PERRY COMO

Singer - "Mr. Casual"

Perry Como was one of the biggest stars of the 1940's and 1950's, and he remained working - and very popular - into the 1990's. Como was an extraordinary singer, always so much at ease that Bing Crosby called him "the man who invented casual." Along the way, Como sold over 100 million recordings, had 27 Gold Records, Grammys, Emmys, and several top television shows.

Pierino Ronald Como was born on May 18, 1912, in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. He was one of 13 children of Italian immigrants - the seventh son of a seventh son - and went to work helping out in a barber shop at age 10 to earn some extra money for the family. While still a teenager, he had his own shop on Third Street - now Perry Como Avenue. Como enjoyed singing, and would often entertain his customers, imitating Bing Crosby.

In 1933, friends talked him into trying out for the Freddy Carlone Band in Cleveland. A few weeks after returning home, he received a telegram offering him the job. He toured with them for three years. Ted Weems offered him the singing job with his orchestra, at a hefty raise as well as some radio and recordings. Perry's career had taken off. His personal life was good, too, as he married Roselle Belline, his longtime sweetheart. She would be a mainstay for him through their long marriage until her death in 1998. Como got his own nightly radio show, and RCA Victor gave him a recording contract - which would last for 50 years. In 1945 he recorded his first million record seller, "'Till the End of Time". He tried his hand at movies, starring in Something for the Boys, Doll Face, and If I'm Lucky, but decided that he preferred singing to acting.

1948 saw Como take his radio show to television as "The Chesterfield Supper Club". In 1950, "The Perry Como Show" was begun on CBS. Como was one of the first to pioneer the variety show on the new medium known as television. In 1955, the show moved to NBC in a longer format. In 1959, the title was changed to "The Kraft Music Hall". He won Emmys in 1954, 1955, 1958, and 1959 for Best Variety Show. In 1963, he decided to quit the weekly shows, and from then on made only TV specials, especially his widely-popular Christmas Specials.

During this time, of course, his music was his main emphasis, whether on his television shows or in the recording studio. He had a smooth, carefree delivery that made everything seem effortless. He sang mostly soft, romantic-type songs, which he loved, and novelty songs, which he did not like, but the public loved them. Some of his hits were "Because," "Temptation," "Prisoner of Love," "Wanted," "Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes," "Papa Loves Mambo," "Hot Diggity," "Round and Round," "Catch a Falling Star," "It's Impossible," and his theme,"Dream Along with Me (I'm on My Way to a Star)." His first Grammy was as Best Male Singer in 1958 for "Catch a Falling Star."

After his weekly series were over, he continued for many years to perform in Las Vegas and on tour. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan presented Como with a Kennedy Center Award in recognition of his contributions to the arts in America. He never thought of himself so much as a star, but as a former barber from Canansburg who did pretty good with the little talent God had given him. He never forgot His beloved wife, who died in August, 1998, just days after celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary. Como never seemed to overcome this loss. He died at their home on May 12, 2001.