Issue XXII - Italic Institute of America

UEUIEA6ARESUPPRESSIONSYSl!MSASSOCIATIONfiREQUENCH INC~FIRE ALARM • SMOKE DETECTION SYSTEMS~~EARLY DETECTION IS THE BEST PROTECTION"45 WHITE STREETNEW YORK, N.Y. 10013(212) 966·9100DESMOND J. BURKE

A 11' Ita Iianamade of the region as a crossroads ofthe Latin, Teutonic and Slavic worlds.AU the participants paid lip service toimproving the area's economic condition.And they all averred that ethnicdistinctions should not predominate. Agesrure acknowledging the dislocationssuffered by the Italian citizens ofTrieste was also made manifest. However,what the conference ignored wasltaly' s overriding claims to the Islrianpeninsula that date back to the RomanEmpire. Islria is an ancestral Italianregion. Noone expects aD' Annumdolikemarch on !stria, but the other regionalpowers should be prepared foran Italian atic offensive-at theDr. n Romano,Father of American Psychiatryvery least.ITALY'S ID-TECHINFANTSIn one of the more conllOversial ofItalian medical advances, a 62-year-oldwoman gave birth to a 7 -pound, 4-ounce boy named Riccardo. RosannaDella Corte has Dr. Severino Antinoriand his hormone trealments to thank: forthe birth of her child. The good doctorused a donor's egg and sperm fromRosanna's husband to artificially inseminatethe woman. After the birth, byCaesarian, Dr. Anrinori hailed theevent: "Today is a great day in Italy forwomen, for individual liberty." Thatmay be so but Italy still suffers from thelowest birthrate in the world.xxn, 1994GUTTERFATHER mDr. Richard Gambino of StonyBrook University on Long Islandhas written an explosive articlecalled Ttalian-Americans, Today' sImmigrants, Multiculturalism andthe MarkofCain. In this piece, hecites a shocking article excoriatingsouthern Italians penned by JamesQ. Wilson in the June 1993 issue ofCommentary. Wilson states thatthe southern Italian family systemis nol only socially and politicallydysfunctional but amoral as weU.As such, it js a model that Americansshoy!d avoid at all costs(emphasis added). Gambino then documentsbow other "deep" thinkers such asFrancis Fukuyarna and Peter Brimelowconcur. Brimelow even compares theItalian immigrants of yesteryear to theIraqi Christians, Mexicans and other non­European immigrants of today.This sort of cullUral assassination mayserve as an object lesson to all those Italo­Americans who apologize for the mediaand encourage us to "laugh at ourselves."The Italian-American family may not justbe the butt of TV sit-com but also theobject of scorn among some elitists.Dr. Gambino has observed that the denigrationofltalic culture is wen underway.Over 20,000Italian troopsperishedduring theNorth Africancampaign. (Incomparison,the Germansand Britishlost 13,000each.) SomeItalian politicianswantthemto beremembered.5"The southern Italian family Is a modelthat Americans should avoid at all costs."DESERT TRIBUTEIn what probably was a fJTst in postwarItalian politics, a government partyjourneyed to Egypt to pay tribute to Italy'sbattle dead at El Alamein.The delegation of the National AllianceParty, Italy's political Right, led byGianfranco Fini visited the historicbattle ground where 4,800 Italians diedfighting against overwhelming Britishand Empire forces during the SecondWorld War.****

lflTTHEROAD,JACQUESFollowing in the footsteps of CardinalRichelieu and Napoleon Bonaparte,Jacques Toubon, France's culture minister,sought to purify the French language.Like his predecessors, Toubonused the precedent set by the AcademieFrO!icaise to cleanse French of odiousEnglish words. In emulating Napoleon,who obliterated regional languages anddialects, the culture minister thought hewas upholding French tradition. Instead,the country's ConstitutionalCouncil overturned Toubon's dictum,saying it violated freedom of expression.According to the Council, thegovernment has no right ro tell Frenchcitizens what words 10 use. This iscertainly a victory for freedom ofspeech. However dubious his methods,Toubon's heart was in the right place.Does Italy have a Toubon to uphold thehonor and tradition of the Italian language?Speriamo.THE OLD BOOT"In 1994, Italy became the frrst countryin the world with more people overthe age of 65 than young people underthe age of 15." So announced ItalianFamily Minister Antonio Guidi to thedelegates at last September's populationconference in Cairo. More ominousis the Italian birthrate of 1.21, thelowest in the world.What it all means is Italians are onthe decline. They are not producingenough bambini to replace themselves.And because it is a wealthy and highlyeducated nation, menial jobs go unfilledcreating a demand for immigrant labor.Indeed, one million residents are non­Italians (nearly 2% of the population),mostly all unskilled immigrants. Suchan influx of foreigners hasn't been seensince the days of the Roman Empire.Wouldn't it make more sense torepatriate Italian-Americans to fill thelabor pool? Italy offers universal healthWorld Notescare, great vacation benefits, and goodchow.NAUGHTY NORDICS"The Swedes did a great public relationsjob when they came to New York.[The Italian] Captain Calamai becamethe scapegoat." So says Capt RobenMeum of the U.S. Merchant MaineAcademy about the sinking of the Italianluxury liner Andrea Doria off Nantucketin 1956.Basing his opinion on earlier researchby an engineer friend, Capl. Meum statesLhat it was an officer on the Swedishfreighter Stockholm who was negligentteria. including the flesh-eating strainLhat disfigures its victim. With some 80different varieties of strep throughoutthe world, finding a vaccine is elusive.Enter Dr. Vincent Fischetti ofRockefeUer University in New Yorlc.Dr. Fischetti and his colleagues have developedan oral vaccine using geneticallyengineered bacteria Having succeededin tests on mice, Fischetti • steamplans to begin human testing in Mexicowhere the incidence of strep infectionsis high. If his vaccine works, Dr. Fischettihopes to innoculate all children toprevent strep.In 1956, the pride of Italy's luxury fleet was the victim ofnautical errors and a cover-up.in reading a radar screen. TheStockholm's course recorder revealedthat the officer mistakenly thought theAndrea Doria was 12 miles away in thefoggy night when it was only 4 milesdistant Worse still, the officer changedcourse as an avoidance maneuver only tohead his ship direclly into the flank of theItalian ship. Capt. Calamai's last minuteattempt to tum his vessel away was unsuccessful.The Andrea Doria went to thebottom ten hours later. Fifty-one liveswere lostSTREP BY STREPThis decade has witnessed the growinghealth menace of Streptococcus bac-LORENZO'S OILUPDATEWell, you may have seen the movieLorenzo's Oil, about Agosto andMichaela Odone' s discovery of an elixirthat slowed dl'wn a progressively debilitatingdisease in their only sonLorenzo. The magic oil has moved froma curiosity to a scientific possibility inthe eyes of some scientists. Skeptics arebeginning to acknowledge Lhat the Italianbanker turned chemist may havesomething to teach the medical establishment.Studies of children withLorenzo's nerve disorder respondedfavorably to the special oil preparationThe Italic Way ---=-=iOiiiiiiiiiiiii-=-=;;;;;;;;;;;-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;-=o}6 XXII. 1994

Dejected hero Robert Bagglo:Italy's fate decided by a kick.taken internally. Fifty-six percent of thepatients showed improvement ora slowingdown of the disease.Maybe Hollywood got one right thistime - a real Italian story.ROMAN FRANCEThe French have a multi-ethnic origin.The original Gauls were a Celticpeople, the Franks were Germanic, and!.he Romans, of course. were Italic. Andit was the Romans who fi.J"St introducedthe cultivation of the grape into conqueredGaul. So, it is with deep reverencethat the Durand farnil y of ProvenceModern French vintner and a formerresident of Provence.in southern France is restoring the ancientRoman estate that was recently discoveredbeneath their property.Herve' Durand, looking eerily akinto the bearded Roman Emperor AntoninusPius who sprang from Italic settlersin Provence, is devoting time and money~;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;iiiiiiixxrr.;;;;;;;;;;;;iiiiiii1 iiiiiii99 iiiiiiiWorld Notesto recreating the wines of ancient Provence.Even the authentic vessels, amphoras(pointed bottom jugs with twohandles), that held Roman wines arebeing manufactured on the Durand estate.Gu.ided by Latin agricultural texts,Monsieur Dwand is following Romanrecipes to blend and flavor his wines.The end products bear labels that proclaimthe wine was made by "Lucius Columella,Wine Maker of the First Centuryafter Christ, and Herve' Durand,wine maker-archeologist."ltalic civilization is surely the gift thatkeeps on giving!HOWARD BEACHHOOLIGANRemember Howard Beach? The bignews story of 1986 made Italian-Americansthe focal point of white racist hateand inspired filmmaker Spike Lee tomake Do The Right Thing, which pittedblacks against Italian-Americans.The reality of Howard Beach is thatthe ringleader of the multi-ethnic mobthat chased a black man to his death on abusy highway was an English ladnamed Jon Lester. Now 24-years old and remorseful in hisprison cell, Lester blamed his associationwith the "wrongcrowd" when he came from theScepted Isle.Blymiel Ain't we the daintyone.PASQUA'SFAUX PASCharles Pasqua, the feistyFrench Interior Minister with theItalian name, fears foreigners.While bamstonning through France inwhat most observers agree is a dry runfor the presidency of the Fifth Republic,the burly ex-liquor salesman bemoanedthe lack of Gallic indoctrination. Fulminatingin a thick Provencal accent, the4 ----------==iiiiiiiiiiiiii===- 7Latin France sometimes hasan Identity crisis. BeholdFrance's favorite Gaul.southern Frenchman castigated recentimmigrants for not learning about "ourancestors the Gauls." Though suchcultural balderdash is nothing new in aland known for legislating xenophobia,it speaks volumes about the insecurity ofa nation. And it highlights Pasqua's ignoranceof history. Rather than promulgatinga comforting but overly romanticizedpast, Pasqua should read JuliusCaesar's The Conquest of Gaul. Hemight then come to understand his ownItalic roots and how Rome transformed arag-tag band of tribes into a civilizedLatin nation.ALMOST ONEThe last issue of The ftalic Way wasfocused on sports in anlicipalion of theSoccer World Cup. After such a terrificbuild-up cllr'0r icling Italian victories inevery sports endeavor, our staff grimacedat Italy's shocking loss to ireland.Butltalycamethrough. Led by unorthodoxcoach Arrigo Sacchi, who rotatedhis players' positions in search of just theright formula, the Italians knocked offevery opponent after the Irish debacledespite shortages of players and chronicinjuries.Their star, Roberto Baggio, savedthe team from infamy against Nigeriaand then against Spain. His skill andluck ran out in the final match withBrazil. The Italians played Brazil to anovenime standstill. The contest endedwith penalty kicks, one of which Baggiomissed. The rest is history. ****======-The Italic Way-.-..:

EditorialAN ACT OF ATONEMENTNow that the facts about the mistreatment of thousands of Italian­Americans in World War II are coming to light, let us reflect for a momenton what it should mean to us 50 years later.First, American history reveals much distrust, abuse, or plainneglect of Italian-Americans. How many other Euro-Americans werelynched and murdered by other whites in greater numbers than Italian­Americans beginning with the mass lynching in 1891 New Orleans andculminating in the state execution of Sacco and Vanzetti in 1927? Lessviolent but equally despicable was the uprooting of Italian families on theCalifornia coast in 1942, and !llOre recently thernnsacking by policeofltaliansocial clubs in New York City in the 1980's.Second, if we want to be remembered as a people of dignity afterassimilation engulfs us, this generation must document the story of an earlierstruggle. Historical amnesia may allow us to fit into the American mainstreammore easily but it is a betrayal of those who suffered before us, andrevisionism of the worst sort. Few, if any, other ethnic groups in this countryhave .!1Q.t documented their suffering. Why are Italian-Americans so quick tobury their past yet so permissive in perpetuating the legends of the Mafia?What we need, what America must do, is to document the madnessof 1942. As an act of atonement. the Federal government must be lobbied toprovide funds to produce the story of that injustice. Not one penny should besolicited from Italian-Americans for such a film. At an estimated cost of$750,000, Congress can easily appropriate these funds. Once produced(better by filmmaker Ken Burns than Coppola/Scorsese), the film can beshown to the American public and be used in schools to bear witness to thestress of wartime America.This is but a small token to pay when compared to the largessefunneled to other groups. Certainly, the victims deserve it.- JLMANOTHER NAIL IN OUR COFFINThe Italic WayTMThe official news]etttr of the Italic Sbldies Instiru~.Inc. , a nonprofit corporation h.eadquartcn:d in Flot'lllPark, NYCoup cO oC Goyemoa OS.I.lAlben. Crec:ca Louis I. Mantia (Chair.)Michael Downey Cad A. PescosolidoS~fano Gristina Vincent PizmlliJohn L. Mancini Jolm C. SantoraExuytlyc Counsll Allan Adducci, Vice PresidentAnthmy Farace, TreasurerDonald Fio11:, Deputy Secretary of Programsflpapda! Sgqetade,sRobeJt DeSicna (NY)fo!Jtlta! I.lalsooComm. Dou. Elio GrandiDirector & Edltor-lp-Cb!e[The Italic WayRosario A. laconisMaoaaln& Editor• John L ManciniProduction ManuerRita L ManciniFeature Wr itersAlfred CardoneDon FioreRoben MasulloJohn Locallo (MW)T~ Italic WayT)( is published quarterly by the T!alicStudies lnstiblte, Inc .. I •.:> Box 818, Floral Parle, NY11001. Bulk mail postage paid at floral Park NY11001, e 1994 by the Italic Studieslnstinue, Inc.All rights reserved. The Italic Way is a trademark ofthe Il4lic Studies Institu~ . Reproduction withoutpennission .iJ prohibited. Subscription is free to allmembe11 of Italic Studies Institute, Inc. Direct allinquiries to (516) 488-7400. Fax: (516) 488-4889.It is not a little disturbing to hear that some prominent sociologistS have taken the time out of their busy schedules topass negative judgement on the Italic way of life, specifically, our upbringing. Briefly, we are infonned that the southernItalian family is dysfunctional and amoral. (see page 5, "Gutterfather ill")Perfect we ain't. And I can think of areas in which the traditional Italic family falls shon of the mark: not enoughreverence for books, a general aversion to our intellectual heritage, just to name two that bother me personally. But to statethat our extended family tradition must be avoided by all good Americans is incredibly irresponsible.Could it be that these tinhorn sociologists have confused real Italic families with Godfather and Saturday Night Fevermovie images? At the risk of rolling some eyes among the '

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AngieA video reviewBy Rosario A. IaconisBensonhurst is fast becoming thestuff of legends. It is Brooklyn'sBrooklyn and as much a part of Americanfolklore as the O.K Corral, Hollywoodand Tara. But for all the wrongreasons. Whereas other cinematic localesevoke images of dashing moviestars. rugged cowboys and swashbucklingConfederates. Bensonhurst calls tomind brainless hulks, tasteless tarts andgnome-like. superstitious elders. Bensonhurstis where directors, producers,screenwriters and actors have a rendevouzwith bigotry. Now that blacks,Asians, gays and Hispanics are off-limits,it feels sooo good to find a safestereotype. And in this regard, the Bensonhurstneighborhood in Angie deliversthe goods.Devotees of Italians-as-urban-neanderthalswill revel in the outrageouslysurreal accents adopted by the masterthespians in the film. Though not aspuerile as Cher's Brook.lynese in Moonstruck,the crude English spoken byAngie's main (Italian) characters ranksright up there in the annals of linguisticbackwardness: "Howz ya sistah?" "Mymutha wuz a free spearitt." '1 haftaleave for duh show." Why must everyfilm featuring Italo-Americans soundlike an outtake from Lionel Stander'sREVIEWsoliloquies on Hart to Hart?Angie makes full use of this stereotype.The title character's boyfriendVinnie, a woefully wigged James Gandolfini,is depicted as an overweight insensitiveplumber with delusions of provolone.Aida Turturro plays Angie • s bestfriend as a cross between ErnestBorgnine's Marty and an Italo-AmericanMiss Piggy. Her husband, another scionof Italy, is shown to be a misogynisticwife-beater. By conrrast, Angie's Irishlover is a witty, urbane barrister with aneye for artistic masterworks and femalepulchritude. Only Geena Davis as Angieand Philip Bosco as her father turn increditable and credible performances. InFor once, an Italian­American heroine followsher own dictates and notthose of a twistedpatriarch.fact, they very nearly circumvent thedirector's prejudices.Geena Davis brings a refreshing air toher poruayal of the spunky Angie. Sheimbues the character witlt an intelligencenot originally intended by Lhefilmmakers. (Nor, I suspect, by the authorof "Angie,/ Says," the book upon whichthe movie was based.) Davis takes AngieGeena Davisinto the Nineties and expertly conveysboth the rage and helplessness of the titlecharacter. Geena is a st:riking womanwhose humor and daring make an otherwisepredictable melodr.una watchable.For once, an Italian-American heroinefollows her own dictates and not those ofa twisted patriarch. In so doing, shediscovers a greater truth amid the tragicrealities of her life. The Shakespeareanactor Philip Bosco also deserves manykudos for his understated yet powerfulpresence in the film. Bosco providesjust the right mix of agony, fury andlove.And Angie affords ltalo-Americansa ray of hope that future film projectswill depictlheir fellows in a more benignand realistic UghL............MaintenanceArcher Elevator Co., Inc.522 West 37th StreetNew York, New York 10018(212) 695-2712RepairWe've grown slowly over the last 25 years to become one of the largest independentelevator companies in the New York area.BUT WE HAVEN'T LOST THE PERSONAL TOUCH!Call me and let's talk. I'll probably be in.xxn.l994 11Ed Bonardi, PresidentThe Italic Way;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

FocusEnemies of the Stateby Robert A. Masullo------------------~-----psychological and financial harm to thousands of ItalianAmericans, both immigrants and their American-born children.Italian-Americans who were considered more dangerousto national security were exiled toFort Missoula, Montana."I believe myself to be good but 1 find myself deceived.''So wrote Stefano Terranova just before he leaped to his deathfrom a San Francisco building. The year was 1942. StefanoTerranova 's motive for suicide was shame. Shame of beingItalian at a time when Italy's anned forces were locked inmortal combat against the United States and its allies inEurope.Four other Italians residing near San Francisco, a citycoincidentally named in honor of an Italian saint, ended theirlives oulOffearof arrest or exile. Indeed, some 600,000 ItalianAmericans were branded "internal enemies," and 10,000 wereforced to leave Lheir homes along the California coast Some1.600 were arrested and 264 were interned in a camp in frigidMissoula, Montana, at the order of Lhe U.S. governmentIronically, it happened at the same time many of them hadrelatives in the American anned services fighting and dyingfor the American cause.1942 was America's first full year of World War II. Italy,along with Germany and Japan, were its enemies and residentswith links to Italy, no matter how remote, were suddenly seenby other Americans and government officials as suspect.What happened to Japanese Americans is well known.German Americans must still research their story. But now,after nearly a half-century, the Italian American story is beginningto emerge. Anti-Italian activities took place to varyingdegrees throughout the United States but were most severe inthe West, particularly in California. They did untold physical,TOGETHER BUT UNEQUALAt that time, Italian Americans in the Western UnitedStates felt they were the equals of other Americans. Unlike theNortheast, Southeast and Midwest, where Europeans of olherbackgrounds were well entrenched before the great wave ofItalian immigration took place (1880-1924), Italians arrived inthe West about the same time as other Europeans. They helpedbuild the banking industry (Bank of America), agriculturalproduction (Del Monte, S & W), and the Napa Valley vineyards(Gallo, Mondavi, Italian-Swiss Colony) as well as thePacific fishing fleers.It was this latter dominance of California fisheries, whichgave Italian Americans access to large boats and homes alongthe Pacific coast, that brought fear to the Anglo-Saxon establishment.Japan was, in early 1942, masterofthePacificand,after the telling blow at Pearl Harbor, sortees were made byJapanese submarines against some portions of the Californiacoast. Were California's Italians aiding and abetting theirJapanese Axis partners? Only after America's victory at thebattle of Midway in June, 1942, did things calm down somewhat.Nevertheless, thousands of Italian aliens and their citizenchildren were forced out of their homes within ten miles of theCalifornia's fishing fleet was made up largely of ItalianImmigrants from Sicily. Denied their livelihood, somefisherman even had their boats Impounded by the U.S.government and utilized for patrol and mlnesweeplngduties.The Italic Way12XXII. 1994

coast and their freedom fwther restricted by curfews andtravel limits. In San Francisco, just to cite a conspicuousexample, the parents of baseball legend Joe DiMaggio wereforbidden to travel more than five miles from home without apermit (DiMaggio Sr. was a fisherman). Even noted physicistEnrico Fermi, who contributed enormously to America's developmentof the atomic bomb, had his travel restricted on theEast Coast and around Chicago. Others were penned up inQuonset huts and treated like prisoners of war. Noted teachers,actors and journalists in Italian settlements throughoutAmerica were branded "under suspicion," "subversive" or"disloyal."Joe Dl Maggio's parentswere subjected to curfewand travel restrictiondespite their son's fame.OVer 500,000 Italian-Americansserved In WW II whiletheir ethnic kin were consideredInternal enemies. Sgt.Anthony Basllone was amedal of honor winner wholater lost his life In combatA QUESTION OF LOGISTICSWhy did this happen? And why do we know so little aboutit?In the wake of the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Japan andthe subsequent declaration of war by the United States onJapan and its allies,ltaly and Germany, America went througha frenzy of bigotry in the guise of patriotism.People with links to Italy, Germany or Japan, no matterhow many years they had lived peacefully in the United States,suddenly were viewed in a hostile light.While it is widely known that Japanese Americans on theWest Coast were rounded up and interned in camps-in whattoday is rightly seen as an obscene trouncing of their Constitutionalrights-it is virtually a secret story that Italian Ameri·cans and Gennan Americans were victims of the same hysteria.The original intention of the military was to intern ~people of Italian, German or Japanese heritage, whether'--iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiixxn.iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii1994~iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil;;;;;;American citizens or not T t tv-c~~e obvious that such a roundup was impossible. Moreover, nanonal politicians, includingPresident Roosevelt, thought better of antagonizing ItalianAmerican voters in the East and Mid-WestSigniftcantly, Japanese Americans living in Hawaii, themost vulnerable U.S. territory, were left untouched simplybecause there were too many of them (one-third of the population)and they were too much involved in the island's economy.But in the Western states their number, about 100,000,and concentration were just right for internmentItalians, on the other hand. presented a logistical nightmare.They were dispersed throughout the country andwere not as racially distinctive as Japanese Americans.Moreover, Italian Americans had some political clout andpopularity. These were the days of New York City'sFiorello LaGuardia and baseball's Joe Di Maggio (MammaDiMaggio went so far as to take to the radio in a plea forcalm). And men like business tycoon A.P. Giannini (Bankof America) was himself a son of immigrants. But despitethe exemplary role-models and the disarming stereotypes ofChico Marx and Heney Armetta in American cinema at thattime, Italians had been objects of fear and suspicionthroughout the 1930's. Unlike the Japanese Americans, theItalic community expressed much enthusiasm for Mussoliniand the Fascist regime. In 1942, their ethnic pridewould return to haunt them.HURT&SHAMEThe reason we know so liuie of what happened to Italiansand Germans is twofold. On the one hand, the federal, state,and local governments were not proud of what they did.Many records were destroyed, actions were covered up ordenied and later generations of bureaucrats pleaded ignorance,often quite legitimately since little documentationDON'T SPEAK THEENEMY'S LANGUAGE!Just as the German-American Image suffered In theHun scare of the First World War, the Italian languageand culture was dealt a mortal blow with World War IIposters such as this.3iiiiiiiiiiii;;;;;;;;;;;;;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii= The 1 talic Way;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

~- _,g~ _ _,......-t..~_.:;---,~was left on the books.Mafia (like the AJtis) by American law enforcement and itsOn the other hand, the actions greatly embarrassed lhe wild embeUishment by the American media may yet be anpeopledisplaced,interned or ill-treated. They tried-alas, far other cause for concern.toosuccessfuUy-toputtheirexperiencesbehindthem. They A$ a footnote, America has paid well-deserved respect tosimplyclidn'ttalkaboutthemandalmostnoone,noteveotheir the Nisei, the American born children of interned Japanesechildren, bothered to ask about them-until recently. The Americans, who joined the American Army and gallantlyJapanese experience was harder to cover up because their fought as the 442nd Division in Italy. Yet, it should beinternment was more widespread and better documented. remembered that some 500,000 Italian Americans served onEven in their case, however, it took more than 40 years before all fronts while their "cousins" bore the brunt of this country'sthe government admitted its wrong-doing. CALIFORNIA 1942 hysteria.While il is true that the number of ItaliansThe consequences of 1942 are stilland Germans Interned and relocated was less with us. Although the restrictionsthan the Japanese, those "few" thousandswere lifted by the end of 1943 whenwere no tess traumatized. Their familiesItaly's Badoglio government wentwere broken up; their patriotism impugned.over to the Allied side, the experienceThey were forced out of work for six monthscaused many Italian Americans foror more without compensation, their fiShingthe ftrSt time to become ashamed ofvessels, guns, cameras, and radios im- their roots. One of the messagespounded. Commgasitclidonly 15yearsafter ~-o~:=.: 1conveyed to the Italian communitythe kangaroo-coun trial and electrocution ofwas "Don't Speak the Enemy's Lan-Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti inguage." They dropped out of Italian1927, and 50 years after the mob lynchings of organizations, stopped speaking theltaluul Amencans in New Orleans in 1891 (inItalian language, ceased protestingwhich 11 Itahans were killed and remains towhen Italians were defamed. Somethis day the largest mass lynching in U.S.of them spawned the disgraziali whohistory), the ill-treatment of Italian Ameri-later went to Hollywood and Madicanscould have been predicted. And al- son Avenue to trash the Italic imthoughthe war is long over, the on-goingage-and still do.promulgation of the myth of an all-powerful _ >>»BUON NATALE!GIVE THE GIFT OF YOUR HERITAGE!Give a friend or family member a year's metttbership in the Italic Studies Institute as a.Cltristmas gift. We will enclose a note informing tl1e recipitmt of your thoughtfulness. Matl usthis form with your chec~ and we will take care of the rest.Please send a gift membership to:How should your name be listedon the certificate?NameAddress~= The Italic Way14XXII.1994

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Harry WarrenGreat American Composerby Don FioreHarry Warren considered himselfto be an extraordinarily lucky fellow.How else could you describesomeone who had enjoyed a long andhealthy lifetime doing exactly what heloved to do, and put a fortune in the bankwhile doing it?For forty years, the songs ofHarry Warren rolled out like a musicaltapestry of the times, lending new colorand definition to the changing tastes andtrends of American popular culture.They blended into the backdrop of thefree-wheeling, Roaring Twenties, andhelped buoy the nation's careworn spiritsthrough the gloom of the Depression.When America marched off to war,Warren's music was there to do its patrioticbit, with big bands striking up histunes in every U.S.O. dance hall, andenlisted men uamping to his beat oo theparade grounds. Into the Fifties, andeven the Sixties, the songs kept right oncoming; some to be left behind with thefading eras for which they were crafted,but many being here to stay. More thana few of Warren's titles can still ring abell even among members of GenerationX.The roll call is an excursionPerspectivesdown the lane of familiarity: You MustHave Been a Beautiful Baby ... Shuffle OffTo Buffalo ... Chattanooga Choo Choo ...I Found A Million Dollar Baby In AFive & Ten Cent Store .. JeepersCreepers ... We're In The Money .. ] OnlyHave Eyes For You ... The Atchison,Topeka and The Santa F e ... September InThe Rain ...Warren was indisputably one ofthe most prolific and successful songwritersof the century. But though heshared friendship and peerage with IrvingBerlin, the Gershwin brothers, and allthe other musical greats of his day, heremained a shadowy figure outside showbusiness circles. Given the popularityand sheer number of his hit tunes, thisseemed like an injustice to some. LyricistJohnny Mercer thought so, complainingthat Warren "never got any acclaim, nothalf as much as he deserved."But Warren wasn't complaining.Soft-spoken and shy, he steeredclear of the spotlight and kept a wellmarkeddistance between his private lifeand the public eye. Not the least amongthe various things that were largely onknownabout Harry Warren was that hewasn't Harry Warren at all, but SalvatoreGuaragna, the Brooklyn-born sonof Italian immigrants.Warren camouflaged his realname behind phonetics friendlier to theAmerican tongue at some strategicpoint on his journey down the yellowbrick road, a trek that bore all the elementsof the classic Hollywood successstory. The eleventh of his impoverishedparents' brood of twelve, be began lifethe bard way in the crowded tenementsof tum-of-the-century New York.The ar,esome responsibility offeeding a dozen kids gave Warren's fatherlittle time to think of music. But itmust have been a real, if displaced, componentsomewhere in the seniorGuaragna' s soul, since he packed alongan accordion with his meager luggageon the boat to America It was, in fact,on this battered, old relic that little Salvatoresqueezed out his first notes.A high school drop-out, Warrentaught himself to play a variety of instrumentsand then set his sights on thebig time. The vision of better thingsahead saw him through the inevitableCHARLES RIZZO & ASSOCIATEBUILDING AND ZONING LAW CONSULTANTSELEVEN PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA I NEW YORK, NEW YORK 1 0001-2091('212) 695-5980 FAX (212) 695-6058CHARLES RIZZOSALVATORE J. COCOLICCHIOSTUART KLEIN, ESQ.GENERAL COUNSELThe Italic Way16XXII.1994

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THE ITALIC WAY Rate Card(number o f issues)B&W xi x2 x3 x4Full Page ..... $300 525 750 9751/2 Page ...... $180 300 415 5401/4 Page ...... $127 215 300 3851/8 Page ...... $ 65 110 155 200KEEP UP WITH THE INSTITUTErj::b~~~.. { I ~XX!.1994Italy's Sports TriumphsWatlnltalyII Topolno1943. Uberatlon orRevolution?.. .... il;! ~-:-,.,...._.....- '·'\ ;, -·'·-~· ~ ··=--.\.. ---"Fa!l.1992Sicily· Italic from theStartCivil WrongsLa Storla: A ReviewAtomic )~QeV.S.N.3 1993America's TV ProducersSt PalrickThe Corporate StateSaving Somaliay.s.N.4 1993ltar~an AviationBalbo 1933Equestrian StyleMussolini's MistressV.6.N.11993The MafiaDean Martin 8io.The Legions of RomeWilliam PacaScdng. 1991•England Slings:An Altitude ProblemGuglielmo MarconiToday's Roman Customssummer, 1991Before the Beatles:ltai-Am Rock 'n RollLatin Language AliveFasi:Mayor of HonoluluFall/Win. 1992•Forbidden ItalyPresidentCosslgaTaranto:Before Pearl HarborOvid. the Spicy ScribeSpr/Sum. 1&92America, Partly anItalian enterpriseAce Don GertlleGayTaleseSymmer. 1990Italians & the BlbleShakespeare's Italian ConnectionNapoleon's Italian VICtoryFal!.1989Italian vs. BlackFerrero's Negro NrnYAfrican-Italian RestaurantA Barlett GlamattiBensonhi.XSt TragedyW}oter. 1989Cartoon Characters by ItaliansThe First Safe AirplaneHealth & Italian CultureSortng.1988•John LaCorteItalians & the Holocaust1930: Reprint of Atlantica MagazineItalian language In AustraliaFaii.199QItalian-Americans in Advertisi~Pestolozzi. Father of Teachi~An Italian and the HolocaustAugustusWinter. 1990Mussofinl, Part IAntonio MeUCCI & the TelephoneMario LanzaSpdng. 1989•King of the SwashbucklersGore VIdalBeccaria: A Founding Father?Roman Evil DaysSummer. 1988Images: Symbols or Stereotypes?Italian Frogmen of WW IIVittorio Veneto, WW IAtlantica rememberedWinter. 1991 •• • ~ • ~ • • ~ • • • • • •Bloody Geniuses. : Uraer J1 OrmBntons of llallan Heritagecart Vuono Army Chief of Start : Past IssuesThe Day They Lynched Italians • Price per past issue $3.00Spring. 1990' : ($2.50 for members)JewsolllalyMussollnl, Part II •llalian Aetospace : Spr'88DaPonte: Mozart's UbrettistSummer. 1989Italy's North vs SouthThe Spanish AnnadaItalian AviationComposer Charles GabrieleFall. 1988•Italy at Work:Modem Italy Forges AheadDr. Henry Viscardi: Helpingthe Handlcappeda Sum'88: ..... F..,al....,l'88..,.._ _• Win'89Spr'89•8 Sum'89• Fall'89:wjn'9Q• Spr'9Q: sum'9QFall'90•_ _Win'91Spr'91Sum'91Fall/Win'92Spr/S lun'92Fall'92V.S.N.3V.5.N.4V.6.N.lXXI.l994

Perspectives\t'ROSETO: A MEDICALMARVELby Candice Smith, Rosario A. Iacon.isand John ManciniFor nearly three generations, Roseto-a close-knitItalian-American community in east-central Pennsylvaniawasa very special place to live. Despite a diet which oftenincluded fatty meats, peppers fried in lard and much wine, theRosetans boasted a remarkably low death rate from heartdisease. fewer ulcer problems and less mental illness than theAre there health benefits from family and culturalcohesion? The people of Roseto were proof positive.state and national averages.These extraordinary findings prompted medical researchersDr. John Bruhn and Dr. Stuart Wolf to conduct afifteen-year study comparing medical histories, physical examinationsand laboratory tests on a large sample ofRosetansand inhabitants of two neighboring communities, Bangor andNazareth. The results were astonishing.It showed that diet, exercise habits and geneticsplayed no role in the Rosetans' immunity to bean disease. Inaddition, certain otheT facts remained a puzzlement Men wereoutliving women and obesity was uncommon.Researchers credited the townfol.k's good health tothe traditional Italian value system that encouraged strong extendedfamilies and a mutually supporting community. Suchconclusions are borne out in other studies. As an example, thehighly structured Mormons ofUtah also share excellent healthstatistics, but unlike Rose tans. Mormons abstain from tobaccoand alcohol. Similarly, studies of Black Africans have shownthat removal from tribitl environments into White urban areas'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii0xxn.iiiiiiiiiii••1994have led to increased hypertension. coronary problems andulcers. In short, life is tough without strong social supportThe researchers were fortunate in being able to studyRoseto in its final stages of cultural cohesiveness. By the midsixties,the old Roseto, the town founded by immigrants fromthe Italian town of Roseto Valforte, province of Foggia insouthern Italy, was Americanizing. (The town came intobeing in the late 1800's spurred on by ethnic discrimination byEnglish and Welsh neighbors in Bangor.) Succeeding generationscast off the traditional but sometimes stifling values thathad contributed to the town's success.Today, the Rosetans are eating less meat and fattyfoods. They exercise regularly and believe that "you are whatyou eat." However, heart attacks and strokes are up whilecancer percentages remain the same. Follow-up studies indicatethat the Rosetans have experienced a rapid social change.Intermarriage has jumped to 70% versus only 15% during theinitial study. The family is no longer the center of their society.Competition and not cooperation is the watchword. As traditionalvalues and relationships were abandoned by lbe risinggeneration, the death rate from heanatt.ack climbed Loward theArneri.can norm until, in 1971, deaths from myocardial infarctionoccurred for the first time among men under fifty.«The lesson the Roseto experience offers Americansis that the thwarting of their biological need for social cohesion,community and emotional security is doing them tremendousharm, and they need to find distinctly American ways toshare their lives with one another in warm, supporting communities,"concluded the researchers. "'***Mediterranean Diet PyramidA few timesa monthA fewtimesa weekDallyEggs --J.~E"-Wine inmoderation!America's latest "discovery" Ia the Mediterraneandiet as a means to good health.----------;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;=;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii0iiiiii The Italic Way=;;19

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Project ItaliaThe Project Italia program isn't just films and videos. It is also an educational product line.(To order, just note your selections and mail in with a check to Italic Studies Institute, PO Box 818, Floral Park, NY 11001)FOUR CENTURIESOFITALIAN-AMERICANHISTORYOur bestseller. A uniquelook at the worldwide contributionsof a great people.S23 ($18 for members)Designed exclusively for the InstituteLhe ltalian-Amerlcan Placemat is perfect foruse at social f11J\ctions, to distribute to schools,or for pizzerias & restaurants.$12 per box of 1,000.spmng. Italians First is Wbook of facts. A very franklook at an amazing people byan Italian-British author. $20($15 for memben)New! Treat your kids orgrandkids to an edible Italy. Tryour homemade 8" Italy chocolatebars or make your own with ouroriginal plastic mold.New! HaveyourGiovanni Sch•avomorning coffee in the officialItalic Studies mug. Thishandsome emerald green mugGiovanni Schiavo's monumental work has the official seal of theon Italian-American history. This is the Institute on il Microwave &book that all other aulhors quote. dishwasher safe.$30 ea ($25 for members) $5ea /4 for $186 Milk Chocolate bars for $5Double bar mold $15or buy both for $17.50.~ --..:--""""~=;;E=,....,. RIGHTEOUS.,..,.),. ENEMY... ,~,,= .... ".--------------------------J nventions of \'-•··t}~a/y •... ,~ ................- ..I.. ~- -··- n ................,. __,,. ..... ~ ...., -IIIII IIl......... ...1 ! '"'"~·... -¥- -··-\loiU•-•·--::':~...:-:_I__,. ii~ ""............. ... 11\0•.11-~ -~'New! Another exclusive design for theInstitute the Inventions of Italy placernat is aneducation while you eat. $12 per box of 1,000.he Italian Explorerscommemorative(actual size}Others in the continuing series:• Roman Foundations• Medieval RevivalAMEAJCA; THE ITAUAH LEGACY£~_£TE~ ONE: LAW ' EQUAL!!Dl olfO,UO PU, lfCC,Looking for awards? Or maybe you would like'/fi t t:A• .u. a...ch • •U,lfft. li. 'l. IIIOtn u t ut-unto collect this series of commemoratives. This limitedDo'th th . 'deo ks production is minted exclusively for the Institute.cument your roots Wl ese lDlportant vt wor : . . .America: Th Itall Le (La & Equali ) _ 23. $ 25($ 20e Each ptece 1S $15 ($10 for memben) and comes m ae an gacy w ty rrun.... .LOr members)presentation· box wt'thparehment story.(actualSlZe· 1-Antonio Meucci: True Inventor of the Telephone -17 nun. .. $25 ($20 for members) ..) Also ailabl · lid il · d bo114Righteous Enemy: Italian efforts to save Jews in wwrr -84 min. .. $100 ($90 mem.) $60 ($50 m::.bers) e m so s ver, Ul woo X.XXI. 199421The Italic Way

Media Madness[In which we presenl media material with commentary]ITEM: An irate citizen on Long Island wrote a letter to the local newspapercomplaining about Italian-American soccer fans who tied up traffic celebratingItaly's victory in the World Cup semi-finals. The citizen wondered why Italian­Americans are not as demonstrative on Memorial Day or Flag Day.-.~~------~--~,ICOMMENT: Italian-Americans need no lessons in patriotism from the "oldguard." Italian-Americans served in both world wars in numbers way outproportion to their population. And since the U.S. was eliminated from soccercompetition, Italy was the only logical choice about which to be enthusiastic.--J..-.~--~~Ctl/lftYHitJ ~F,~S...,__ .__---ITEM: The Annual Italian Benevolent Society Picnic and Parade held in SutterCreek, California, features a "Win A Dago" truck contest among its entcnainmenLC 0 MMENT: These Italian-Americans are so benevolent that they come close tobeing Uncle Toms or whatever the Italic version of that is. One day at this festival,which by the way is promoted in the California Festivals guide book, could be hazardousto your ethnic health.ITEM: Frank Cerabino, columnist for a Boca Raton daily, recently crossed the line with adart-filled commentary on the Italian-American community's resistance to losing ColumbusDay as a city holiday.COMMENT: Who needs enemies when there are so many irrepressible Italian-American 1media types ready to desrroy their own for a laugh or a few bucks? Using phrases like "horse'shead", jokes about Italian Alzheimer's, and dialect words tike "froonge" (/Uilgo ==mushroom)is the stuff of saloon conversations, not newspaper commentaries. We can forgive a ct;Fone likeCerabino, but what kind of editors allow ethnic defamation from their staff?ITEM: Olympic skater Tonya Harding is debuting as a feisty waitress running from theMafia in a new movie entitled Breakaway.COMMENT: Does this movie sound familiar? Aristotle once said that there are onlyseven basic plots in drama. Unfortunately, Hollywood only knows one about Italians.ITEM: Italian-American sports writer Mike Lopresti (USA Today) demonsrrated the sad stateof his ethnic pride during the Italy-Bulgaria soccer match during the World Cup. "The Meadowlandswas crammed with Italian partisans from the top row down to field level, and even lower ifyou count Jimmy Hoffa."COMMENT: A vowel does not an Italian make. Hoffa is no more Italian than O'Hara orAgassi. But beside that. Mikey ( cafone that he is) should have editors to wipe his butt occasionally.Obviously, the editors don't bother to read his tripe.The Italic Way ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;22;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;iiiiiiiOiiiii;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;xxn.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;:1994

Media MadnessITEM: New York's District Attorney busts an Italian bread racket and gets front pagetreaunent from the New York Times (July 14, 1994).COMMENT: Atacosttothetaxpayersofatleast$100,000justtosetupadummyItalian bakery (not to mention the salaries of D A office personnel and overhead), NewYork's courageous lawman Robert Morganthau claims to have saved consumers 5¢ onevery loaf purchased. Besides, he collared half a dozen social undesirables with vowelsat the end of their names. Is this the stuff of movies or what?ITEM: Long Island Newsday's Italian-American food critic tours Sicily and reports thatit is indeed the land of the lesser breed.COMMENT: The critic, Rita Giordano, is ofNorthem Italian extraction and took greatpains to remind herself and her readers that "nobiliry coursed through her pasL .. The word"chaos" is used as frequently as the word "Mafia" to darken her portrait of the island. ''Why"she wondered, "do so many [Sicilian] men have scars? Even the watermelon man lookedmenacing brandishing a knife." Oh well, she no doubt was looking ro show her Irish-Americanhusband that she was quite different from southern rabble.----------------------ITEM: The New York Times reader Vincent Tortora blew the whistle on shoddyreporting by that newspaper concerning Italian economic data One factoid The Timesprinted was thatltaly hada ''galloping trade deficit" when itwas actually an $18.7 billion~· It was, apparently, a typically negative news article based on "uaditional"media perceptions.COMMENT: Every newspaper and magazine, including The Italic Way, makesfactual errors sometimes. But when the sacred New York Times reports Italian economicstatistics so out of whack that they are completely the opposite, maybe it's time that someTimes staff members come to grips with their preconceived notions of Italy. Wereported Italy's trade position in our last issue and somehow got it right.ITEM: Uncle John' sBathroomReaderstatesunequivocally that explorer Amerigo Vespucci wasa fraud who never sailed to the New World and got the continents named after him by an Italianmapmaker.COMMENT: This may knock the reader off his seat but the mapma.ker in real history was aGerman. And historians no longer doubt that Vespucci did what was credited to him, namely fourvoyages to the New World and proclaiming it new continents rather than the Indies.ITEM: Atlantic City's Showboat Casino features a good old-fashioned "Italian'' organgrinder in their Mississippi River atmosphere.COMMENT: Now that Aunt Jemina has a slim and modem look and Sambo lawndecorations are out, why not conjure up the old Eastside of New York? Forget the historicinconsistencies. The Showboat doesn't want to offend multi-culturalism.

News of the InstituteYOUTH PROGRAM BEGINSOur annual AURORA Italian Language & Culture Program got off to an excellent start on November 5th with theenrollment of 32 children. These fifth- and sixth-graders meet at our classroom facility every Saturday morning untilChristmas. Those who wish to continue the program are offered classes after the New Year. Level I is free to all comers. Coursebrochures are distributed to the surrounding school districts.PLEDGE FULFILLEDThe Executive Council announced the completion of fundraising for the State University of New York (SUNY) atPW"Chase, NY. A total of $25,000 was donated to the campus toward a chair in Italian Studies.University officials have agreed to hold two public events at the campus to promote Italian t:ulture and heritage. lSI'sSecretary of Programs, John Mancini, is developing a selection of events.8th ANNUAL DINNER DANCE- 1995Hold this date: May 20, 1995. The Institute's 8th annual fundraising dinner will be held at the Waldorf=Astoria inManhattan.Tickets wiU cost $325 per scat or $3,000 per table of ten.PICNICOur annual family picnic in Pomona, NY, was yet another success. Attendance was 351 adults and 110 children. Theweather held up through the day and rains only started at the last hour. This event marked the return of Social Chairman MikeCarbone as Picnic Chairman.The Italic Way24 X:XU.l994

VIDEO BROADCASTS & DISTRIBUTIONOctober was the month we went public with our video products, Italian-American Visions and The Italian Legacy. Freeair time was granted on Long Island's Cablevision and New York City's CUNY stations. The Italian Legacy, narrated by Ms.Geraldine Ferraro, made a good impression on one distributor who has asked to add the 23-minute feature to his catalog ofeducational videos.DECEMBER 14TH LUNCHEONBy popular demand, the December Plenary Council Luncheon is becoming another annual ritual. Billed as a HolidayLuncheon, this gathering features a seven course gourmet meal prepared by a special Italian chef. Contact the ISI office at(516) 488-7400 for reservations. The price to be announced. Place: 60 East Club at60 East42nd SL, New York City.GOLF OUTING llThis annual fundraiscr is breaking all records. Slots were sold out two momhs in advance and there was a long waitinglist. A total of 145 golfers hit the links. Organizer Elizabeth Polizzi is considering two outings each year justto meet the demandby our sports-loving Plenary Council membership. The demand for fundraising money is also a motive. Elizabeth has beenthe Institute's secret weapon. She is the daughter of our Events Coordinator Monica Polizzi, the dynamo behind our annualDinner Dance.

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Henry Manciniby Don FiorePROFILE.SPopular music in the 1950s and early '60s found anunusually formidable number of Italian American entertainerson stage and in the studios, with Frank Sinatra, DeanMartin, Perry Como, Connie Francis and Liberace listedamong the biggest names in the business. This fact did nottranslate into an extensive popularization of Italian music,though the country was indeed exhibiting a rare receptivenesstoitatthetime, with songs like Volare,AIDiLa andCaraMiafinding their way up the charts.Far from treating their listeners to the torrid passionsof Neapolitan serenades, these perfonners, as a rule, stayedcomfortably within the familiar, artistic boundaries of mainstreamAmerica, recommending Italy more by their surnamesthan by their actual work. What chiefly distinguished each ofthem, instead, was an exceptionally relaxed, naturally smoothmanner of delivery. So relaxed, in fact, that the popular musicclassification into which their talents were pooled came to beknown as "Easy Listening."The ultimate master craftsman of this genre, yetanother Italian American, was the late Hollywood composerHeruy Mancini, who passed away earlierthis year from cancer. In parallel withother successful musicians who shared hisethnic background, the Italic element waspresent in his story, but only in its earliestchapters. His father, a Cleveland steelworker,was an ardent proponent of Italianmusic, performing regularly with theneighborhood concert bands. It wasthrough his persistent encowagement thatMancini decided on a professional musiccareer.The elder Mancini would havedoubtless been delighted had his son takenan affection for or even recognition of themusic of his ancestry on his path to fame and fortune. Alas,he did not, but was wholly fascinated by the Big Band soundwhich, after training at Carnegie and Juilliard, brought himinto association with the Glenn Miller organization duringWorld War II. Mancini's work as an arranger and pianist withthe orchestra led him in tum to Hollywood contacts and thenHollywood contracts. Soon reputed to be one of the industry'smost promising talents, ht was chosen by Universal Studiosto score the Glef111 Miller Story (1954) and The BennyGoodman Story (1956).Though his own personal style of arrangement andcomposition was evolving,the biographicalnature of these filmsnaturally obliged him tolimit his creativity toimitating the styles ofthesubjectsat hand. Notuntil 1959, in fact, wasMancini granted unrestrictedlatitude for compositionaloriginality inproviding the highlystylized and impressionisticmusical backgroundfor the PeterGunn television series. The cool, emotionaUy removed toneof the scores won everyone's attention but certainly nobody'sheart Around the comer, however, was material of a vastlymore appealing nature which would prove that Mancini was byno means just another hack in the soundtrack studios.The revelation of his arrival as a first rate composerwas heard in the pensive and absorbing Moon River, which heinserted in his score for the film Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961).The song was immediately designated a classic and brought itscreator an Academy Award, as did his title piecefor The Days of Wine and Roses the followingyear. These and other compositions. notably DearHeart (1964) and The Sweetheart Tree (1965)distinguished Mancini as a master at conveyingtender sentimentality, a reputation that would bereconfirmed some years later in his score for LoveStory (1971).His talents did not dwell exclusivelymong the gentle nuances of intimate romance, ofcourse; the slyly humorous Pink Panther Themebeing the most famous of Mancini's many interspersionsin the line of love ballads. Whatever themood or emotion he sought to depict via fLimscore, LP. or stage perf cr ~lance with his orchestra,Hemy Mancini unfailing took the high road.Had some sort cultural seismograph been available todetect the latent rumblings of social and artistic change, itsneedle would have skipped off the chart during the years ofMancini's creative peak. Popular music was entering a stageof dramatic transition in which the reigning styles of the daywere gradually ceding primacy to Rock & Roll, which itselfwould mutate from a sort of primitive innocence to psychedelic,and, finally, psychotic expressionism. The nihilisticamorality and artistic destitution in so much of what passes for"music» today makes Mancini's work seem likesophistication's last stand. ****

Warren (continued from p.17)Warren's rags-to-riches story stands as an inspirationto aspiring, young talent everywhere, and is surely worthyof everyone's admiration. But the question rises: did hisethnic background have any significant influence on or connectionto his success? And if so, did Warren, himself,recognize it? The composer bad liUle to say about most things,and even less about his personal life.Sadly enough for cultural preservationists, neitherWarren nor the late Henry Mancini, nor the thousands of otherfrrst and second generation Italian American musicians whowere exposed to or nunured on the fluid melodies and exquisitehannonies of Italian music, lost any time deserting it infavorofsuchall-American genres as Swing or Jazz. While themusical traditions of other ethnic groups have thrived or beenrevived (witness me renaissance of Jewish music), there is aweak, often misconceived representation ofitalian music thatcontinues to exist in !his country today.In Warren's case, me severence could hardly havebeen more complete. At best there's only a slight nod in threeof his hundreds of published songs: the innocuous So This IsVenice ( 1923), the broken English-titledW here Do You Worka,Joh!t? (1926) and the pseudo-Neapolitan That's Amore,written for the 1953 Dean Martin- Jerry Lewis film The Caddy,all of which might just have easily been penned by a Dutchmanora Swede.The trum, then, is thaL Salvatore Guaragna left behindmore man a discarded set of syllables when he became HarryWarren. Like any of us, he was under no obligation of loyaltyto his Italian roots, and the reduction of his ancestry to anincidental footnote, for whatever reason, was his consciousand deliberate decision. In homage to that background, insimply recognizing from whence he came, scarcely a drop ofWarren's ample supply of talent and creativity was expended.That, of course, takes nothing away from his deserved status ashaving been one of America's most remarkably gifted songwriters.But amidst the ongoing erosion of our ethnic heritage,culturally-minded Italian Americans can be excused for feelinga trace of regret over Warren's chojce to not look back.****(718) 428-011 0est. 1960bbayside travel bureaucorporate and leisure travel consultantsBARBARA NICHUALSPresident42-36 Bell Blvd.Bayside, NY 11361~--- The ltalzc Way28xxn. 1994

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