To me, New Year's Eve has never been the same since Guy Lombardo passed away in 1977. He lived in Freeport, on Long Island's south shore and owned a popular seafood restaurant there, Guy Lombardo's East Point House.
According to Wikipedia: "Lombardo's orchestra played at the Roosevelt Grill in the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City from 1929 to 1959, and their New Year's Eve broadcasts (which continued with Lombardo until 1976 at the Waldorf Astoria) were a major part of New Year's celebrations across North America. Even after Lombardo's death, the band's New Year's specials continued for two more years on CBS. The Royal Canadians were noted for playing the traditional song Auld Lang Syne as part of the celebrations. Their recording of the song still plays as the first song of the new year in Times Square."
"Lombardo later became promoter and musical director of Jones Beach Marine Theater, which is a still-popular concert venue south of Freeport - the venue was built specifically with him in mind by Robert Moses, who regarded himself as one of Lombardo's fans. Lombardo's final production at JonesBeach was in 1977."
While in college in the early 1960s, I worked at the Jones Beach Marine Theatre for four summers as an employee of the Long Island State Park Commission, which was headed by Moses.
Some nights, Lombardo arrived at the theatre on his boat, a short ride from his waterfront home in Freeport. Most evenings, he showed up in a gleaming white Cadillac. His brothers Victor, Carmen and Lebert also drove to the theatre. I was a parking lot attendant, except for one summer when I was the night watchman, and remember waving to the Lombardo brothers each evening when they entered. Usually, they responded with a wave and a smile. The band's lead singer was the husband of Guy's sister Elaine, Kenny Gardner.
The Lombardos had private parking spaces next to the Marine Theatre. In front of each space, on a pole, was the first name of each brother. I remember that one summer someone painted the word "Wise" above Guy's name. It remained there for weeks, so I guess he was not offended.
As I write this, we are only a few hours away from the ball dropping on Times Square. The memories flood back of parties I attended over the years, old friends with whom I spent those fun times and perhaps most of all, Lombardo, a Long Island guy. With apologies to Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest, Guy will always be Mr. New Year's Eve to me.
• Perry Berns, class of 1960, and his sister Jackie Berns Karp in 1956.
• Jimmy Judson and Arnie Galeota (holding bottle) class of 1961 in 1959.
• Howard Whidden, class of 1962, visits Santa in 1951 at Macy's in Herald Square.
• Roberta Landry 1961 (left) and Dotty Kuppler 1960. They look classically innocent.
• Bill Stanley (No. 13) and Frank Barning, 1960 classmates. We were teammates on the junior varsity basketball team during the 1958-59 season. The photo was snapped by Owen Goldfarb.
World traveler Warren Zaretsky is among the most creative and humorous people your blogger has ever known. We graduated from DivisionAvenueHigh School in 1960 and it seems that he could not wait to get out of Levittown. For college, he went to WayneState in Nebraska, never to return.
First we see Warren at age eight and then in a recent photo. Early in this century, he taught English in China for two years. I wish he would write an autobiography. Tomorrow he departs on a vacation that features visits to Ecuador and the Galapagos. The photos posted here are of Warren in Shenzhen Park, China, and Moscow.
Please check out Warren's comments that appear below.
•••
Warren wrote: Yes, I've spent most of my 68 years wandering, creating and absorbing experiences -- east coast, west coast, three business careers, more than 30 countries, two marriages, a potpourri of multi-cultural amorous adventures of varying duration, two known children, three grandkids, a wonderful 90 year-old mother, two loving sisters, a supportive and best-friend kind of cousin, a handful of close friends, and a comfortable bank account. The bank account buys continued freedom to wander. The accumulated material possessions have been kept minimal and are expendable.
If I go quickly with my boots on, it's been fun -- If I linger a bit, I have my stock of memories to replay until I pull the plug. In the end, other than perhaps a few warm moments during visiting hours, all you've got is a silly backless hospital gown and your memories. So, to all I've encountered in my wanderings, I say thanks for the memories.
Jim Anton has dealt himself an interesting life and is enjoying the fruits of semi-retirement.
By FRANK BARNING
Jim Anton, who lived at 27 Furrow Lane in Levittown, was a fun guy in school. Rarely did he take academics seriously. As a rule, he only worked hard the last few weeks of the school year, passed all his classes and even surprised some of his teachers with solid grades on his regents exams.
Jim and your blogger get together a few times each year in Las Vegas. He may not have been the academic type in school, but he is one sharp guy who matured nicely, has created an interesting life and married well.
Immediately after graduation in 1961, Jim joined the Navy. "My friend Jay Citrin (21 Furrow Lane)", he recalled, "went into the Navy in 1960 after his graduation. He tested the water so to speak and encouraged me to join."
After four years in uniform, Jim was discharged in California in 1965 and stayed in the GoldenState. He soon met San Diego native Shirley and on the same day, June 25, he graduated from DivisionAvenueHigh School five years previously, they were married in 1966.
The Antons live in Rowland Heights, not far from Los Angeles. Among other things, the now semi-retired Anton, has been a very popular and successful DJ and photographer. His pride and joy is his seven-year old grandson Ceiveon. The Antons have two daughters and Jim's younger brother Jerry still lives in NassauCounty.
"I am actively retired, meaning I work when I want to. I deal poker and other casino games on weekends as well as play poker a few times a week. I'm still aDJ about 20 times a year. Isn't being retired fun?"
Dressed for the season is Mickey, who lives in Levittown and is the companion of Marilyn Monsrud Frese, class of 1963. He is a three and a half year-old Yorkie.
How did Marilyn get Mickey to pose like this? "I put a red blanket on an armchair, then wedged the wreath in between the arms. Then I dropped Mickey in between the blanket and wreath and just talked to him so he would look at me. He really is quite cooperative."
My tire was thumping. I thought it was flat When I looked at the tire... I noticed your cat. Sorry! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heard your wife left you, How upset you must be. But don't fret about it... She moved in with me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking back over the years that we've been together, I can't help but wonder... "What the hell was I thinking?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Congratulations on your wedding day! Too bad no one likes your husband. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How could two people as beautiful as you Have such an ugly baby? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've always wanted to have someone to hold, someone to love. After having met you .. I've changed my mind. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I must admit, you brought religion into my life. I never believed in Hell until I met you. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the days go by, I think of how lucky I am. That you're not here to ruin it for me.
Congratulations on your promotion. Before you go Would you like to take this knife out of my back?
You'll probably need it again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Birthday, Uncle Dad!
(Available only in Tennessee, South Carolina, Kentucky & West Virginia) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~
Happy birthday! You look great for your age. Almost lifelike! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When we were together, you always said you'd die for me. Now that we've broken up, I think it's time you kept your promise. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We have been friends for a very long time ... let's say we stop? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm so miserable without you it's almost like you're here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Congratulations on your new bundle of joy. Did you ever find out who the father was? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your friends and I wanted to do something special for your birthday. So we're having you put to sleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So your daughter's a hooker, and it spoiled your day. Look at the bright side, it's really good pay.
•••
Writer unknown. Received in an email from Karen Biro Hewson, class of 1960
•John Sanzone, class of 1960, passed away on December 12. Here he is shown during his high school days playing guitar in Peter Antonio's band which was popular in Levittown. The photo is courtesy of Tom Paturzo Baker. John, a dental technician who lived in MelbourneFL, was a Vietnamveteran who had served in the US Navy.
• LouiseNicolosi, class of 1960, in the summer of1947. Louise now lives in and totally enjoys Florida. She has lived in Belleview for almost four years.
• "Some things never change," says Lynn Smith-Dos Santos (1964) about her husband Larry (1964) playing baseball in his backyard, circa 1955, with his Dad in the background. He lived on Albatross Lane. " Larry can still be seen on any given day here in Venice, in the same pose, playing on the Venice FL. Senior Softball League. I call them The boys of perpetual summer.”
• Karen Biro Hewson, class of 1960, in a 1945 photo. She has lived in Stuart, Florida for 17 years and does not miss snow.
Your blogger emailed the following to some class of 1960 members who lived south of Hempstead Turnpike:
Maybe you can fill me in on some things.
What was the dividing line concerning who could go to high school at Division or Memorial? As my classmate Bill Stanley pointed out, it had nothing to do with Hempstead Turnpike. I had assumed that all you southerners had a choice, but that is incorrect.
You all lived south of Hempstead Turnpike, so I wonder if you had an option for the start of high school.
Did any of you attend Division in seventh and/or eighth grade? I know that Don Davidson didn't. Most of the kids in those grades at Division, when it was a junior high in 1954 and 1955, had attended NorthsideElementary School.
This is a big puzzle to me, but worth exploring as part of the history of Levittown that I am trying to record.
Ira Selsky replied . . .
It was the 1950s and neither we nor our parents questioned authority. If the School Board said we had to go to Division instead of Memorial, we went.
I went to WisdomLaneJunior High School. It was just around the corner on Center Lane, right across the street when we were able to cut through yards.
The fact that we were always in the “senior” class at Division made up for the trek across Hempstead Turnpike. And it was always a great stopping point at the shopping center.
Warren Zaretsky
No choice. Went to Wisdom Lane, then Division -- no idea why. Interestingly, my brother and both my sisters went to Memorial.
Don Davidson
Warren and I can attest to the fact the dividing line in our area was Chimney Lane. We were on Winding Lane, the next block over. The Chimney Lane guys all went to Memorial.
Bill Stanley
I just read your blog story, but I can tell you for a fact that Hempstead Turnpike was not a dividing line for Division vs. Memorial. All of the people I am about to mention, lived on the south side of the “Pike”. As for the following friends, here goes: me - Bluegrass Lane (A.K.A. doctors' row); Ira Selsky, Barbara Almquist - both Shelter Lane; Toby Rutner -Shotgun Lane.
Others who lived south of the “Pike” included Richie Bernhardt, Arnie Katz, Dick Heffernan, Peggy Coe, Don Davidson, Carol Doyle, John Mulligan, Kenny Kemmer, Nellie Ortiz, Warren Zaretsky and Perry Berns. I’m sure I missed some, but you get the idea. I have no idea how they determined who went to what school, but Hempstead Turnpike was not it in our area.
I went to WisdomLaneSchool and then CenterLaneSchool up to the seventh grade and then I went to Memorial for the eighth grade. Since I played baseball, football and wrestled, it was easy to make friends and I actually knew many of our Division Avenue classmates from Little League, Pony League and other kids sports organizations when I became a Blue Dragon in my freshman year of high school.
•Roberta Landry Bremmer, class of 1961 with her dog Lucky in 1950 at the Hanisch Dairy Farm in Plainview. She was six years of age.
• Jim Anton, class of 1961, and kid brother Jerry in 1955. Notice the Levitt houses in the background.
• Ira Shapiro, class of 1961, age 3
• Artie Kornfeld, class of 1960
• Don Davidson, class of 1960, age three in 1946. Nice pants, Droopy Drawers.
Click on pix to enlarge
Why did Roberta Landry live on a Plainview dairy farm in 1948? According to the 1961 graduate, "It was just the house my parents rented while they were building our Loring Road house in Levittown.
"As I remember, it was a little house, pretty close to the barn and cows. The owners of the farm lived down the hill and across the road. I had to walk down the hill to get the school bus and would get scared that the bull might be out. I attended St Ignatius in Hicksville for first grade then when we moved to Levittown, I went to Division Avenue for second grade."
The Loring Road house was not built by Levitt and Sons, one of the few non-Levitt houses that Division Avenue High students called home.
In 1947, Marilyn Monsrud Frese's first Levittown home, 45 Cornflower Road
Click on photo to enlarge
Continuing on the theme of our recent blog entry by Marilyn Monsrud Frese, here are some additional memories of living in Levittown in the early days:
By MARILYN MONSRUD FRESE 1963
The Cape Cod model that we lived in was at 45 Cornflower Road (see photo above). And Cornflower, back then, was a pretty big main drag. The buses used Cornflower as an entrance from Jerusalem Avenue My grandma, on my mother's side, would come out from Brooklyn by bus quite often.
My other grandparents, who also lived in Brooklyn next door to the other set of grandparents, made visiting for both on the same weekend very easy. They owned a car and would drive east to Levittown. So we had Bus Grandma and Car Grandma. That's what we called them when we were little. In the early 1960s both sets of grandparents ended up moving to Levittown because their homes were torn down to make way for the VerrazanoNarrowsBridge.
By DOROTHY CAGGIANO-PRIBISH 1960
The unique cut-out design in the staircase was always a bit of interest. I recall my brother, Michael, and I sneaking a peek through these cut-outs at Christmas and so many other times to see what the grownups were up to. Every Christmas we had our pictures taken with us looking through these unique holes.
We moved in very early in Levittown's history to 7 Green Lane soon after my father returned from WWII. We began kindergarten through fourth grade while living at that address. The sidewalks were not all in yet, and the trees were just being planted. I recallwe had an influx of Japanese beetles on all the trees. The boys would run up while we girls were under the newly planted saplings, and they would shake the tree so hard that it disturbed a dark cloud of beetles, and of course we girls screamed and ran away.
I also remember that since all the house occupants were about the same age with children around our age, even the grownups went sledding down the hills with us, and had block parties.
After moving away for two years, we returned to the apartment house next door to DivisionAvenueHigh School for a few years before moving into another Cape Cod nearby. Everything was within walking distance. Three village greens with playgrounds, shops, and best of all the fantastic free pools. What fun that was growing up and hanging out with our friends each summer day from sixth grade to graduation.
I fondly remember when I was new to Division Avenue and was extremely shy. I was in Mr. Dunlop's sixth grade and was seated behind Pete Cybriwsky, thank heavens. Every time Mr. Dunlop was looking for an answer I could duck behind Pete's wide shoulders or hide under my desk pretending to tie my shoe. I could go on and on.
By TIM LAVEY 1963
I have vivid recollections of the radiant heating in the floors of the Levitt homes. I grew up with many cats and a few dogs. The cats absolutely adored the heating system. You could always tell where the hot spots were in the flooring during the cold months because they were continually occupied by our furry friends. It was only later when I was older that I was told that radiant heating was a unique feature of Levitt homes introduced by Levitt and Sons.
Marilyn Monsrud Frese in front of her family's rental, 45 Cornflower Road in 1948
Click on photo to enlarge
By MARILYN MONSRUD FRESE
Class of 1963
I remember the warm and cozy fireplace in our Levitt house. I believe it was in 1948 that my parents purchased a new Levitt ranch, but we had to rent a Cape Cod model (see photo above)while the ranches were being completed. The Capes were put up first because of the extra time it took to install the fireplaces in each ranch house, and speed was a necessity as so many people needed to get into a house ASAP.
Rentals were arranged for those who purchased ranches and had to wait. No Levittown house stood empty for more than a week or two.
In the ranch house, the front room kitchen (which was larger than the Capes' kitchens) is separated from the living room by an unattached standing brick wall with the fireplace opening on both sides, so it's enjoyed from both rooms at the same time. You could circle the brick wall from either side into the other room.
There was a movable cabinet that swung open like a room divider at one end of the fireplace wall. The divider had shelving/display cases, great for books, and a built-in closet to hang up coats. You could swing the whole unit away from the wall to create more privacy to either room, or swing it open to create a large opening between the rooms, great for when you had a party, which many of the neighbors did back in the early years.
No one had money to go out much, so home parties took place on many blocks each Saturday night. And the kids usually got some friends to sleep over because there weren't many older kids to babysit back then. We would hover on the top step to listen to what our parents were saying and watch them dance (always music and dancing) and my mom would always bring up plates full of snacks for us. No one ever told us we had to get to sleep. It was great fun.
That little brick fireplace brought such a sense of warmth and hominess to houses which were sparsely furnished with many hand-me-downs. It truly made the house feel like a home. I still live in the Levitt ranch, only now it's pushed out back and up. We still use the fireplace although the heated floors have been gone for decades. I am forever a Levittown girl!
