Julius La Rosa
Encyclopedia
Julius La Rosa is an American traditional popular music singer who has worked in both radio and television since the 1950s.
in 1947 after finishing high school becoming a radioman who sang informally. The young sailor's Navy buddies managed to promote him to Arthur Godfrey
- at the time one of America's leading radio and television personalities, and himself a Naval Reserve officer, whom the Navy often accommodated as a nod to the good publicity he gave the service. The Navy buddy instrumental in promoting Julius to Godfrey was George "Bud" Andrews from Omaha, Nebraska. George was the seaman mechanic on Godfrey's airplane. While working on his plane, Andrews stuck up a conversation with Godfrey and told him that he really should hear his buddy sing. They arranged a time for LaRosa to audition. There was one problem and that was the only time available was when LaRosa was scheduled to pull duty. Andrews took LaRosa's duty spot so that he could go to the audition. Godfrey offered LaRosa a job after the audition.
Godfrey, a personality in the early years of network television, heard LaRosa in Pensacola, Florida, where LaRosa was stationed, and offered him a job. Godfrey, for his part, was impressed by La Rosa's singing and had him flown to New York to appear on his television show, with Godfrey ending the spot by saying, "When Julie gets out of the Navy he'll come back to see us."
. He was a regular on both the morning Arthur Godfrey Time (broadcast on both the CBS radio and television networks) and the Wednesday night variety show Arthur Godfrey and His Friends
. LaRosa was joining a show that was extremely profitable for the new CBS
television network. But Arthur Godfrey was caught between the enmity of CBS owner Bill Paley
and the admiration of CBS management for running a successful show. Godfrey was subject to aesthetic criticism by Paley, as noted by Time
magazine in 1950. "[...][H]earing that William Paley thought the Godfrey TV show 'lacked movement,' Arthur brought on a line of hula dancers and leered into the TV camera: 'Is that enough movement for you, Bill?'" The same Time magazine article also found Godfrey to be vulgar and "scatological". However CBS management realized the show was extremely successful and cost little to produce, in turn earning their admiration.
Julius La Rosa's tenure on Godfrey's shows lasted from November 19, 1951 to October 19, 1953. When Archie Bleyer
, Arthur Godfrey's bandleader, formed Cadence Records
in 1952, the first performer signed was La Rosa. Cadence's first single, which was also La Rosa's first recording, was "Anywhere I Wander
." It reached the top 30 on the charts, and his next recording, "My Lady Loves To Dance", was a moderate success, but La Rosa would hit gold with his third recording, "Eh, Cumpari" in 1953. It hit #1 on the Cash Box chart and #2 on the Billboard
chart, and La Rosa got an award as the best new male vocalist of 1953. Like the other "Little Godfreys", as the cast members were known, Godfrey discouraged La Rosa from hiring a manager or booking agent, preferring to have his staff coordinate and negotiate on La Rosa's behalf. He then hired his own agent and manager: Tommy Rockwell.
With hit recordings and his appearances on Arthur Godfrey's shows, La Rosa's popularity grew exponentially. At one point, La Rosa's fan mail eclipsed Godfrey's. A year after La Rosa was hired, he was receiving 7,000 fan letters a week. On the morning of October 19, 1953 (in a segment of the show broadcast on radio only) after La Rosa had finished singing "Manhattan
" on Arthur Godfrey Time, Godfrey actually fired him on the air, announcing, "that was Julie's swan song with us." La Rosa tearfully met with Godfrey after the broadcast and thanked him for giving him his "break". La Rosa was then met at Godfrey's offices by his lawyer, manager and some reporters. Tommy Rockwell was highly critical of Godfrey's behavior, angrily citing La Rosa's public humiliation.
Comedians began working the phrase "no humility" into their routines. Singer Ruth Wallis
, known for her raunchy double entendre novelties, recorded "Dear Mr. Godfrey," a biting satire on the matter, which made it to #25 on the Billboard charts
in November 1953. Days after firing La Rosa, Godfrey also fired bandleader Archie Bleyer
, owner of La Rosa's label Cadence Records, for producing spoken word records for Cadence featuring Chicago-based talk host Don McNeill
, whose Don McNeill's Breakfast Club on ABC Radio opposite Godfrey's morning show was considered a direct competitor.
." Ed Sullivan
immediately signed La Rosa for appearances on his CBS Toast of the Town TV variety show, which sparked a feud between him and Godfrey. La Rosa's first appearance on Toast of the Town following the firing got a 47.9 Trendex rating, and La Rosa would appear 12 more times on Sullivan's show that year.
La Rosa had a three times a week television series, The Julius La Rosa Show, during the summer of 1955, featuring Russ Case and his Orchestra. The short-lived series lasted only 13 weeks. La Rosa tired of revisiting the Godfrey affair, in part because it had been rehashed so many times, but he was also known to declare publicly that Godfrey was, indeed, the individual who made his career, but always adding, "He wasn't a very nice man."
in 1953 to What's My Line?
to The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
, The Polly Bergen Show
(two episodes, including the 1957 premiere), The Merv Griffin Show
to Laverne and Shirley in 1980. He starred in the 1958 film Let's Rock
. He also hosted an unsold game show pilot for NBC in 1977 called Noot's Game.
In the 1980s, Julius La Rosa received a non-contract, recurring role in the NBC
soap opera Another World
. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Daytime Emmy award for this role.
He has also been a frequent contributor to comedian Jerry Lewis
's marathon annual Labor Day telethon
programs for the Muscular Dystrophy Association
, often hosting the New York outpost of the shows. La Rosa eventually moved on to a long-time disk jockey position at New York's WNEW
and continued to sing and occasionally record. As late as 1999, Julius LaRosa was a disc jockey on WNSW
hosting "Make Believe Ballroom Time". La Rosa, profiled by jazz critic and composer Gene Lees
Julius LaRosa said in 2008, "Music is 'a very egotistical thing.'[...] 'It makes me feel good [...]' and fortunately, I have the capacity to make people feel good who hear me feeling good.'"
Julius LaRosa currently lives in Westchester County, New York.
in the classic sitcom Cheers
in the episode "Friends, Romans, And Accountants".
Early years and big break
La Rosa was born in Brooklyn, New York. He joined the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in 1947 after finishing high school becoming a radioman who sang informally. The young sailor's Navy buddies managed to promote him to Arthur Godfrey
Arthur Godfrey
Arthur Morton Godfrey was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer who was sometimes introduced by his nickname, The Old Redhead...
- at the time one of America's leading radio and television personalities, and himself a Naval Reserve officer, whom the Navy often accommodated as a nod to the good publicity he gave the service. The Navy buddy instrumental in promoting Julius to Godfrey was George "Bud" Andrews from Omaha, Nebraska. George was the seaman mechanic on Godfrey's airplane. While working on his plane, Andrews stuck up a conversation with Godfrey and told him that he really should hear his buddy sing. They arranged a time for LaRosa to audition. There was one problem and that was the only time available was when LaRosa was scheduled to pull duty. Andrews took LaRosa's duty spot so that he could go to the audition. Godfrey offered LaRosa a job after the audition.
Godfrey, a personality in the early years of network television, heard LaRosa in Pensacola, Florida, where LaRosa was stationed, and offered him a job. Godfrey, for his part, was impressed by La Rosa's singing and had him flown to New York to appear on his television show, with Godfrey ending the spot by saying, "When Julie gets out of the Navy he'll come back to see us."
Arthur Godfrey and controversy
Discharged from the Navy on a Friday, La Rosa went to Godfrey on the following Monday, and a week later he appeared on Godfrey's variety showVariety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
. He was a regular on both the morning Arthur Godfrey Time (broadcast on both the CBS radio and television networks) and the Wednesday night variety show Arthur Godfrey and His Friends
Arthur Godfrey and His Friends
Arthur Godfrey and His Friends is an American television variety show hosted by Arthur Godfrey. The hour-long series aired on CBS from January 1949, to June 1957 , then again as a half-hour show from September 1958, to April 1959.Many of Godfrey's musical acts were culled from Arthur Godfrey's...
. LaRosa was joining a show that was extremely profitable for the new CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television network. But Arthur Godfrey was caught between the enmity of CBS owner Bill Paley
William S. Paley
William S. Paley was the chief executive who built Columbia Broadcasting System from a small radio network into one of the foremost radio and television network operations in the United States.-Early life:...
and the admiration of CBS management for running a successful show. Godfrey was subject to aesthetic criticism by Paley, as noted by Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine in 1950. "[...][H]earing that William Paley thought the Godfrey TV show 'lacked movement,' Arthur brought on a line of hula dancers and leered into the TV camera: 'Is that enough movement for you, Bill?'" The same Time magazine article also found Godfrey to be vulgar and "scatological". However CBS management realized the show was extremely successful and cost little to produce, in turn earning their admiration.
Julius La Rosa's tenure on Godfrey's shows lasted from November 19, 1951 to October 19, 1953. When Archie Bleyer
Archie Bleyer
Archie Bleyer was an American song arranger, bandleader, and record company executive.-Early life:He was born in the Corona section of the New York City borough of Queens. He began playing the piano when he was only seven years old...
, Arthur Godfrey's bandleader, formed Cadence Records
Cadence Records
Cadence Records was an American record company based in New York City. It was founded by Archie Bleyer, who had been the musical director and orchestra leader for Arthur Godfrey in 1952...
in 1952, the first performer signed was La Rosa. Cadence's first single, which was also La Rosa's first recording, was "Anywhere I Wander
Anywhere I Wander
"Anywhere I Wander" is a popular song.It was written by Frank Loesser. The song was published in 1951. It was introduced by Danny Kaye in the musical film Hans Christian Andersen....
." It reached the top 30 on the charts, and his next recording, "My Lady Loves To Dance", was a moderate success, but La Rosa would hit gold with his third recording, "Eh, Cumpari" in 1953. It hit #1 on the Cash Box chart and #2 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
chart, and La Rosa got an award as the best new male vocalist of 1953. Like the other "Little Godfreys", as the cast members were known, Godfrey discouraged La Rosa from hiring a manager or booking agent, preferring to have his staff coordinate and negotiate on La Rosa's behalf. He then hired his own agent and manager: Tommy Rockwell.
With hit recordings and his appearances on Arthur Godfrey's shows, La Rosa's popularity grew exponentially. At one point, La Rosa's fan mail eclipsed Godfrey's. A year after La Rosa was hired, he was receiving 7,000 fan letters a week. On the morning of October 19, 1953 (in a segment of the show broadcast on radio only) after La Rosa had finished singing "Manhattan
Manhattan (song)
"Manhattan" is a popular song and part of the Great American Songbook. It has been performed by Lee Wiley, Oscar Peterson, Blossom Dearie, Tony Martin, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme, among many others....
" on Arthur Godfrey Time, Godfrey actually fired him on the air, announcing, "that was Julie's swan song with us." La Rosa tearfully met with Godfrey after the broadcast and thanked him for giving him his "break". La Rosa was then met at Godfrey's offices by his lawyer, manager and some reporters. Tommy Rockwell was highly critical of Godfrey's behavior, angrily citing La Rosa's public humiliation.
Comedians began working the phrase "no humility" into their routines. Singer Ruth Wallis
Ruth Wallis
Ruth Wallis was a novelty Popular cabaret singer.-Career:Born Ruth Shirley Wohl in Brooklyn, New York, Wallis began her career singing jazz and cabaret standards - with such bands like Isham Jones and Benny Goodman on road tours for a couple of months; but gained fame in the 1940s and 1950s for...
, known for her raunchy double entendre novelties, recorded "Dear Mr. Godfrey," a biting satire on the matter, which made it to #25 on the Billboard charts
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
in November 1953. Days after firing La Rosa, Godfrey also fired bandleader Archie Bleyer
Archie Bleyer
Archie Bleyer was an American song arranger, bandleader, and record company executive.-Early life:He was born in the Corona section of the New York City borough of Queens. He began playing the piano when he was only seven years old...
, owner of La Rosa's label Cadence Records, for producing spoken word records for Cadence featuring Chicago-based talk host Don McNeill
Don McNeill (performer)
Don McNeill was an American radio personality, best known as the creator and host of The Breakfast Club, which ran for more than 30 years.-Early career:...
, whose Don McNeill's Breakfast Club on ABC Radio opposite Godfrey's morning show was considered a direct competitor.
After Godfrey
The firing did not hurt La Rosa's career in the short run. Immediately afterwards, "Eh, Cumpari" became a major hit, followed by "DomaniDomani
"Domani" is a 1955 song written by Ulpio Minucci with lyrics by Tony Velona. The most popular version of the song was recorded by Julius LaRosa, released by Cadence Records as catalog number 1265...
." Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan
Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan was an American entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show. The show was broadcast from 1948 to 1971 , which made it one of the longest-running variety shows in U.S...
immediately signed La Rosa for appearances on his CBS Toast of the Town TV variety show, which sparked a feud between him and Godfrey. La Rosa's first appearance on Toast of the Town following the firing got a 47.9 Trendex rating, and La Rosa would appear 12 more times on Sullivan's show that year.
La Rosa had a three times a week television series, The Julius La Rosa Show, during the summer of 1955, featuring Russ Case and his Orchestra. The short-lived series lasted only 13 weeks. La Rosa tired of revisiting the Godfrey affair, in part because it had been rehashed so many times, but he was also known to declare publicly that Godfrey was, indeed, the individual who made his career, but always adding, "He wasn't a very nice man."
Later career
Julius La Rosa appeared on television shows ranging from The HoneymoonersThe Honeymooners
The Honeymooners is an American situation comedy television show, based on a recurring 1951–'55 sketch of the same name. It originally aired on the DuMont network's Cavalcade of Stars and subsequently on the CBS network's The Jackie Gleason Show hosted by Jackie Gleason, and filmed before a live...
in 1953 to What's My Line?
What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
to The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom is a half-hour variety show that aired on ABC from October 3, 1957 to June 23, 1960, starring the young singer Pat Boone and a host of top-name guest stars. The program was of course sponsored by Chevrolet...
, The Polly Bergen Show
The Polly Bergen Show
The Polly Bergen Show is a half-hour 18-episode comedy/variety show, starring then 27-year-old Polly Bergen, which aired on NBC in the 1957-1958 television season. The program is remembered for its impressive guest-star lineup as well as its closing theme song, "The Party's Over" .The Polly Bergen...
(two episodes, including the 1957 premiere), The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show
The Merv Griffin Show is an American television talk show, starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, September 20, 1965 to September 26, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 1972 at 11:30 PM ET weeknights on CBS and again in...
to Laverne and Shirley in 1980. He starred in the 1958 film Let's Rock
Let's Rock
Let's Rock is a 1958 rock and roll film starring Julius LaRosa as a crooner attempting to fight off the rival music rock and roll, Phyllis Newman as his songwriting girlfriend who convinces him to adapt rather than fight and Conrad Janis as LaRosa's manager...
. He also hosted an unsold game show pilot for NBC in 1977 called Noot's Game.
In the 1980s, Julius La Rosa received a non-contract, recurring role in the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
soap opera Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Daytime Emmy award for this role.
He has also been a frequent contributor to comedian Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
's marathon annual Labor Day telethon
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
The MDA Labor Day Telethon is an annual telethon in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association . The first MDA telethon was during the Thanksgiving Day weekend of 1952 and titled Party for MDA. It has been held annually since 1966...
programs for the Muscular Dystrophy Association
Muscular Dystrophy Association
The Muscular Dystrophy Association is an American organization which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public...
, often hosting the New York outpost of the shows. La Rosa eventually moved on to a long-time disk jockey position at New York's WNEW
WBBR
WBBR is a radio station broadcasting at 1130 AM in New York City. It airs Bloomberg Radio, a service of Bloomberg L.P. WBBR's format is general and financial news, offering local, national and international news reports along with financial market updates and interviews with corporate executives,...
and continued to sing and occasionally record. As late as 1999, Julius LaRosa was a disc jockey on WNSW
WNSW
WNSW is a radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey, serving Northeastern New Jersey and parts of New York City. The station, formerly known by the call letters WNJR, runs an ethnic and brokered format. It is owned by Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, Inc..-Early years:The station signed on in...
hosting "Make Believe Ballroom Time". La Rosa, profiled by jazz critic and composer Gene Lees
Gene Lees
Frederick Eugene John "Gene" Lees was a Canadian music critic, biographer, lyricist, and former journalist. Lees worked as a newspaper journalist in his native Canada before moving to the United States where he was a music critic and lyricist...
Julius LaRosa said in 2008, "Music is 'a very egotistical thing.'[...] 'It makes me feel good [...]' and fortunately, I have the capacity to make people feel good who hear me feeling good.'"
Julius LaRosa currently lives in Westchester County, New York.
Cultural references
His name was used in a joke by CoachCoach Ernie Pantusso
Ernie "Coach" Pantusso is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Nicholas Colasanto for the first three seasons.Coach appeared in 70 episodes of Cheers between 1982-1985.-Character overview:...
in the classic sitcom Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
in the episode "Friends, Romans, And Accountants".