'The Skyliners' popular in late '50s, early '60s
Leave it to those oldies-but-goodies purists to come up with myriad questions about the area's entertainment scene of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
A case in point is a reader from Roscoe who wants to know if The Skyliners ever appeared at the Charleroi Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The answer is a resounding yes.
The popular Pittsburgh group held the spotlight at Arden Calvert Post 167 on Sunday, March 3, 1959, not long after the national release of their classic signature song, "Since I Don't Have You."
Sharing the bill with the Calico label's stars were The Bardines, who were touted as "A Knockout Comedy Act," Epic recording vocalist Velma Carey, and comedian Bill Marshall, who served as master of ceremonies and came to the Charleroi show "direct from The Black Hawk Room in Chicago."
The show drew a capacity crowd to the VFW - one of the area's most popular night spots in that era.
Jimmy Intervali and His Night Caps were on the Post 167 stage on Saturday nights.
The Skyliners were featured at dances and clubs throughout the Mon Valley during their heyday.
One of their first performances in early 1959 was at the Stockdale Fire Hall, where more than 1,000 teenagers gathered to dance the night - well, 8 p.m. to midnight - away every Saturday.
The original quintet of Jimmy Beaumont, Janet Vogel, Wally Lester, Jack Taylor and Joe Verscharen also appeared at Stockdale later in 1959 after releasing their second hit, "This I Swear."
Their final show at Stockdale was on Saturday, Feb. 9, 1962, as they and their legendary founder/manager Joe Rock rolled into town for a 10 p.m. performance. By that time, they had switched to the Colpix Recording Company and had just released "Close Your Eyes," a Chuck Willis composition made popular by Rudy West and The Five Keys in 1956.
Tim Myers, a student at Charleroi High School and a member of The Invictas, one of the area's top rock and roll groups at that time, was featured on drums with The Skyliners.
The Skyliners also shared top billing at a benefit variety show presented by the Donora Catholic War Veterans on Sunday, Jan. 4, 1959, at the Donora High School auditorium.
20th Century Fox recording star Frankie Castro headlined that concert and sang his top hits, "Walk, Walk, Walk" and "Hold My Hand."
Also displaying their talents to the delight of the Donora crowd were recording artists The El Capris, Kenny Ambrose, the Men About Town, The Jodimars, Sonny and The Premiers, The Illusions and the Mon vales. Complementing the star-studded card were dancer Mary Jo Chunkala, of Rostraver Township, and the Catholic War Veterans Male Chorus.
One night earlier, on Saturday, January 3, 1959, another benefit affair featured national recording artists The Crystals at the Victor Emmanuel Hall at Fifth St. and Meldon Ave. in Donora. Essau Dabue was chairman of the event - a dance for teenagers to raise funds for the March of Dimes.
While The Skyliners basked in spotlights at many venues in the area, one of their most memorable shows occurred on May 13, 1961, at the annual Monessen High School post prom party at the St. Spyridon Hellenic Center.
Also entertaining the 330 MHS celebrants during the festivities, which ran until 5 a.m., were The Bossmen and The Splendors. A story in The Daily Independent acknowledged Joseph Sholtis, Rudy Benedetti and Thomas Penman as being in charge of the party.
Winning door prizes at the Monessen post prom bash were Mike Carmosino, Kay Popp, Dawna Parkins, Joe Reda, Gary Deangelis, Irma Borsevich, Chuck Byers, Mary Ann Bodoia, Gale Girmon and Phyllis Reed.
The Skyliners also performed at the Monessen High School post prom party in 1962, again at the St. Spyridon site. Sharing the spotlight at that gathering were The Stereos of "Sweet Peas In Love" fame.
Recollections of The Skyliners and the others mentioned above also sparked memories of other entertainment attractions in the area 47 years ago.
Brought to our attention were these weekend specials:
- February 9, 1962 - Popular disc jockey Dee Galiffa was spinning records and doing double duty with his band, The Fallen Angels, at Big Jim's in Mononghela, and dances (no bands mentioned) were featured at the Belle Tavern's Fountain Room and the Park Casino in Monessen.
A festive second anniversary celebration was being held Friday and Saturday at the Lock Four Dairy Store, 501 Fourth Street, North Charleroi. A variety of prizes, including 15 baskets of groceries, were awarded each day, and the food specials included milkshakes and sundaes at 19 cents each; baked ham for 99 cents a pound and two Little Napoli pizzas for 99 cents (tax included). Potential patrons were encouraged to "Look for the Red Sealtest Sign" to find their way to the store.
- June 5, 1962 - Chuck Lester and The Countdowns at Big Jim's in Monongahela; Jimmy and The Viscounts at the Charleroi VFW; round and square dancing at Strickler's Barn in Perry Township; The King's Men at the Park Casino in Monessen; Johnny Caputo and The Imperials at the Sons of Italy in Charleroi; Arnold Orsolini and the Stuart-Arnold Orchestra at the Charleroi Elks for the annual Corning Glass Works all-sports banquet, and Liberace at the Twin Coaches supper club.
Caputo and his group, which also included Chuck Byers, Gene Turtzer, Frank Weir and Rich Dunmeyer, also drew crowds to the Belle Tavern in downtown Belle Vernon and the Lowber Fire Hall on Monday and Friday nights, respectively.
All of the latest hits were available at Chuck's Record Shop, owned and operated by Chuck Galligan, at 503 Broad Avenue in North Belle Vernon.
- June 22, 1962 - Jimmy and the Viscounts were leading the Twist and other dance music at the Park Casino in Monessen; the McGuire Sisters were at the Twin Coaches supper club; The Countdowns rocked Big Jim's in Monongahela; The Little Boss Man, Porky Checkwick's protZ For those preferring a night at the movies top films were available at the Verdi Theater in Belle Vernon, the Manos in Monessen, the Super 71 Drive-In in Rostraver, the Hilltop Drive-In in Carroll Township and the State and Coyle in Charleroi.
(If you have memories to share or a story idea, contact Ron Paglia at ronpaglia@verizon.net or c/o The Valley Independent, Eastgate 19, Monessen, PA 15062.)
