A ROSE, BY ANY OTHER NAME.....

    SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2023

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME....

  It's Father's Day everybody and my

wife and I are escorting a wonderful

group of Travelworld guests on a

"Moose Trak Tour" to New Hampshire!

I thought I'd better post my Father's Day

Blog before we hit the road. So............

  I'm not sure just how old I was when I

found out my Dad had a different first

name than the one I was used to hearing.

  Most people called him "Tony." That

seemed logical since it was a common

nickname for somebody named Anthony.

   Except, as it turns out, my Dad's name

wasn't Anthony. Well, not exactly.

   He always signed his name Anthony B.

DeCosmo. The "B" stood for Biagio, his

"given" first name.

   Dad much preferred "Tony."

   He had a great and, in some ways, an

exciting life.

    His father passed away when my Dad

was young so he went to work very early

in life. First as a Breaker Boy where, the

story goes, he got into trouble for trying

to organize the other children workers.

    Eventually he found his way into a

movie theater and learned how to be a

projectionist. In fact he showed the

first Sound Movie (The Jazz Singer)

in Hazleton!

    It's an occupation he followed for

most, but not all, of his life.

    He was Chief Projectionist at the

Capitol Theater in Hazleton all the years

I was growing up. But the movie business

was beginning to lose audiences to

television (ironically the media that

became my profession for most of my

life).

    Seeing the writing on the wall or,

perhaps the screen, Dad used to take a

leave of absence for a few weeks each

year and would go to work in New York

City running spotlight in the old Madison

Square Garden for Ringling Brothers

Circus and Ice Capades.

     When the Capitol finally closed in

1963 he put his New York connections

to good use and started touring the

Country and Canada as a Stage Hand with

professional road companies.

     He worked with some big stars like

Jackie Gleason, Howard Keel, and Hume

Cronyn a few. Cronyn said in

all his years in Show Business the only

man he knew who never missed a cue was

Tony DeCosmo!

    Dad always had a smile on his face and

truly enjoyed life. He worked on Broadway

with Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme.

    When they played the Kirby Center he

had hoped to see them again. I had even

sent a note backstage on his behalf. When

they took off without a meeting, Dad simply

said....."Too bad. It's their loss!" He was

right! It was their loss!

     Eventually Dad found himself back in

our hometown in a "new "movie theater.

He worked it when it had a single screen.

He worked it when they split it into a two

screen theater. He even worked it after

they turned it into a five screen theater.

 At least for awhile.

     Well into his 80's Dad finally decided

it was time for others to haul the film cans

and splice the shows together. Jack Palance

was with him his final night in the

Projection Booth. They were interviewed

for TV and Dad did most of the talking!

     He passed on a year later, enjoying and

loving family, friends, rides, vacations, and

a good cigar right on up till the end!

     He left us with a treasure of love and

memories that keep him alive in our hearts

every single day!

      I know I, my son, and daughters always glance

back up towards the Projection Booth when

we go to the movies. There's always the

feeling that he's right there with us, probably

trying to make sure the scene is in focus and

the sound is turned up!

      His birth certificate read "Biagio." He

signed his name "Anthony." Most people

just called him "Tony." I was lucky. I got

to call him Dad! Hope your memories are 

wonderful too and that all your NEWS is good!

(Dedicated to Dad! Anthony B. DeCosmo)