FORGET ARSENIO - WE HAVE
CARMINIO!
Treated to a ballet program
by Marilyn Carminio in June,
we learned about Roberto
Bolle and Misty Copeland.
The ballet lecture dealt with
the cultural icon Bolle and his
partner Misty Copeland, who
was the first black female dancer
to rise to principal dancer in
the American Ballet Theater.
Bolle was slated to give his
final performance last month,
which is a real loss to the ballet
world. Carminio pointed out
that the classic choreography
of their famous ballet, Romeo
and Juliet, set to the music of
Prokfiev, is legendary in ballet
repertory. Lyricism and psychological
tension were their
trademarks, and their talents
are well recognized.
CINEMA CLUB: WAITING FOR
A “RAIN MAN” DAY
Monday, July 25, 4 pm -
Channel 995
The highest grossing film of
1988 and nominated for eight
Academy Awards, this film about
the savant Raymond and his
yuppie brother Charlie proved
to be an enduring winner. Only
on Monday, July 25 at 4 pm, it
will be reviewed by Vicki Mazel
and Dr. Nurit Israeli.
Focusing on the developmentally
disabled, “Rain Man”
stars Dustin Hoffman and Tom
Our guest lecturer for May was noted theater
historian Sal St. George. Treating
the Women’s Club to a Zoom program
on comics from Brooklyn, he covered Henny
Youngman, Buddy Hackett, The Three Stooges,
Phil Silver, Jerry Stiller and Jimmy Durante, to
name a few. He traced Durante to Las Vegas with
strains of “Inka Dinka Doo” and the origins of his
“Mrs. Calabash” tagline ending to his act (Mrs.
Calabash was a nickname for his wife).
Larry, Moe and Curly, aka The Three Stooges,
held a place of honor on his list of comic heroes.
The Stooges claimed that Abbot and Costello
stole material from them, but it turned out that
the sketch they were referring to had its roots
in comedy from 1899. Making the switch from
movies to TV, the question was raised if their
form of low comedy would be successful today.
St. George moved on to cover Sergeant Bilko,
citing that Phil Silvers was also a red-blooded
Brooklyn boy. What we didn’t know was that
Silvers was alsp the producer of “Gilligan’s
Island.” This little known fact pointed to the
diversity and entrepreneurship of Silvers, who
was not only a funny man.
“Take my wife, please,” the plaintive cry from
Henry Youngman’s routine, was also included
by St. George as a comedic reference. One of
Youngman’s stumbling blocks was that he did
not do any major roles in movies and was relegated
to cameos only.
Jerry Stiller’s emergence in the 50s was
noted along with his ultimate role as George
Costanza’s father on the comedy hit “Seinfeld.”
St. George pointed out that Stiller had a genius
for making a line funny.
After covering Woody Allen, he also included
Buddy Hackett and his bits with Johnny
Carson, Frank Sinatra, Carol Burnett and
Dean Martin, to name a few. Burt Reynolds
was one of Hackett’s biggest fans, along with
Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder. Hackett also
starred in a movie called “Fatso,” which was
written and directed by Anne Bancroft.
Mr. St. George’s final thought on this
program was that mentioning these successful
standup, slapstick, and situation comics
from Brooklyn was only the tip of the iceberg.
Bronxites, let’s hear from you!
VERSE BY VICKI
July is with us
Stay part of the hub
It’s time to renew
For the Women’s Club.
So if you’re new
With the lonely blues,
All you need do
Is pay the dues.
No need to get
Hot under collars,
Membership is only…
Twenty-Five dollars.
We’ve many meetings,
Be one of the smarties,
Come to our lectures,
Enjoy our parties.
Luncheons to go to,
Small charge per diem,
And a wonderful trip
To the Nassau Museum.
Get yourself going,
Ready to bedeck.
Take out your pen,
And write out a check.
That’s all you do,
To stay in the hub.
And poof you’re in,
Towers Women’s Club.
Include phone number,
Apartment number too.
Email address also,
All you have to do.
Now’s the time to join,
All queens we dub.
You’ll have lots of fun,
With The Women’s Club.
Sal’s Pals
16 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ July 2021