree, about four-to five feet tall and packed with tiny oranges. They represent good luck and money. Oranges are also a good gift to your neighbors, and red packets called ang mos are filled with small amounts of money and generally given to children. But they may also be given to people who've helped you throughout the year.
This new year is the Year of the Rooster, so anyone born in this year is a taskmaster, a seeker of perfection who strives for precision. In this year, all things will be restored to their rightful places, which sounds pretty good to me. Next Tuesday, we are off to Phuket, Thailand, for five days, to celebrate. There may be some travel and hotel problems due to the tsunami, but it's important for the economy that people don't stay away. As one web site for tours says, "We don't want your handouts -- we want your business."
Finally, the repeating reunion information:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Update 2-1-05
Hi,
First, something left out of last week's letter, due to lack of space, from Robert Fiveson: I wrote "Johnny Goes Home," the 90-minute special mentioned last week in Johnny Carson's obituary. The show received a 30 Nielsen share (huge) when it aired.
Next, related, from Donald Faber: Thanks for the memories (whoops, that was Bob Hope, wasn't it?) My first job after graduating from college and returning to New York City was as a page and tour guide at NBC. There, I had the distinction of having been a page on the old "Tonight Show" before it moved to Los Angeles the following year. I have so many great memories of that time, no doubt mellowed by the passing years, but in retrospect it was a rare and great opportunity to see and meet SO many stars and performers. It was also great to drink with members of that great "Tonight Show" band in Hurley's Bar hours before the show! That band was the steady gig that helped pay the bills for some of the best jazz musicians of the time. Carson's death 'twas indeed a bit of sad news to hear, the end of yet another era. (Donald also mentioned that the famous Kenneth Tynan interview with Johnny Carson from the New Yorker is available at: http://www.newyorker.com/archive/content/?050124fr_archive03)
Also, from Donald, a Valley Stream information link spent specifically to me, but I thought other people might be interested, too. As usual, I'm guessing this doesn't include Green Acres/Millbrook and the North Woodmere/Lynbrook areas that contributed to South. http://www.nonprofitmaps.org/longislandindex/profile.asp?nassau=Valley+Stream&NassBtn=View
+Profile&suffolk=Select+community
A question from Jerry Bittman, also delayed from last week because of all the great Carson material he forwarded: The other night, I was watching the Comedy Channel, and they had a stand-up comedian on. Unfortunately, I did not get his name, but he said he was from Valley Stream, and he talked about playing stickball in the schoolyard when he was young. Does anybody know who he is?
Another quick follow-up from last week: The piece I passed on by Marc Shaiman, about Bette Midler on the next-to last Carson show, merely credited Shaiman as being a musician -- because I was keeping the focus on Carson. Shaiman has also been nominated for three Oscars and is the Tony Award-winning composer of the current Broadway hit Hairspray.
On another subject, word comes from Dennis Shapiro that two-dozen people are paid 40th reunion partygoers, which gave Dennis enough money to glide through the February 1st deadline. The next push is for June, so I'll let money trickle in till April, then start sending out more urgent reminders.
From Zelda White Nichols: Well, the movers pack us up today, and after the moving van is loaded and pulls out tomorrow afternoon, so do we. I don't know if I gave you my new e-mail address, but it's: zelda.nichols@high-rock-lake.com. The next time I read your newsletter we will be in Lexington, North Carolina.
[Rich -- I hope it was a smooth trip and that it will be an easy transition. It rained a little bit last Friday in Los Angeles, but now it's sunny and 70 again.]
Also forwarded by Mr. Fiveson: There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2040, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them. (If you don't send this to five old friends right away, there will be five fewer people laughing in the world.)
A longer piece, forwarded by Barbara Blitfield Pech, among others. I know this has been around for a while, but, hey, it's cold where most of you are, and it's not even midwinter:
George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening?
Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China.
George: Great. Lay it on me.
Condi: Hu is the new leader of China.
George: That's what I want to know.
Condi: That's what I'm telling you.
George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes.
George: I mean the fellow's name.
Condi: Hu.
George: The guy in China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The new leader of China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The main man in China!
Condi: Hu is leading China.
George: Now whaddya' asking me for?
Condi: I'm telling you. Hu is leading China.
George: Well, I'm asking you. Who is leading China?
Condi: That's the man's name.
George: That's who's name?
Condi: Yes.
George: Will you, or will you not, tell me the name of the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir? Yassir Arafat is in China? I thought he was dead in the Middle East.
Condi: That's correct.
George: Then who is in China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir is in China?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Then who is?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Look Condi. I need to know the name of the new leader of China. Get me the
Secretary General of the U.N. on the phone.
Condi: Kofi?
George: No, thanks.
Condi: You want Kofi?
George: No.
Condi: You don't want Kofi.
George: No, but now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk. Then get me the U.N. Condi: Yes, sir.
George: No, not Yassir! The guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi?
George: Milk! Will you please make the call?
Condi: And call who?
George: Who is the guy at the U.N?
Condi: Hu is the guy in China.
George: Will you stay out of China!
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: And stay out of the Middle East! Just get me the guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi.
George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone.
Finally, the repeating reunion information, also skipped last week for lack of space:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Hi,
First, something left out of last week's letter, due to lack of space, from Robert Fiveson: I wrote "Johnny Goes Home," the 90-minute special mentioned last week in Johnny Carson's obituary. The show received a 30 Nielsen share (huge) when it aired.
Next, related, from Donald Faber: Thanks for the memories (whoops, that was Bob Hope, wasn't it?) My first job after graduating from college and returning to New York City was as a page and tour guide at NBC. There, I had the distinction of having been a page on the old "Tonight Show" before it moved to Los Angeles the following year. I have so many great memories of that time, no doubt mellowed by the passing years, but in retrospect it was a rare and great opportunity to see and meet SO many stars and performers. It was also great to drink with members of that great "Tonight Show" band in Hurley's Bar hours before the show! That band was the steady gig that helped pay the bills for some of the best jazz musicians of the time. Carson's death 'twas indeed a bit of sad news to hear, the end of yet another era. (Donald also mentioned that the famous Kenneth Tynan interview with Johnny Carson from the New Yorker is available at: http://www.newyorker.com/archive/content/?050124fr_archive03)
Also, from Donald, a Valley Stream information link spent specifically to me, but I thought other people might be interested, too. As usual, I'm guessing this doesn't include Green Acres/Millbrook and the North Woodmere/Lynbrook areas that contributed to South. http://www.nonprofitmaps.org/longislandindex/profile.asp?nassau=Valley+Stream&NassBtn=View
+Profile&suffolk=Select+community
A question from Jerry Bittman, also delayed from last week because of all the great Carson material he forwarded: The other night, I was watching the Comedy Channel, and they had a stand-up comedian on. Unfortunately, I did not get his name, but he said he was from Valley Stream, and he talked about playing stickball in the schoolyard when he was young. Does anybody know who he is?
Another quick follow-up from last week: The piece I passed on by Marc Shaiman, about Bette Midler on the next-to last Carson show, merely credited Shaiman as being a musician -- because I was keeping the focus on Carson. Shaiman has also been nominated for three Oscars and is the Tony Award-winning composer of the current Broadway hit Hairspray.
On another subject, word comes from Dennis Shapiro that two-dozen people are paid 40th reunion partygoers, which gave Dennis enough money to glide through the February 1st deadline. The next push is for June, so I'll let money trickle in till April, then start sending out more urgent reminders.
From Zelda White Nichols: Well, the movers pack us up today, and after the moving van is loaded and pulls out tomorrow afternoon, so do we. I don't know if I gave you my new e-mail address, but it's: zelda.nichols@high-rock-lake.com. The next time I read your newsletter we will be in Lexington, North Carolina.
[Rich -- I hope it was a smooth trip and that it will be an easy transition. It rained a little bit last Friday in Los Angeles, but now it's sunny and 70 again.]
Also forwarded by Mr. Fiveson: There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2040, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them. (If you don't send this to five old friends right away, there will be five fewer people laughing in the world.)
A longer piece, forwarded by Barbara Blitfield Pech, among others. I know this has been around for a while, but, hey, it's cold where most of you are, and it's not even midwinter:
George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening?
Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China.
George: Great. Lay it on me.
Condi: Hu is the new leader of China.
George: That's what I want to know.
Condi: That's what I'm telling you.
George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes.
George: I mean the fellow's name.
Condi: Hu.
George: The guy in China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The new leader of China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The main man in China!
Condi: Hu is leading China.
George: Now whaddya' asking me for?
Condi: I'm telling you. Hu is leading China.
George: Well, I'm asking you. Who is leading China?
Condi: That's the man's name.
George: That's who's name?
Condi: Yes.
George: Will you, or will you not, tell me the name of the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir? Yassir Arafat is in China? I thought he was dead in the Middle East.
Condi: That's correct.
George: Then who is in China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir is in China?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Then who is?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Look Condi. I need to know the name of the new leader of China. Get me the
Secretary General of the U.N. on the phone.
Condi: Kofi?
George: No, thanks.
Condi: You want Kofi?
George: No.
Condi: You don't want Kofi.
George: No, but now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk. Then get me the U.N. Condi: Yes, sir.
George: No, not Yassir! The guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi?
George: Milk! Will you please make the call?
Condi: And call who?
George: Who is the guy at the U.N?
Condi: Hu is the guy in China.
George: Will you stay out of China!
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: And stay out of the Middle East! Just get me the guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi.
George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone.
Finally, the repeating reunion information, also skipped last week for lack of space:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Update 1-25-05
Hi,
Strictly Carson.
An intro, from Jerry Bittman: I just heard about the death of Johnny Carson. We were all very fortunate to have been able to watch the King of Late Night. I know he brought so much laughter to so many people. There will never be another like him.
Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Joan Rivers, Jerry Seinfeld, Garry Shandling -- these are just a few of the people who credit Carson with giving them their big break. My cousin Buddy Hackett was also a frequent guest on the show.
Carson never forgot his roots. He grew up in Norfolk, Nebraska, and he donated so much money to the town, even as recently as in the past year. I taped the final two episodes of his show in 1992. The next-to-last show with Robin Williams and Bette Midler was great. I'm going to watch it right now.
And God, I have two words for you -- "Heeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!"
Next, forwarded by Jerry from The Omaha World-Herald and written by Kim Roberts-Gudeman and Bob Glissman: To Nebraskans and Iowans, Johnny Carson was more than the affable former host of "The Tonight Show." The Iowa-born, Nebraska-raised comedian also was a philanthropist, friend, and favorite native son. Midlanders won't soon forget the quick-witted TV personality who left behind a legacy marked by generosity and humor. "Johnny Carson was a first-class act," Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman said Sunday. "He never forgot his ties to Nebraska, and his generosity has created a lasting legacy in our state."
"He was generous. He was very gracious," said Betty Bohac, director of Elkhorn Valley Museum & Research Center in Norfolk, Nebraska. Carson spent much of his childhood in Norfolk. "He really epitomized the community. He was so down to earth." The museum has a permanent display of Carson memorabilia, including Emmy Awards and framed magazine covers. Bohac said the museum, which normally closes at 4 PM on Wednesdays, will remain open until 9 PM this Wednesday for people to come and remember Carson. The museum will waive its entry fee that evening. "He was very proud of Nebraska and Norfolk," she said.
Across the state, numerous buildings bearing Carson's name testify to his devotion to Nebraska. In Norfolk, a $2.27 million gift funded a cancer radiation center -- named after his parents -- and a $600,000 check helped pay for Norfolk Public Schools' Johnny Carson Theater. Carson also gave $1 million to Northeast Community College and $500,000 to the Norfolk Library Foundation, among others.
At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Carson has given millions of dollars to fund an annual student scholarship and to benefit performing arts education. In November, he donated $5.3 million, in part to renovate the Temple Building, where Carson honed his craft as a college student. "It reflects the love he had for the university and, in particular, the experiences he had in that building," said Jack Oliva, dean of the Hixson-Lied College of the Fine and Performing Arts at UNL. "He never forgot the university and never forgot what the university meant to him."
Carson also donated money to several Iowa towns where his family briefly lived, including a skate park in Corning, an indoor recreation center in Clarinda, an arts center in Red Oak, and a library project in Avoca. In 1988, when he was in Norfolk for the dedication of the Carson Regional Radiation Center, Carson explained his generosity: "I have always felt that if you're lucky enough in this life to accumulate enough funds to live better than you have any right to, then you have a moral obligation to pay back to the community, or to the country or to the place that brought you up."
Carson showed a different kind of generosity to comedian and Omaha native Pat Hazell, who performed on "The Tonight Show" in 1989. The TV host invited Hazell, who shares a love of magic, to his dressing room to chat before the show. "I didn't realize until later that it wasn't standard for everyone," said Hazell, who became enamored with Carson's comic style as a youth. "I'm sure at least part of it was because of the Nebraska ties."
Carson was born John William Carson in Corning on October 23, 1925, to Homer "Kit" and Ruth Carson. His father was a manager for Iowa-Nebraska Light and Power Company and moved his family to the Iowa towns of Clarinda, Red Oak, and Avoca before settling in Norfolk in 1933. His mother Ruth was a homemaker. Carson paid tribute to Norfolk when he returned to film the 1982 NBC special, "Johnny Goes Home."
As a youngster, Carson showed a passion for magic. He ordered a magic kit at age 12, and soon "The Great Carsoni" was born. He began performing two years later at local Elks, Moose, and Redmen Lodges. Omahan Walter Graham said Carson used to come to magic club meetings when he worked in Omaha. "He was a good magician," Graham said. "He could do sleight of hand, card manipulations... He was pretty well-rounded in that kind of stuff." Graham added, "He was a very low-key type guy. A nice fella and full of fun."
After graduating from high school, Carson served as a Navy ensign during World War II. He enrolled at the University of Nebraska after his tour and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and speech in 1949. He later worked at WOW-TV and WOW radio in Omaha.
He left Nebraska during the 1950s to host a series of TV shows, including "Carson's Cellar," "Earn Your Vacation" and "Who Do You Trust?" before filling in for Jack Paar on "The Tonight Show" in 1958. Richard "Pete" Petrashek, a retired WOWT news photographer who worked with Carson at WOW-TV, said Carson was the one who dubbed him Pete. At one time, Petrashek said, there were five men named Richard at the station, all of whom went by the nickname "Dick." Carson got tired of it, Petrashek said, and he declared, "From now on, you're Pete Petrashek."
Bohac, the Norfolk museum director, said Carson would live on. "We're proud of him that he did make good in Hollywood. But we also have a good deal of respect for him because he did not forget his hometown."
Then, musician's Marc Shaiman's view of the next-to-last Johnny Carson show: As Bette Midler's musical director at the time, I co-wrote, arranged, and played for her on Johnny Carson’s penultimate show. When Bette asked me to help put together her performance, I was thrilled. The whole country was watching every night, as star after star made final appearances to thank him. So, Bette, Bruce Vilanch, and I immediately thought of writing new lyrics to the Judy Garland version of “You Made Me Love You,” which Judy sang as a worshipful fan. We wrote:
You made me watch you,
I didn't wanna do it,
Jack Paar had put me through it.
You made me watch you,
I love the jokes you're floggin',
When you are monologue-in'.
I watched your hair turn slowly
From dark to white,
And when I can't sleep
I count your wives at night.
(That line got a huge reaction, especially from Mr. Carson. It was very odd to write something like that, knowing it was going to be sung to the person, and then watch him crack up.)
The number was fantastic. Playing for Bette anytime is thrilling, but watching her bat out of the park like that was positively orgasmic. After that, I waited on the set where Bette would, after talking, sing the final ballad.
When she first called, I tried to come up with the ultimate song, and "One For My Baby" seemed perfect. But when I told her, she pretty much said, “Eh.”
When we rehearsed it, she was frightened of it, but at least sat with me and even started to toy with the final verse, making it more specific to Mr. Carson. Still, that day, Bette started second-guessing and asked the guys in the band what Carson’s favorite song was. In unison, they said “Here's That Rainy Day.”
So after "You Made Me Love You," Bette asks Johnny what his favorite song is and starts singing “Here's That Rainy Day” a cappella. Then, Carson starts singing along, completely sincere and totally in tune, and I wait to see if the band’s piano player is gonna join in, since it's clear they're going to sing the whole song. When he doesn’t, I just jump in. They finish, then go to a commercial, and I'm sure they're about to tell me to cut "One For My Baby."
But Bette takes her place. The entire staff of the show is huddled in the wings, watching her live and on the monitors. They are very emotional, as this is their final night, too. Johnny intros Bette and we start:
It's quarter to three,
There's no one in the place
Except you and me
To say you could hear a pin drop would be understatement. As I listened to the clip being repeated today in tributes, I'm reminded that the moment was so tender I didn’t even try anything but the most simple accompaniment. Right before the final verse, the camera cuts to a new angle: Over Bette’s shoulder, we see Carson, mesmerized, his eyes locked with hers.
She sings:
For all of the laughs,
For the laughs, for the tears,
For the class that you showed,
Make it one for my baby,
And one more for the road,
The long ... long ... road.
On the final measures, I did what any musical director would have done -- incorporated "The Tonight Show" theme. When we finished, the place went insane. Bette was so overcome that, after placing a lei around Johnny’s neck, she ran backstage so as not to be seen so overwhelmed. I was in a daze, the show’s staff was sobbing, but as we all “celebrated” backstage, Mr. Carson disappeared into the night.
Finally, Johnny Carson's last monologue, courtesy of NBC, and, again, forwarded by Jerry:
Around the studio, we are still on an emotional high from last night; we have not come down yet. I want to thank Robin Williams and Bette Midler for last night, for giving us an excellent show. They were absolutely sensational.
The show tonight is our farewell show; it's going to be a little bit quieter. It's not going to be a performance show. One of the questions people have been asking me, especially this last month, is, "What's it like doing 'The Tonight Show,' and what does it mean to me?"
Well, let me try to explain it. If I could magically, somehow, that tape you just saw, make it run backwards, I would like to do the whole thing over again. It's been a hell of a lot of fun. As an entertainer, it has been the great experience of my life, and I cannot imagine finding something in television after I leave tonight that would give me as much joy and pleasure, and such a sense of exhilaration, as this show has given me. It's just hard to explain.
Now it's a farewell show. There's a certain sadness among the staff, a little melancholy. But look on the bright side: you won't have to read or hear one more story about my leaving this show. The press coverage has been absolutely tremendous, and we are very grateful. But my God, the Soviet Union's end did not get this kind of publicity. The press has been very decent and honest with me, and I thank them for that ... That's about it.
The greatest accolade I think I received: G.E. named me "Employee of the Month." And God knows that was a dream come true.
I don't like saying goodbye. Farewells are a little awkward, and I really thought about this -- no joke: Wouldn't it be funny, instead of showing up tonight, putting on a rerun? NBC did not find that funny at all.
Next question I get is what am I gonna do? Well, I have not really made any plans. But the events of this last week have helped me make a decision. I am going to join the cast of Murphy Brown, and become a surrogate father to that kid.
During the run on the show, there have been seven United States Presidents, and thankfully for comedy there have been eight Vice Presidents of the United States. Now I know, I have made some jokes at the expense of Dan Quayle, but I really want to thank him tonight for making my final week so fruitful.
Here is an interesting statistic that may stun you: We started the show October 2, 1962. The total population of the Earth was 3 billion, 100 million people. This summer, it's 5 billion, 500 million people, which is a net increase of 2 billion, 400 million people, which should give us some pause. A more amazing statistic is that half of those 2 billion, 400 million will soon have their own late-night TV show.
Now, originally NBC came and said, "What we would like you to do in the final show is to make it a two-hour prime-time special with celebrities and a star-studded audience." And I said, "Well, I would prefer to end like we started -- rather quietly, in our same time slot, in front of our same shabby little set." It is rather shabby. We offered it to a homeless shelter and they said "No, thank you." I am taking the applause sign home -- putting it in the bedroom. And maybe once a week just turning it on.
But we do have a V.P.I. audience -- V.P.I. audience? We could have had that, too. What I did was ask the members of the staff and the crew to invite their families, relatives and friends, and they did, with some other invited guests. My family is here tonight: my wife, Alex; my sons Chris and Cory; my brother Dick; my sister Katherine; and a sprinkling of nephews and nieces. And I realized that being an offspring of someone who is constantly in the public eye is not easy. So guys, I want you to know that I love you; I hope that your old man has not caused you too much discomfort. It would have been a perfect evening if their brother Rick would have been here with us, but I guess life does what it is supposed to do. And you accept it, and you go on.
About tonight's show. This is not really a performance show. This is kind of a look-back retrospective. We are going to show you some moments in time. Some images of the many people -- and there have been some 23,000 people. We are going to show you a little excerpt of how the show is put together, so go get some more cheese dip and we'll be back in just a moment.
The home page: http://hometownaol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Hi,
Strictly Carson.
An intro, from Jerry Bittman: I just heard about the death of Johnny Carson. We were all very fortunate to have been able to watch the King of Late Night. I know he brought so much laughter to so many people. There will never be another like him.
Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Joan Rivers, Jerry Seinfeld, Garry Shandling -- these are just a few of the people who credit Carson with giving them their big break. My cousin Buddy Hackett was also a frequent guest on the show.
Carson never forgot his roots. He grew up in Norfolk, Nebraska, and he donated so much money to the town, even as recently as in the past year. I taped the final two episodes of his show in 1992. The next-to-last show with Robin Williams and Bette Midler was great. I'm going to watch it right now.
And God, I have two words for you -- "Heeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!"
Next, forwarded by Jerry from The Omaha World-Herald and written by Kim Roberts-Gudeman and Bob Glissman: To Nebraskans and Iowans, Johnny Carson was more than the affable former host of "The Tonight Show." The Iowa-born, Nebraska-raised comedian also was a philanthropist, friend, and favorite native son. Midlanders won't soon forget the quick-witted TV personality who left behind a legacy marked by generosity and humor. "Johnny Carson was a first-class act," Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman said Sunday. "He never forgot his ties to Nebraska, and his generosity has created a lasting legacy in our state."
"He was generous. He was very gracious," said Betty Bohac, director of Elkhorn Valley Museum & Research Center in Norfolk, Nebraska. Carson spent much of his childhood in Norfolk. "He really epitomized the community. He was so down to earth." The museum has a permanent display of Carson memorabilia, including Emmy Awards and framed magazine covers. Bohac said the museum, which normally closes at 4 PM on Wednesdays, will remain open until 9 PM this Wednesday for people to come and remember Carson. The museum will waive its entry fee that evening. "He was very proud of Nebraska and Norfolk," she said.
Across the state, numerous buildings bearing Carson's name testify to his devotion to Nebraska. In Norfolk, a $2.27 million gift funded a cancer radiation center -- named after his parents -- and a $600,000 check helped pay for Norfolk Public Schools' Johnny Carson Theater. Carson also gave $1 million to Northeast Community College and $500,000 to the Norfolk Library Foundation, among others.
At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Carson has given millions of dollars to fund an annual student scholarship and to benefit performing arts education. In November, he donated $5.3 million, in part to renovate the Temple Building, where Carson honed his craft as a college student. "It reflects the love he had for the university and, in particular, the experiences he had in that building," said Jack Oliva, dean of the Hixson-Lied College of the Fine and Performing Arts at UNL. "He never forgot the university and never forgot what the university meant to him."
Carson also donated money to several Iowa towns where his family briefly lived, including a skate park in Corning, an indoor recreation center in Clarinda, an arts center in Red Oak, and a library project in Avoca. In 1988, when he was in Norfolk for the dedication of the Carson Regional Radiation Center, Carson explained his generosity: "I have always felt that if you're lucky enough in this life to accumulate enough funds to live better than you have any right to, then you have a moral obligation to pay back to the community, or to the country or to the place that brought you up."
Carson showed a different kind of generosity to comedian and Omaha native Pat Hazell, who performed on "The Tonight Show" in 1989. The TV host invited Hazell, who shares a love of magic, to his dressing room to chat before the show. "I didn't realize until later that it wasn't standard for everyone," said Hazell, who became enamored with Carson's comic style as a youth. "I'm sure at least part of it was because of the Nebraska ties."
Carson was born John William Carson in Corning on October 23, 1925, to Homer "Kit" and Ruth Carson. His father was a manager for Iowa-Nebraska Light and Power Company and moved his family to the Iowa towns of Clarinda, Red Oak, and Avoca before settling in Norfolk in 1933. His mother Ruth was a homemaker. Carson paid tribute to Norfolk when he returned to film the 1982 NBC special, "Johnny Goes Home."
As a youngster, Carson showed a passion for magic. He ordered a magic kit at age 12, and soon "The Great Carsoni" was born. He began performing two years later at local Elks, Moose, and Redmen Lodges. Omahan Walter Graham said Carson used to come to magic club meetings when he worked in Omaha. "He was a good magician," Graham said. "He could do sleight of hand, card manipulations... He was pretty well-rounded in that kind of stuff." Graham added, "He was a very low-key type guy. A nice fella and full of fun."
After graduating from high school, Carson served as a Navy ensign during World War II. He enrolled at the University of Nebraska after his tour and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and speech in 1949. He later worked at WOW-TV and WOW radio in Omaha.
He left Nebraska during the 1950s to host a series of TV shows, including "Carson's Cellar," "Earn Your Vacation" and "Who Do You Trust?" before filling in for Jack Paar on "The Tonight Show" in 1958. Richard "Pete" Petrashek, a retired WOWT news photographer who worked with Carson at WOW-TV, said Carson was the one who dubbed him Pete. At one time, Petrashek said, there were five men named Richard at the station, all of whom went by the nickname "Dick." Carson got tired of it, Petrashek said, and he declared, "From now on, you're Pete Petrashek."
Bohac, the Norfolk museum director, said Carson would live on. "We're proud of him that he did make good in Hollywood. But we also have a good deal of respect for him because he did not forget his hometown."
Then, musician's Marc Shaiman's view of the next-to-last Johnny Carson show: As Bette Midler's musical director at the time, I co-wrote, arranged, and played for her on Johnny Carson’s penultimate show. When Bette asked me to help put together her performance, I was thrilled. The whole country was watching every night, as star after star made final appearances to thank him. So, Bette, Bruce Vilanch, and I immediately thought of writing new lyrics to the Judy Garland version of “You Made Me Love You,” which Judy sang as a worshipful fan. We wrote:
You made me watch you,
I didn't wanna do it,
Jack Paar had put me through it.
You made me watch you,
I love the jokes you're floggin',
When you are monologue-in'.
I watched your hair turn slowly
From dark to white,
And when I can't sleep
I count your wives at night.
(That line got a huge reaction, especially from Mr. Carson. It was very odd to write something like that, knowing it was going to be sung to the person, and then watch him crack up.)
The number was fantastic. Playing for Bette anytime is thrilling, but watching her bat out of the park like that was positively orgasmic. After that, I waited on the set where Bette would, after talking, sing the final ballad.
When she first called, I tried to come up with the ultimate song, and "One For My Baby" seemed perfect. But when I told her, she pretty much said, “Eh.”
When we rehearsed it, she was frightened of it, but at least sat with me and even started to toy with the final verse, making it more specific to Mr. Carson. Still, that day, Bette started second-guessing and asked the guys in the band what Carson’s favorite song was. In unison, they said “Here's That Rainy Day.”
So after "You Made Me Love You," Bette asks Johnny what his favorite song is and starts singing “Here's That Rainy Day” a cappella. Then, Carson starts singing along, completely sincere and totally in tune, and I wait to see if the band’s piano player is gonna join in, since it's clear they're going to sing the whole song. When he doesn’t, I just jump in. They finish, then go to a commercial, and I'm sure they're about to tell me to cut "One For My Baby."
But Bette takes her place. The entire staff of the show is huddled in the wings, watching her live and on the monitors. They are very emotional, as this is their final night, too. Johnny intros Bette and we start:
It's quarter to three,
There's no one in the place
Except you and me
To say you could hear a pin drop would be understatement. As I listened to the clip being repeated today in tributes, I'm reminded that the moment was so tender I didn’t even try anything but the most simple accompaniment. Right before the final verse, the camera cuts to a new angle: Over Bette’s shoulder, we see Carson, mesmerized, his eyes locked with hers.
She sings:
For all of the laughs,
For the laughs, for the tears,
For the class that you showed,
Make it one for my baby,
And one more for the road,
The long ... long ... road.
On the final measures, I did what any musical director would have done -- incorporated "The Tonight Show" theme. When we finished, the place went insane. Bette was so overcome that, after placing a lei around Johnny’s neck, she ran backstage so as not to be seen so overwhelmed. I was in a daze, the show’s staff was sobbing, but as we all “celebrated” backstage, Mr. Carson disappeared into the night.
Finally, Johnny Carson's last monologue, courtesy of NBC, and, again, forwarded by Jerry:
Around the studio, we are still on an emotional high from last night; we have not come down yet. I want to thank Robin Williams and Bette Midler for last night, for giving us an excellent show. They were absolutely sensational.
The show tonight is our farewell show; it's going to be a little bit quieter. It's not going to be a performance show. One of the questions people have been asking me, especially this last month, is, "What's it like doing 'The Tonight Show,' and what does it mean to me?"
Well, let me try to explain it. If I could magically, somehow, that tape you just saw, make it run backwards, I would like to do the whole thing over again. It's been a hell of a lot of fun. As an entertainer, it has been the great experience of my life, and I cannot imagine finding something in television after I leave tonight that would give me as much joy and pleasure, and such a sense of exhilaration, as this show has given me. It's just hard to explain.
Now it's a farewell show. There's a certain sadness among the staff, a little melancholy. But look on the bright side: you won't have to read or hear one more story about my leaving this show. The press coverage has been absolutely tremendous, and we are very grateful. But my God, the Soviet Union's end did not get this kind of publicity. The press has been very decent and honest with me, and I thank them for that ... That's about it.
The greatest accolade I think I received: G.E. named me "Employee of the Month." And God knows that was a dream come true.
I don't like saying goodbye. Farewells are a little awkward, and I really thought about this -- no joke: Wouldn't it be funny, instead of showing up tonight, putting on a rerun? NBC did not find that funny at all.
Next question I get is what am I gonna do? Well, I have not really made any plans. But the events of this last week have helped me make a decision. I am going to join the cast of Murphy Brown, and become a surrogate father to that kid.
During the run on the show, there have been seven United States Presidents, and thankfully for comedy there have been eight Vice Presidents of the United States. Now I know, I have made some jokes at the expense of Dan Quayle, but I really want to thank him tonight for making my final week so fruitful.
Here is an interesting statistic that may stun you: We started the show October 2, 1962. The total population of the Earth was 3 billion, 100 million people. This summer, it's 5 billion, 500 million people, which is a net increase of 2 billion, 400 million people, which should give us some pause. A more amazing statistic is that half of those 2 billion, 400 million will soon have their own late-night TV show.
Now, originally NBC came and said, "What we would like you to do in the final show is to make it a two-hour prime-time special with celebrities and a star-studded audience." And I said, "Well, I would prefer to end like we started -- rather quietly, in our same time slot, in front of our same shabby little set." It is rather shabby. We offered it to a homeless shelter and they said "No, thank you." I am taking the applause sign home -- putting it in the bedroom. And maybe once a week just turning it on.
But we do have a V.P.I. audience -- V.P.I. audience? We could have had that, too. What I did was ask the members of the staff and the crew to invite their families, relatives and friends, and they did, with some other invited guests. My family is here tonight: my wife, Alex; my sons Chris and Cory; my brother Dick; my sister Katherine; and a sprinkling of nephews and nieces. And I realized that being an offspring of someone who is constantly in the public eye is not easy. So guys, I want you to know that I love you; I hope that your old man has not caused you too much discomfort. It would have been a perfect evening if their brother Rick would have been here with us, but I guess life does what it is supposed to do. And you accept it, and you go on.
About tonight's show. This is not really a performance show. This is kind of a look-back retrospective. We are going to show you some moments in time. Some images of the many people -- and there have been some 23,000 people. We are going to show you a little excerpt of how the show is put together, so go get some more cheese dip and we'll be back in just a moment.
The home page: http://hometownaol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Update 1-17-05
Hi,
OK, let's start with a small correction. When Jerry Bittman sent that piece on Self-CPR, I didn't even think to fact check it, because Jerry, unfortunately, has become one of our experts on heart conditions. But it appears that Ray Staley also knows something about hearts, and he forwarded this link (http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blcpr.htm) which leads to the following information:
This message gives the impression that the technique described has the endorsement of Rochester General Hospital and Mended Hearts, Inc., a heart attack victims' support group. It does not. Although the text was first published in a Mended Hearts newsletter, the organization has since retracted it. Rochester General Hospital played no part in the creation or dissemination of the message, nor does it endorse its contents. According to the best information I can find, "cough CPR" (referred to in some variants as "self-CPR") is a real procedure occasionally used in emergency situations under professional supervision. It is not, however, taught in standard CPR courses, nor do most medical professionals presently recommend it as a "life-saving" measure for people who experience the most common types of heart attack while alone. One doctor I contacted -- a heart specialist --had never even heard of the procedure. Other doctors say they're aware of the "cough CPR" technique but would only advise it under very specific circumstances. For example, in certain cases where a patient has abnormal heart rhythms, coughing can help normalize them, according to Dr. Stephen Bohan of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. However, most heart attacks are not of this type. Dr. Bohan says the best course of action for a typical heart attack victim is to immediately take an aspirin (which helps dissolve blood clots) and call 911. This is a case where a nugget of truth has apparently been misunderstood and misrepresented to the public, though not intentionally. A chapter of Mended Hearts published it without proper research. It was then reprinted by other chapters and eventually found its way into e-mail form. Darla Bonham, the organization's executive director, issued a statement afterward which read, in part: I've received e-mail from people all across the country wanting to know if it is a valid medically approved procedure. I contacted a scientist on staff with the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiac Care division, and he was able to track a possible source of the information. The information comes from a professional textbook on emergency cardiac care. This procedure is also known as "cough CPR" and is used in emergency situations by professional staff. The American Heart Association does not recommend that the public use this method in a situation where there is no medical supervision. As with all medical rumors, the most prudent course of action is to verify the information with your own doctor or other medical professional before acting upon it or sharing it with others.
2003 update: In September 2003, four years after this e-mail rumor began circulating, Polish physician Tadeusz Petelenz presented the results of a study which he said demonstrates that cough CPR can indeed save the lives of some heart attack victims. While not immediately embraced by all the members attending the European Society of Cardiology meeting where Petelenz spoke, the findings were characterized by some as "interesting." At least one heart specialist, Dr. Marten Rosenquist of Sweden, found fault with the study, objecting that Petelenz had presented no evidence that the subjects had actually experienced cardiac arrhythmias. He called for further research.
[Rich -- Thanks, Ray.]
And Jerry wrote: I feel as is I've been violated -- kind of like finding out the information I gathered came from that reporter from The New York Times, I believe his last name was Blair. Well, then, this episode will now officially put a stop to me sending you material that is not coming directly from this horse's mouth.
[Rich -- And as I just wrote Jerry: You've sent us so much good information in the past that the occasional slip isn't going to hurt anything. I'll just correct it next week, as I have with other mistakes I've made. Fortunately, it's a long way from The New York Times to our class newsletter.]
Meanwhile, a more benign suggestion from Jerry: To all my friends! By following the simple advice I heard on a Dr. Phil show, I've finally found inner peace. I'm passing this on because it definitely worked for me, and because we all could use more calm in our lives.
Dr. Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you've started." So I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving to work this morning, I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Bailey's, a package of Oreos, the remainder of both my Prozac and Valium prescriptions, the rest of a cheesecake, some saltines, and a box of Godiva chocolates. You have no idea how freaking good I feel! Please pass this on to all those you feel need inner peace.
More seriously, from Booker Gibson: This past weekend I had some events that I'll never forget, because of the Class of '65. A pretty, young (45) lady teacher, African-American, passed away after a year's battle with lung cancer. My family has known her since her high school years, when she went to high school with my oldest son. Later, after she became a teacher and band director, she taught my youngest son. He's now 30.
Even though her death was expected (somewhat like the South High situation with the art teacher Chuck Donohue), it hit everyone very hard. Friday night, the church had an unbelievable overflow crowd. This is a large, beautiful middle-class church, but right in the old Black ghetto. The crowd kept coming and coming. They seemed to enjoy the music and some prepared dancing. I couldn't help thinking, "Why couldn't someone have started something like a scholarship for her a year ago?" However, people like you were mature, somewhat successful, and with leaders. I heard through Friday night, and the Saturday funeral, that some attempts will be made to do something. Nevertheless, I really did think about you so much, as I wiped my eyes. Thanks again everyone.
[Rich -- You couldn't be more welcome, Booker. And we're all sorry to hear about your friend's death.]
Booker also adds: To all the southern Californians: I've been following your rain and mudslides daily, since the news is on CNN and everywhere else. Your "paradise" will return, and maybe you'll forget that these events ever happened.
Some e-mail address changes, first, from Linda Vicinanza Marrs: I am changing my e-mail address to: linda@jmmarrs.com My old address will be discontinued later this week.
Next, from Greta (Peggy) Grubmeyer Holbrook: With the new year comes a new e-mail address: MGHolbrook@gmail.com
From Barbara Blitfield Pech, something she promises is funny, a link to Yiddish with Dick & Jane: http://www.vidlit.com/yidlit/yidlit.html
From Zelda White Nichols, a nostalgia link I think we've run before, but is probably worth repeating. Zelda points out: I think this pretty much covers all the "Remember Whens?"
http://www.thestatenislandboys.com/U_thrill_me/
An announcement from Emily Kleinman-Schreiber: My son asked me to pass this message on to you. He's deeply concerned about the children left orphaned by the tsunami, so he came up with this idea as a fund raiser. From Mike Schreiber: I've decided to give $3.00 from every calendar and note card sale, and 15% of every print sale, to help the kids who were orphaned by the tsunami. So, if you haven't already gotten a calendar, or if you just want to do a little bit to help out, please go to my website and pick one up: http://dogboyland.com/ Every little bit counts (I hope).
Finally, a reminder that the February installment of our reunion payment to the hotel is quickly approaching, and a a check sent to Dennis Shapiro will let him relax till at least Easter.
The repeating reunion info:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Hi,
OK, let's start with a small correction. When Jerry Bittman sent that piece on Self-CPR, I didn't even think to fact check it, because Jerry, unfortunately, has become one of our experts on heart conditions. But it appears that Ray Staley also knows something about hearts, and he forwarded this link (http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blcpr.htm) which leads to the following information:
This message gives the impression that the technique described has the endorsement of Rochester General Hospital and Mended Hearts, Inc., a heart attack victims' support group. It does not. Although the text was first published in a Mended Hearts newsletter, the organization has since retracted it. Rochester General Hospital played no part in the creation or dissemination of the message, nor does it endorse its contents. According to the best information I can find, "cough CPR" (referred to in some variants as "self-CPR") is a real procedure occasionally used in emergency situations under professional supervision. It is not, however, taught in standard CPR courses, nor do most medical professionals presently recommend it as a "life-saving" measure for people who experience the most common types of heart attack while alone. One doctor I contacted -- a heart specialist --had never even heard of the procedure. Other doctors say they're aware of the "cough CPR" technique but would only advise it under very specific circumstances. For example, in certain cases where a patient has abnormal heart rhythms, coughing can help normalize them, according to Dr. Stephen Bohan of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. However, most heart attacks are not of this type. Dr. Bohan says the best course of action for a typical heart attack victim is to immediately take an aspirin (which helps dissolve blood clots) and call 911. This is a case where a nugget of truth has apparently been misunderstood and misrepresented to the public, though not intentionally. A chapter of Mended Hearts published it without proper research. It was then reprinted by other chapters and eventually found its way into e-mail form. Darla Bonham, the organization's executive director, issued a statement afterward which read, in part: I've received e-mail from people all across the country wanting to know if it is a valid medically approved procedure. I contacted a scientist on staff with the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiac Care division, and he was able to track a possible source of the information. The information comes from a professional textbook on emergency cardiac care. This procedure is also known as "cough CPR" and is used in emergency situations by professional staff. The American Heart Association does not recommend that the public use this method in a situation where there is no medical supervision. As with all medical rumors, the most prudent course of action is to verify the information with your own doctor or other medical professional before acting upon it or sharing it with others.
2003 update: In September 2003, four years after this e-mail rumor began circulating, Polish physician Tadeusz Petelenz presented the results of a study which he said demonstrates that cough CPR can indeed save the lives of some heart attack victims. While not immediately embraced by all the members attending the European Society of Cardiology meeting where Petelenz spoke, the findings were characterized by some as "interesting." At least one heart specialist, Dr. Marten Rosenquist of Sweden, found fault with the study, objecting that Petelenz had presented no evidence that the subjects had actually experienced cardiac arrhythmias. He called for further research.
[Rich -- Thanks, Ray.]
And Jerry wrote: I feel as is I've been violated -- kind of like finding out the information I gathered came from that reporter from The New York Times, I believe his last name was Blair. Well, then, this episode will now officially put a stop to me sending you material that is not coming directly from this horse's mouth.
[Rich -- And as I just wrote Jerry: You've sent us so much good information in the past that the occasional slip isn't going to hurt anything. I'll just correct it next week, as I have with other mistakes I've made. Fortunately, it's a long way from The New York Times to our class newsletter.]
Meanwhile, a more benign suggestion from Jerry: To all my friends! By following the simple advice I heard on a Dr. Phil show, I've finally found inner peace. I'm passing this on because it definitely worked for me, and because we all could use more calm in our lives.
Dr. Phil proclaimed, "The way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you've started." So I looked around my house to see all the things I started and hadn't finished, and before leaving to work this morning, I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of White Zinfandel, a bottle of Bailey's, a package of Oreos, the remainder of both my Prozac and Valium prescriptions, the rest of a cheesecake, some saltines, and a box of Godiva chocolates. You have no idea how freaking good I feel! Please pass this on to all those you feel need inner peace.
More seriously, from Booker Gibson: This past weekend I had some events that I'll never forget, because of the Class of '65. A pretty, young (45) lady teacher, African-American, passed away after a year's battle with lung cancer. My family has known her since her high school years, when she went to high school with my oldest son. Later, after she became a teacher and band director, she taught my youngest son. He's now 30.
Even though her death was expected (somewhat like the South High situation with the art teacher Chuck Donohue), it hit everyone very hard. Friday night, the church had an unbelievable overflow crowd. This is a large, beautiful middle-class church, but right in the old Black ghetto. The crowd kept coming and coming. They seemed to enjoy the music and some prepared dancing. I couldn't help thinking, "Why couldn't someone have started something like a scholarship for her a year ago?" However, people like you were mature, somewhat successful, and with leaders. I heard through Friday night, and the Saturday funeral, that some attempts will be made to do something. Nevertheless, I really did think about you so much, as I wiped my eyes. Thanks again everyone.
[Rich -- You couldn't be more welcome, Booker. And we're all sorry to hear about your friend's death.]
Booker also adds: To all the southern Californians: I've been following your rain and mudslides daily, since the news is on CNN and everywhere else. Your "paradise" will return, and maybe you'll forget that these events ever happened.
Some e-mail address changes, first, from Linda Vicinanza Marrs: I am changing my e-mail address to: linda@jmmarrs.com My old address will be discontinued later this week.
Next, from Greta (Peggy) Grubmeyer Holbrook: With the new year comes a new e-mail address: MGHolbrook@gmail.com
From Barbara Blitfield Pech, something she promises is funny, a link to Yiddish with Dick & Jane: http://www.vidlit.com/yidlit/yidlit.html
From Zelda White Nichols, a nostalgia link I think we've run before, but is probably worth repeating. Zelda points out: I think this pretty much covers all the "Remember Whens?"
http://www.thestatenislandboys.com/U_thrill_me/
An announcement from Emily Kleinman-Schreiber: My son asked me to pass this message on to you. He's deeply concerned about the children left orphaned by the tsunami, so he came up with this idea as a fund raiser. From Mike Schreiber: I've decided to give $3.00 from every calendar and note card sale, and 15% of every print sale, to help the kids who were orphaned by the tsunami. So, if you haven't already gotten a calendar, or if you just want to do a little bit to help out, please go to my website and pick one up: http://dogboyland.com/ Every little bit counts (I hope).
Finally, a reminder that the February installment of our reunion payment to the hotel is quickly approaching, and a a check sent to Dennis Shapiro will let him relax till at least Easter.
The repeating reunion info:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Update 1-11-05
Hi,
Yes, it's raining in California. And it's been raining. And it's going to keep raining. We dug a 25-foot long trench in our backyard, to keep our neighbor's pool overflow away from our foundation. If this keeps up, I'm planting the banks with bonsai bullrushes and floating a G.I. Joe down to the L.A. River.
Meanwhile, from hopefully higher ground, Barnet Kellman writes: Yes, the weathergirl was Carol Reed. Absolutely right! Who needs a memory when you have classmates!
An historical note, from Donald Faber: Please feel free to draw you own conclusions, but 63 years ago (1942), Time magazine's "Man of the Year" was Joseph Stalin. Of course, some people might use this fact to prove that nothing ever changes.
A combination travel/mystery note, from Larry Rugen: On February 2nd, I'm off for a week to Simmern, Germany, in the Rhein, Mosel area. Another reunion, but this time with just a few of my retired United States Air Force buddies and another bunch of good friends, some of whom I also have not seen for 35 years. Why February 2nd, in the middle of winter, you ask? Fasching is the answer -- look it up, if you so please. And a special "thank you" again to Herta Apfel, wherever you are!
[Rich -- From Google, translated electronically from the German. Fasching: "Carnival," in West Austria. Fas(t)nacht, the time between three-king and the beginning of Ashtray Wednesday. Music, dance, mask removals, fool liberty, sex exchange, and a general joy of life determine the Karneval, which, beginning with "unreasonable" Thursday, reaches the "3 holy carnival days" (Sunday until Tuesday before Ashtray Wednesday). The carnival custom contains elements of old rural culture, costume celebrations, and more latemedievally or earlymodern fool celebrations of the craftsmen and guilds. Despite the tendency for standardization in the last years, the forms of the rheinischen Karnevals persist, with pairs of princes, the carnival running and bear chase, "drum women," the carnival of the united ones, as well as jokeful ruegen. Popular the large removals of the Tiroler taking place in a distance of several years. The urban and the Viennese carnival are particularly shaped by ball meetings particularly. The carnival finds the conclusion as required with a spontaneous "carnival burying," "carnival burning," or a "purse laundry" on Ashtray Wednesday. In parts of Tirol and Vorarlberg, the carnival will only be burned on "Spark Sunday" (1st Sunday in the chamfering time) whereby wood impact ignites and burning wood disks will be hurled.]
Back in America, a serious note from Robin Feit Baker, along with a letter forwarded from Fran Gibel Winter, Class of '61.
From Robin: After receiving e-mail from Fran Winter, I decided it might be a good idea to send it along for you to read. I'm quite sure you realize Stephen Feit wasn't my father, but this is interesting nonetheless, and it's quite remarkable to discover just how deeply our lives appear to be intertwined.
From Fran: I’m Frances Gibel Winter, and I live in Maryland, outside Washington, DC. I graduated from Forest Road School in 1955 and South High in 1961. Emily Kleinman Schreiber (a classmate, and our “class historian”) directed me to the Booker Gibson Scholarship web site. Unfortunately, I found the web site not too friendly…pages I clicked on came up “unknown,” lists of people didn’t appear, and there’s no information as to how to add a note to the ongoing discourse. However, I got the address for Marc Jonas (I had known Susan, his sister, who had been one year ahead of me), and he provided your e-mail address.
Many people from our area knew my dad, pediatrician Dr. Gibel, and/or my younger sister, Bonnie. I am writing to find out if you could be the daughter of Stephen Feit? He was my fifth grade teacher. After he got his Master's in AV, he left teaching at Forest Road School, and he and his family went to American Samoa. We corresponded the entire time he was away. After the family returned to the States, Mr. Feit’s kids became my father’s patients (perhaps you, and I think there was a brother?) -- and then we lost touch. He was such a delightful man. I would love to find out if he is still alive, and how he’s doing. I attended the 50th anniversary of Forest Road School in 2003, saw Mr. Cid and others, but no one seemed to know anything about Stephen Feit. Robin, can you possibly fill me in? I am certain that others who were in the 5th grade with me (there were only 22 of us all together) would also be interested in any news. I await your reply.
[Rich -- what I wrote Fran: Robin Feit Baker forwarded your note to me, mentioning that you were having trouble with our class home page. At least, I think that's what you're talking about, since there is no formal Booker Gibson Scholarship site that I know of. There's also a chance that Emily gave you the old home page address, which jammed because of an AOL problem. It's still partly accessible, because the new page builds on it, but there are several important parts missing.
The new home page address is: hometown.aol.com/vssouth65 That should take you to what we have available, and please tell me if it doesn't. If you want to contribute to the weekly newsletter -- and I'd like to run the letter you sent to Robin -- please write me at: reunionclass65@aol.com.
Thanks. I hope you're well, and I hope we find out something about Stephen Feit because of your letter. I started at Forest the same year you did, when it opened, and graduated in 1959. I vaguely remember the name Stephen Feit, but can't tell you anything else, as I was probably 7 or 8 when he moved on. I hope to hear from you soon, because I send out the weekly newsletter Monday night.]
[Rich -- I didn't hear from Fran, but I'm fearlessly running her letter anyway. If anyone remembers Stephen Feit and wants to write Fran Winter, please ask me for her e-mail address.]
[More Rich -- Also, it's way too early to start running the reunion attendance list, but I've heard indirectly that about 20 people have already made plans to be there. I suspect we'll end up with somewhat over 100 former classmates, plus teachers, as we did at the 37th.
There's also been some informal discussion about the nature of this reunion. I mentioned to Steve Cohen that, maybe because of September 11th, at our last reunion, people seemed so happy to see each other that it didn't matter if they'd actually known each other while growing up. But Steve said he noticed the same thing at the recent Class of '64 reunion, so maybe it has to do with age and perspective. And Allen Moss commented that he thinks the tone of this reunion might be a bit different -- "less frantic and emotional and more low-key and relaxed, since the initial surprise has worn off." And he thinks that will be really nice.]
Some medical advice from Jerry Bittman. This came in well before the holidays, and I stashed it for future use then forgot it was there:
Let's say you're driving home alone after a hard day at work. You're tired or frustrated, and suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the nearest hospital, but you don’t know if you can make it that far. What can you do?
Many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack. Without help, the heart stops beating properly, people begin to feel faint and have only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously every 2 seconds.
A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. The coughs must continue without let-up until the heart starts beating normally again or until you reach the hospital. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs, and the coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating, which helps the heart regain its normal rhythm. In this way, you can gain enough time to reach a hospital.
Finally, some quasi-sports filler from the Associated Press: Riddleville, Georgia, January 6, 2005 -- A marching band played as the governor arrived by helicopter and hopped aboard a tractor in front of 30 invitation-only guests. Cutting grass doesn't normally get this kind of fanfare, but the turf being harvested like rolls of carpet Thursday on Phillip Jennings' central Georgia farm isn't just any grass. It's the field for next month's Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. "Going from the wheat, cotton, and soybean days to this Super Bowl harvest, I'm obviously excited,'' said Jennings, who began growing turf in 1997. "For the last few months, I watched football games with a different perspective.''
Working with Georgia-based Pennington Seed, which has provided grass seed for three straight Super Bowls, Jennings spent the past 18 months growing the mix of perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and a Bermuda grass hybrid called Princess 77. The resulting turf stays green in winter and is tough enough to withstand the punishment from players' cleats. The turf got its first test when Governor Sonny Perdue's helicopter landed on the 4-acre field that resembles a lush fairway. Perdue made the ceremonial first cut, pulling blades behind a tractor to slice the sod into strips 1 3/4-inch deep and 42 inches wide. He also put in a plug for his personal favorite to play in the Super Bowl, the Atlanta Falcons. "We're certainly hopeful Coach Mora and Michael Vick can have the Falcons playing on this turf in a month,'' Perdue said. "It's hard for me to imagine that NFL players are going to be playing on a grass called Princess, though.''
It will take at least a week to cut the 4-acres of sod, and 40 trucks will be needed to transport it 270 miles to Jacksonville's Alltel Stadium, where the NFL's championship game will be played February 6th. "It's ready,'' said George Toma, the NFL turf guru who has prepared fields for all 39 Super Bowls. "It has excellent, excellent footing. It's good turf.''
Jennings admitted that it will be a relief to put his turf into Toma's hands. He started seeding the field seven months before the last Super Bowl, and in the past few months it has required daily grooming. Once word of Jennings' field got out in Riddleville, a town of 124 people 55 miles east of Macon, it also required round-the-clock security. "Somebody could have come over here and cut a piece out and put it on eBay. That's what I was worried about,'' said Washington County Sheriff Thomas Smith, who also said he kept a deputy watching over the field every day. But some locals did get a Super Bowl souvenir. The 30 guests who received invitations from Jennings to attend the turf's send-off Thursday got small clay pots planted with spare chunks of the Super turf.
The repeating reunion info:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Hi,
Yes, it's raining in California. And it's been raining. And it's going to keep raining. We dug a 25-foot long trench in our backyard, to keep our neighbor's pool overflow away from our foundation. If this keeps up, I'm planting the banks with bonsai bullrushes and floating a G.I. Joe down to the L.A. River.
Meanwhile, from hopefully higher ground, Barnet Kellman writes: Yes, the weathergirl was Carol Reed. Absolutely right! Who needs a memory when you have classmates!
An historical note, from Donald Faber: Please feel free to draw you own conclusions, but 63 years ago (1942), Time magazine's "Man of the Year" was Joseph Stalin. Of course, some people might use this fact to prove that nothing ever changes.
A combination travel/mystery note, from Larry Rugen: On February 2nd, I'm off for a week to Simmern, Germany, in the Rhein, Mosel area. Another reunion, but this time with just a few of my retired United States Air Force buddies and another bunch of good friends, some of whom I also have not seen for 35 years. Why February 2nd, in the middle of winter, you ask? Fasching is the answer -- look it up, if you so please. And a special "thank you" again to Herta Apfel, wherever you are!
[Rich -- From Google, translated electronically from the German. Fasching: "Carnival," in West Austria. Fas(t)nacht, the time between three-king and the beginning of Ashtray Wednesday. Music, dance, mask removals, fool liberty, sex exchange, and a general joy of life determine the Karneval, which, beginning with "unreasonable" Thursday, reaches the "3 holy carnival days" (Sunday until Tuesday before Ashtray Wednesday). The carnival custom contains elements of old rural culture, costume celebrations, and more latemedievally or earlymodern fool celebrations of the craftsmen and guilds. Despite the tendency for standardization in the last years, the forms of the rheinischen Karnevals persist, with pairs of princes, the carnival running and bear chase, "drum women," the carnival of the united ones, as well as jokeful ruegen. Popular the large removals of the Tiroler taking place in a distance of several years. The urban and the Viennese carnival are particularly shaped by ball meetings particularly. The carnival finds the conclusion as required with a spontaneous "carnival burying," "carnival burning," or a "purse laundry" on Ashtray Wednesday. In parts of Tirol and Vorarlberg, the carnival will only be burned on "Spark Sunday" (1st Sunday in the chamfering time) whereby wood impact ignites and burning wood disks will be hurled.]
Back in America, a serious note from Robin Feit Baker, along with a letter forwarded from Fran Gibel Winter, Class of '61.
From Robin: After receiving e-mail from Fran Winter, I decided it might be a good idea to send it along for you to read. I'm quite sure you realize Stephen Feit wasn't my father, but this is interesting nonetheless, and it's quite remarkable to discover just how deeply our lives appear to be intertwined.
From Fran: I’m Frances Gibel Winter, and I live in Maryland, outside Washington, DC. I graduated from Forest Road School in 1955 and South High in 1961. Emily Kleinman Schreiber (a classmate, and our “class historian”) directed me to the Booker Gibson Scholarship web site. Unfortunately, I found the web site not too friendly…pages I clicked on came up “unknown,” lists of people didn’t appear, and there’s no information as to how to add a note to the ongoing discourse. However, I got the address for Marc Jonas (I had known Susan, his sister, who had been one year ahead of me), and he provided your e-mail address.
Many people from our area knew my dad, pediatrician Dr. Gibel, and/or my younger sister, Bonnie. I am writing to find out if you could be the daughter of Stephen Feit? He was my fifth grade teacher. After he got his Master's in AV, he left teaching at Forest Road School, and he and his family went to American Samoa. We corresponded the entire time he was away. After the family returned to the States, Mr. Feit’s kids became my father’s patients (perhaps you, and I think there was a brother?) -- and then we lost touch. He was such a delightful man. I would love to find out if he is still alive, and how he’s doing. I attended the 50th anniversary of Forest Road School in 2003, saw Mr. Cid and others, but no one seemed to know anything about Stephen Feit. Robin, can you possibly fill me in? I am certain that others who were in the 5th grade with me (there were only 22 of us all together) would also be interested in any news. I await your reply.
[Rich -- what I wrote Fran: Robin Feit Baker forwarded your note to me, mentioning that you were having trouble with our class home page. At least, I think that's what you're talking about, since there is no formal Booker Gibson Scholarship site that I know of. There's also a chance that Emily gave you the old home page address, which jammed because of an AOL problem. It's still partly accessible, because the new page builds on it, but there are several important parts missing.
The new home page address is: hometown.aol.com/vssouth65 That should take you to what we have available, and please tell me if it doesn't. If you want to contribute to the weekly newsletter -- and I'd like to run the letter you sent to Robin -- please write me at: reunionclass65@aol.com.
Thanks. I hope you're well, and I hope we find out something about Stephen Feit because of your letter. I started at Forest the same year you did, when it opened, and graduated in 1959. I vaguely remember the name Stephen Feit, but can't tell you anything else, as I was probably 7 or 8 when he moved on. I hope to hear from you soon, because I send out the weekly newsletter Monday night.]
[Rich -- I didn't hear from Fran, but I'm fearlessly running her letter anyway. If anyone remembers Stephen Feit and wants to write Fran Winter, please ask me for her e-mail address.]
[More Rich -- Also, it's way too early to start running the reunion attendance list, but I've heard indirectly that about 20 people have already made plans to be there. I suspect we'll end up with somewhat over 100 former classmates, plus teachers, as we did at the 37th.
There's also been some informal discussion about the nature of this reunion. I mentioned to Steve Cohen that, maybe because of September 11th, at our last reunion, people seemed so happy to see each other that it didn't matter if they'd actually known each other while growing up. But Steve said he noticed the same thing at the recent Class of '64 reunion, so maybe it has to do with age and perspective. And Allen Moss commented that he thinks the tone of this reunion might be a bit different -- "less frantic and emotional and more low-key and relaxed, since the initial surprise has worn off." And he thinks that will be really nice.]
Some medical advice from Jerry Bittman. This came in well before the holidays, and I stashed it for future use then forgot it was there:
Let's say you're driving home alone after a hard day at work. You're tired or frustrated, and suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the nearest hospital, but you don’t know if you can make it that far. What can you do?
Many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack. Without help, the heart stops beating properly, people begin to feel faint and have only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously every 2 seconds.
A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. The coughs must continue without let-up until the heart starts beating normally again or until you reach the hospital. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs, and the coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating, which helps the heart regain its normal rhythm. In this way, you can gain enough time to reach a hospital.
Finally, some quasi-sports filler from the Associated Press: Riddleville, Georgia, January 6, 2005 -- A marching band played as the governor arrived by helicopter and hopped aboard a tractor in front of 30 invitation-only guests. Cutting grass doesn't normally get this kind of fanfare, but the turf being harvested like rolls of carpet Thursday on Phillip Jennings' central Georgia farm isn't just any grass. It's the field for next month's Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida. "Going from the wheat, cotton, and soybean days to this Super Bowl harvest, I'm obviously excited,'' said Jennings, who began growing turf in 1997. "For the last few months, I watched football games with a different perspective.''
Working with Georgia-based Pennington Seed, which has provided grass seed for three straight Super Bowls, Jennings spent the past 18 months growing the mix of perennial ryegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, and a Bermuda grass hybrid called Princess 77. The resulting turf stays green in winter and is tough enough to withstand the punishment from players' cleats. The turf got its first test when Governor Sonny Perdue's helicopter landed on the 4-acre field that resembles a lush fairway. Perdue made the ceremonial first cut, pulling blades behind a tractor to slice the sod into strips 1 3/4-inch deep and 42 inches wide. He also put in a plug for his personal favorite to play in the Super Bowl, the Atlanta Falcons. "We're certainly hopeful Coach Mora and Michael Vick can have the Falcons playing on this turf in a month,'' Perdue said. "It's hard for me to imagine that NFL players are going to be playing on a grass called Princess, though.''
It will take at least a week to cut the 4-acres of sod, and 40 trucks will be needed to transport it 270 miles to Jacksonville's Alltel Stadium, where the NFL's championship game will be played February 6th. "It's ready,'' said George Toma, the NFL turf guru who has prepared fields for all 39 Super Bowls. "It has excellent, excellent footing. It's good turf.''
Jennings admitted that it will be a relief to put his turf into Toma's hands. He started seeding the field seven months before the last Super Bowl, and in the past few months it has required daily grooming. Once word of Jennings' field got out in Riddleville, a town of 124 people 55 miles east of Macon, it also required round-the-clock security. "Somebody could have come over here and cut a piece out and put it on eBay. That's what I was worried about,'' said Washington County Sheriff Thomas Smith, who also said he kept a deputy watching over the field every day. But some locals did get a Super Bowl souvenir. The 30 guests who received invitations from Jennings to attend the turf's send-off Thursday got small clay pots planted with spare chunks of the Super turf.
The repeating reunion info:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Update 1-4-2005
Hi,
Promises of no politics or personal viewpoints aside, I can't start this without mentioning the tsunami disaster. It puts everything else into perspective.
On a more ordinary level, which is not to say from an ordinary person, word from one of our reunion's leaders, Paul DeMartino: Just a quick reminder that now that the holiday festivities are over, we still need our classmates to contribute their $100 so that we can guarantee the 40th Reunion will actually take place. We are still below the amount needed to meet the February 1st deposit, and once we pay that, we'll need everyone else to send in their checks and make their hotel reservations to guarantee that they have rooms. The hotel will open up more rooms for Friday if we can quickly book all 15 rooms currently set aside. As of now that hasn't happened. So, I repeat, now is the time for all of the Class of '65 to support your reunion and ensure its success. Send in your checks, and we will soon start putting out a list of everyone who is attending.
On another note, regarding the search for missing classmates, be assured that it is ongoing, but mostly frustrating. These people were the most difficult to find and/or establish positive contact with. In some cases, I spoke to a family member who assured me that he or she would pass on the information about the 37th Reunion, but were unwilling to pass on the telephone number or address to me directly. In other cases, I left several messages on answering machines and never heard back from the people. There are many blind alleys, duplicates, old addresses and telephone numbers, similar names, and, of course, current married names unknown to us. If you know how to contact some of the missing people who are listed on the home page, please help us find them and spread the word. You can pass my name and e-mail or telephone number to them, or just pass the information to me, and I'll contact them. My e-mail address is: PDEM070@msn.com and my phone number is: 516-799-1590. Thanks.
A follow-up to Paul's second point, from Zelda White Nichols: I have been trying to locate Erick Wohlgemuth and was thrilled when you listed his phone number. But please let everyone know that this is an incorrect number. I called it twice thinking I might have misdialed, and then I double-checked it against the number you had listed. Is it possible you typed it incorrectly?
[Rich -- my reply to Zelda, which echoes what Paul just wrote: Did anyone answer and say Erick wasn't there? Or did your dialing just get relayed to a recording saying it was no longer a working number? Paul DeMartino had a phone number for Erick three years ago, and, I think, he got an angry ex-wife who hadn't seen Erick for a number of years. But I don't know if that was the same number as the one Al MacLeod unearthed. Sorry you met with frustration.]
Zelda's reply to me: The first time I called, a woman answered and said I had a wrong number. The phone I was on didn't have a window that showed the number I called, so thinking I had misdialed, I called back. She answered, and I apologized for disturbing her again, explaining that evidently I had been given an incorrect number. She took off screaming that she was on a "Do Not Call" list. Having just broken my toe yesterday morning, falling over my cat, and having spent most of the morning cleaning up the mess from the recent storm -- we had 4 trees downed, though two were able to be up-righted again -- I was not in the best of moods and yelled back at her that it was not a solicitation call. She backed right down, said, "Oh, sorry," and hung up.
If you get any more contact information on Erick, I would love have it. We went to William S. Buck together, and he was in my class. I wore glasses, had curly hair when everyone else's was straight, had a weird name, and my mother literally dressed me funny. Kids teased me, but Erick always stood up for me. He had a kindness that I never forgot, and I wanted to let him know how much I appreciated his friendship.
A cultural note from Robin Feit: Peggy Cooper Schwartz's acknowledgment of British director Sir Carol Reed in last week's update prompted me to share the following. He was the director of The Third Man (1949), a film classic in the Hitchcock style. It's certainly worth renting and just so happens to be a favorite of mine.
News from another class's reunion leader, Tom McPartland: I wanted to close out the year with a very special thanks to each and every one of you. Putting together the 40th year reunion for the Class of ‘64 was something that gave me tremendous pleasure. I cannot put into words how rewarding it was just reconnecting with so many classmates and teachers again. The past year was a little tough, but knowing you all enjoyed the reunion made all my efforts worthwhile. I’m definitely looking forward to the 45th, and I promise to be there. Meanwhile, if there are any “mini” reunions planned, I would love to know when they are. I am planning a “mini” reunion on Long Island for early this year, and I will let everyone know when it is scheduled. Until then, I wish you all the very best that life has to offer. We are still a very young Class of '64. Enjoy yourselves, and have a very happy and healthy New Year!
[Rich -- Those photos I mentioned last week are now on the home page. Go to Photos, then to Judy Hartstone's, Class of '64 Reunion, or William Buck, another sixth grade class.]
Finally, a note on my Singapore-based friends Melody and Ken Eckhart, who we sometimes hear from: They're fine. They were in Chicago at the time of the earthquake, so obviously didn't feel a thing, though Singapore was only 600 miles from the epicenter. But they did have vacation plans to be in Phuket, Thailand in early February for the Chinese New Year, and they're hoping to keep their flight reservations and do some relief work instead.
The repeating reunion info:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
Hi,
Promises of no politics or personal viewpoints aside, I can't start this without mentioning the tsunami disaster. It puts everything else into perspective.
On a more ordinary level, which is not to say from an ordinary person, word from one of our reunion's leaders, Paul DeMartino: Just a quick reminder that now that the holiday festivities are over, we still need our classmates to contribute their $100 so that we can guarantee the 40th Reunion will actually take place. We are still below the amount needed to meet the February 1st deposit, and once we pay that, we'll need everyone else to send in their checks and make their hotel reservations to guarantee that they have rooms. The hotel will open up more rooms for Friday if we can quickly book all 15 rooms currently set aside. As of now that hasn't happened. So, I repeat, now is the time for all of the Class of '65 to support your reunion and ensure its success. Send in your checks, and we will soon start putting out a list of everyone who is attending.
On another note, regarding the search for missing classmates, be assured that it is ongoing, but mostly frustrating. These people were the most difficult to find and/or establish positive contact with. In some cases, I spoke to a family member who assured me that he or she would pass on the information about the 37th Reunion, but were unwilling to pass on the telephone number or address to me directly. In other cases, I left several messages on answering machines and never heard back from the people. There are many blind alleys, duplicates, old addresses and telephone numbers, similar names, and, of course, current married names unknown to us. If you know how to contact some of the missing people who are listed on the home page, please help us find them and spread the word. You can pass my name and e-mail or telephone number to them, or just pass the information to me, and I'll contact them. My e-mail address is: PDEM070@msn.com and my phone number is: 516-799-1590. Thanks.
A follow-up to Paul's second point, from Zelda White Nichols: I have been trying to locate Erick Wohlgemuth and was thrilled when you listed his phone number. But please let everyone know that this is an incorrect number. I called it twice thinking I might have misdialed, and then I double-checked it against the number you had listed. Is it possible you typed it incorrectly?
[Rich -- my reply to Zelda, which echoes what Paul just wrote: Did anyone answer and say Erick wasn't there? Or did your dialing just get relayed to a recording saying it was no longer a working number? Paul DeMartino had a phone number for Erick three years ago, and, I think, he got an angry ex-wife who hadn't seen Erick for a number of years. But I don't know if that was the same number as the one Al MacLeod unearthed. Sorry you met with frustration.]
Zelda's reply to me: The first time I called, a woman answered and said I had a wrong number. The phone I was on didn't have a window that showed the number I called, so thinking I had misdialed, I called back. She answered, and I apologized for disturbing her again, explaining that evidently I had been given an incorrect number. She took off screaming that she was on a "Do Not Call" list. Having just broken my toe yesterday morning, falling over my cat, and having spent most of the morning cleaning up the mess from the recent storm -- we had 4 trees downed, though two were able to be up-righted again -- I was not in the best of moods and yelled back at her that it was not a solicitation call. She backed right down, said, "Oh, sorry," and hung up.
If you get any more contact information on Erick, I would love have it. We went to William S. Buck together, and he was in my class. I wore glasses, had curly hair when everyone else's was straight, had a weird name, and my mother literally dressed me funny. Kids teased me, but Erick always stood up for me. He had a kindness that I never forgot, and I wanted to let him know how much I appreciated his friendship.
A cultural note from Robin Feit: Peggy Cooper Schwartz's acknowledgment of British director Sir Carol Reed in last week's update prompted me to share the following. He was the director of The Third Man (1949), a film classic in the Hitchcock style. It's certainly worth renting and just so happens to be a favorite of mine.
News from another class's reunion leader, Tom McPartland: I wanted to close out the year with a very special thanks to each and every one of you. Putting together the 40th year reunion for the Class of ‘64 was something that gave me tremendous pleasure. I cannot put into words how rewarding it was just reconnecting with so many classmates and teachers again. The past year was a little tough, but knowing you all enjoyed the reunion made all my efforts worthwhile. I’m definitely looking forward to the 45th, and I promise to be there. Meanwhile, if there are any “mini” reunions planned, I would love to know when they are. I am planning a “mini” reunion on Long Island for early this year, and I will let everyone know when it is scheduled. Until then, I wish you all the very best that life has to offer. We are still a very young Class of '64. Enjoy yourselves, and have a very happy and healthy New Year!
[Rich -- Those photos I mentioned last week are now on the home page. Go to Photos, then to Judy Hartstone's, Class of '64 Reunion, or William Buck, another sixth grade class.]
Finally, a note on my Singapore-based friends Melody and Ken Eckhart, who we sometimes hear from: They're fine. They were in Chicago at the time of the earthquake, so obviously didn't feel a thing, though Singapore was only 600 miles from the epicenter. But they did have vacation plans to be in Phuket, Thailand in early February for the Chinese New Year, and they're hoping to keep their flight reservations and do some relief work instead.
The repeating reunion info:
When: August 5th, 6th, 7th (Friday night through Sunday noon)
Where: Hilton Long Island/Huntington, 598 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, 11747
Cost: $100 per person
Phone Number: 631-845-1000, during daytime business hours. Ask for the Reservations Desk and mention our class reunion discount. Hotel rooms should be $129/night.
Reunion Package Includes:
Friday night cocktail party with snacks and cash bar (7:00 PM -- Midnight)
Saturday night buffet with open bar & DJ (7:00 PM -- Midnight; Dinner at 8:00)
Lobby area with cash bar available both nights to continue parties
Teachers comped for both parties
SEND: Checks to Dennis Shapiro. 495 Wateredge Avenue, Baldwin, New York, 11510. Please make them out to: VSS 40th Reunion.
Also: Since there are a limited number of Friday night hotel rooms being held, please e-mail Dennis Shapiro when you've made your reservations so he can lobby for more. His e-mail address is: dshapiro@optonline.net
The home page: http://hometown.aol.com/vssouth65
Rich
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