For the laid-back Eisenhower era, Perry Como was the perfect singer--and the perfect television host. No frantic comedy or bombastic rock and roll here. What you saw with Perry was what you got--easygoing, friendly, comfortable like an old shoe. So relaxed that there were jokes to describe his style. "COMO-tose" said one wag. 'Time' magazine described him as "being made of sponge rubber with a core of Seconal."
"Wake up, Perry!" was a running joke in the 1950’s, although very ironic considering he died in his sleep on May 12th, 2001 at his Florida home. He was 88.

Pierino Roland Como was born May 18th 1912 in Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, the seventh son of the seventh son (considered to be very lucky in an Italian family). He was one of 13 children, and began learning the barber trade when he was just 12. By the age of 21, he owned his own barber shop. Customers would not only get a shave and a haircut, but a little of the 1930’s music hit parade from the crooning Como. He was eventually offered a job with a dance band, and Como gave up his barber business. In 1945, Como had his first hit record in the US--'Till The End of Time.' It paved the way for more hit songs in the 40’s and 50’s. Como also had his own radio series on NBC, and the network gave him a 15 minute showcase on the new medium of television, starting on Christmas Eve, 1948. (The show was known as the 'Chesterfield Supper Club,' after its cigarette sponsor.) Nearly two years later, CBS picked up Como for another 15 minute TV show, airing three times a week after the network’s evening news. But in a daring move, Como moved back to NBC, and the network gave him his own hour-long show on Saturday nights, opposite Jackie Gleason’s half-hour version of The Honeymooners. It was a risk at the time; singers did not host for an entire hour every week. But Como shocked the industry. His relaxed style immediately landed in television’s top 20, giving Ralph Kramden and company unexpectedly strong competition. That forced Gleason to end his filmed 'Honeymooners' experiment after one year and 39 classic episodes. (The season before, Gleason--without Como as competition--had the second most-popular show on US television, right after I Love Lucy.)

On the surface, it was predictable: Como sang a number of songs including viewer requests; bantered and performed with top-name guests; and closed with an inspirational or religious song. But his audience loved it, and guests loved to be on the show. Rosemary Clooney, who was given her big break with Como, said "He’s always the same: gentle, sweet, ready to help. I don’t think Perry ever had a guest who didn’t want to come back." Veteran comedy writer Goodman Ace, who lived through battles with Milton Berle, found Como more to his liking: "We never go in for the great big joke--the big yuk. Perry knows that his audience will shy away from anything that isn’t just plain nice and friendly."

Fans also helped Perry Como’s record sales at a time when Elvis Presley and rock and roll were dominating the music charts. In fact, Como had number one hits with such songs as 'Papa Loves Mambo', 'Round and Round' and 'Catch A Falling Star.' While he never changed his style to rock, Como respected the music and invited such artists as The Everly Brothers, Paul Anka and Fats Domino on his show. (By contrast, the late Steve Allen--although he had rock artists on HIS shows--never liked rock and mocked its style whenever he could.) During the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, Como kept on singing and pleasing television audiences. (His show moved to Wednesday nights in 1961, now known as The Kraft Music Hall after the maker of various food products. The show also added up and coming talents including Kaye Ballard, Don Adams, Sandy Stewart and Paul Lynde. Como kept bantering with announcer Frank Gallop, while fellow announcer Ed Herlihy described the ways cooks could use Kraft’s Miracle Whip salad dressing.

Como ended his weekly television run in 1963, but did not leave TV altogether. His occasional specials (especially his yearly Christmas events) were always welcome in American homes. And Como was equally welcomed in record stores and jukeboxes. In the early 1970’s, he had hits with such songs as 'It’s Impossible' and the Don McLean-penned 'And I Love You So'. In later years, he continued touring with great success and was given a Kennedy Center award by President Reagan in 1987.

In his usual self-depreciating fashion, Como always joked that if show business did not work out, he had no problem going back to being a barber. And as he once told a reporter "For the amount of talent I had--and I couldn’t act, dance or tell a joke--I enjoyed a tremendous career."

No one would argue with that.