Jerry Blavat
Encyclopedia
Jerry Blavat also known as "The Geator with The Heator", is an American
disc jockey
who is known for promoting oldies
music on the radio in the Philadelphia area. Blavat was born in South Philadelphia
to a Jewish father and Italian mother.
on WFIL-TV
with Bob Horn and Lee Stewart. In 1956 he managed a national tour for Danny and the Juniors, and he worked as Don Rickles
' valet in 1958-59. He got his start in radio in 1960. By 1963, his show was syndicated in Camden
, Atlantic City
, Trenton
, Pottstown
, Wilmington
and Allentown
.
During the 1960s, Blavat was a partner in the Lost Nite
and Crimson
record labels, along with Jared Weinstein and Collectables Records
' founder Jerry Greene. Together, the three also owned Record Museum, a now-defunct chain of record stores based in Philadelphia.
From 1965-1967, Blavat produced and hosted a weekly television show called The Discophonic Scene. He also guest-starred on television shows including The Mod Squad
, The Monkees
, The Tonight Show
and The Joey Bishop Show
. He has also appeared in the movies Desperately Seeking Susan
, Baby It's You
and Cookie
. In the early 1970s, Blavat purchased a nightclub in Margate, New Jersey, and named it "Memories."
restaurant with Greek mob boss Chelsais "Steve" Bouras and several other guests when Bouras was shot dead in a contract killing
.
In the early 1990s, an investigation by the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
into organized crime
's influence in the liquor business made public Blavat's association with the Bruno-Scarfo crime family
. During the investigation, Thomas A. DelGiorno
, a former Scarfo crime family Capo, testified that Blavat had regularly paid a "street tax" to the crime family, had purchased a $40,000 yacht for crime boss Nicodemo Scarfo
and was one of several individuals who purchased a condominium in Florida
for Scarfo. In exchange, the criminal organization secured employment for Blavat throughout the state and also kept union organizers out of Blavat's nightclub. Del Giorno also testified that Blavat regularly served as a driver for crime boss Angelo Bruno
. Blavat pled the fifth.
In 2011, Blavat is a DJ for oldies radio station WVLT FM 92.1 in the South Jersey area, for the University of Pennsylvania's public radio station WXPN in Philadelphia, and for radio station WTKU 98.3 FM in Atlantic City. He owns the nightclub "Memories in Margate".
Blavat is a regular columnist for the Atlantic City Weekly
.
On July 23, 2011, Blavat's autobiography, "You Only Rock Once: My Life In Music," was published by Running Press
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
who is known for promoting oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
music on the radio in the Philadelphia area. Blavat was born in South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
to a Jewish father and Italian mother.
Career
In 1953, Blavat debuted on the original BandstandAmerican Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
on WFIL-TV
WFIL
WFIL is a radio station and a former television station serving the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Its transmitter is located in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania....
with Bob Horn and Lee Stewart. In 1956 he managed a national tour for Danny and the Juniors, and he worked as Don Rickles
Don Rickles
Donald Jay "Don" Rickles is an American stand-up comedian and actor. A frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Rickles has acted in comedic and dramatic roles, but is best known as an insult comic....
' valet in 1958-59. He got his start in radio in 1960. By 1963, his show was syndicated in Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, Pottstown
Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Pottstown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States northwest of Philadelphia and southeast of Reading, on the Schuylkill River. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts. The old name was abandoned at the time of the...
, Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
and Allentown
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
.
During the 1960s, Blavat was a partner in the Lost Nite
Lost Nite Records
Lost Nite Records was a reissue record label that was founded by Jerry Greene and Jared Weinstein in the early 1960s. Disc jockey Jerry Blavat was a partner in label until the late 1960s, at which time he sold back his interest in the company to Greene and Weinstein. Lost Nite, and its sister...
and Crimson
Crimson Records
Crimson Records was a reissue record label founded by Jerry Greene in the early 1960s, and was a sister label of Lost Nite Records. Disc jockey Jerry Blavat was a co-owner of the label until the late 1960s. The label was known for releasing rare and hard-to-find doo-wop and R&B records. During...
record labels, along with Jared Weinstein and Collectables Records
Collectables Records
Collectables is a reissue record label founded in 1980 by Jerry Greene. Greene was previously associated with New York City's Times Square Record Shop, Philadelphia's Record Museum retail chain, and the Lost Nite and Crimson record labels....
' founder Jerry Greene. Together, the three also owned Record Museum, a now-defunct chain of record stores based in Philadelphia.
From 1965-1967, Blavat produced and hosted a weekly television show called The Discophonic Scene. He also guest-starred on television shows including The Mod Squad
The Mod Squad
The Mod Squad is a television series that ran on ABC from September 24, 1968, until August 23, 1973. This series starred Michael Cole, Peggy Lipton, Clarence Williams III, and Tige Andrews...
, The Monkees
The Monkees (TV series)
The Monkees is an American situation comedy that aired on NBC from September 1966 to March 1968. The series follows the adventures of four young men trying to make a name for themselves as rock 'n roll singers. The show introduced a number of innovative new-wave film techniques to series...
, The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
and The Joey Bishop Show
The Joey Bishop Show
The Joey Bishop Show is the title of the following shows which starred American comic actor Joey Bishop:* The Joey Bishop Show , American situation comedy, broadcast by NBC and CBS...
. He has also appeared in the movies Desperately Seeking Susan
Desperately Seeking Susan
Desperately Seeking Susan is a 1985 American comedy-drama film directed by Susan Seidelman and starring Rosanna Arquette and Madonna.-Plot:...
, Baby It's You
Baby It's You (film)
Baby It's You is an American film released in 1983 written and directed by John Sayles. It stars Rosanna Arquette and Vincent Spano.This was Sayles' first film for a major Hollywood studio...
and Cookie
Cookie (film)
-Plot:Cookie Voltecki is the illegitimate daughter of mobster Dino Capisco , who has just finished thirteen years in prison. Since being released from jail, all that Dino wants is to settle some old scores, and make up for lost time with his daughter.Cookie's mother, Lenore Voltecki , has been...
. In the early 1970s, Blavat purchased a nightclub in Margate, New Jersey, and named it "Memories."
Mafia connections
In 1981, Blavat was having dinner at a South PhiladelphiaSouth Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
restaurant with Greek mob boss Chelsais "Steve" Bouras and several other guests when Bouras was shot dead in a contract killing
Contract killing
Contract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
.
In the early 1990s, an investigation by the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
The New Jersey State Commission of Investigation is an independent governmental fact-finding agency in the U.S. State of New Jersey whose mission is to identify and investigate organized crime, corruption and waste, fraud and abuse in government spending by state, municipal and school...
into organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
's influence in the liquor business made public Blavat's association with the Bruno-Scarfo crime family
Philadelphia crime family
The Philadelphia crime family, also known as the Scarfo crime family, Bruno crime family, Philadelphia Mafia, or Philly Mob, is an Italian American criminal organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is one of the most active American Mafia families outside of the Five Families of New York...
. During the investigation, Thomas A. DelGiorno
Andrew Thomas DelGiorno
Andrew Thomas DelGiorno, also known as "Tommy Del" , is a former American mobster, captain in the Scarfo crime family and Federal Bureau of Investigation informant. He was responsible for five murders during his association with Nicky Scarfo in the 1980s...
, a former Scarfo crime family Capo, testified that Blavat had regularly paid a "street tax" to the crime family, had purchased a $40,000 yacht for crime boss Nicodemo Scarfo
Nicodemo Scarfo
Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Domenico Scarfo is a member of the American Mafia who eventually became the Boss of the Philadelphia crime family after the death of Angelo Bruno and Phil Testa...
and was one of several individuals who purchased a condominium in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for Scarfo. In exchange, the criminal organization secured employment for Blavat throughout the state and also kept union organizers out of Blavat's nightclub. Del Giorno also testified that Blavat regularly served as a driver for crime boss Angelo Bruno
Angelo Bruno
Angelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno was a Sicilian-American mobster who ran the Philadelphia crime family for two decades. Bruno gained his nickname and reputation due to his preference for conciliation over violence.-Early years:Born in Villalba, Sicily, Bruno emigrated to the United States in his...
. Blavat pled the fifth.
Recent activity
In 1993, Blavat was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance's Hall of Fame. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of a permanent exhibit in its Museum of Radio and Records. In 2002, he was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia's "Hall of Fame."In 2011, Blavat is a DJ for oldies radio station WVLT FM 92.1 in the South Jersey area, for the University of Pennsylvania's public radio station WXPN in Philadelphia, and for radio station WTKU 98.3 FM in Atlantic City. He owns the nightclub "Memories in Margate".
Blavat is a regular columnist for the Atlantic City Weekly
Atlantic city weekly
Atlantic City Weekly , The Atlantic City Weekly, is a free newspaper based in Atlantic City since 1974. Atlantic City Weekly is the source for what's happening in South Jersey...
.
On July 23, 2011, Blavat's autobiography, "You Only Rock Once: My Life In Music," was published by Running Press
Running Press
The Running Press is a member of the Perseus Books Group, the imprint is the publisher of fiction, non-fiction, cooking, humor, and kit books. The publisher's offices are located in Philadelphia, but many of the corporate functions take place in New York City....
.