I loved "Catch a Falling Star" as a lad too. But where I lived, Perry Como was a real star! He was born just across the border in Pennsylvania but had a good friend whom he had met as a barber, Sam Mastangelo...another barber. Now when I was a boy back home in Uhrichsville, we went to that barber!ds. Sam Mastrangelo of course had all of his records at the time and knew lots of stories. They still talked by phone and Sam had been to see him several times when he was touring.

One of the things that small town living brings you is an odd mix of excitement and reserve. Also it's amazing the speed at which news travels. It was a summer day in either '57 or '58 when we heard, "Perry Como is down at Sam's shop!!" Now in a podunk little town, a guy who even knew a celebrity WAS a celebrity and Sam qualified as that.......and NOW he had "produced the goods."

I don't know how many people were in the little "downtown" section of town but there were a lot. Sam's shop was in the decaying Buckeye Hotel but no one lining up at his door. Excited as people obviously were, no one was storming the gates and indeed most were trying to look casual. The downtown streets were pretty full of folks, but it seemed that they all "just happened" to be there that day. When Perry and Sam exited the barber shop and walked to his car, about a dozen folks broke down there midwestern reserve and went for an autograph but most maintained and gave him a smile or a wave, like, "Oh Hi there Perry........I was just going to the H&A for a box of band-aids." Uh-huh.

We kids though could be counted on to be 50's midwestern kids. We stood en masse, probably about twenty-five of us, across the street in front of the 5&10, with our mouths hanging open and dumb looks of awe on our faces. I think he probably had better audiences, but he never had a more dumbstruck one.

Catch a Falling Star was a huge hit for Como. So I thank Lee Pockriss for that one even if Itsy was iffy.....at least for me. I bet he did pretty well with it!

Condolences to his family and friends. Goes to show how we do things that affect other people without ever knowing it.........


Spaw