Mary Lee Tucker Christmas Show – 1960

Although these days the Mary Lee Tucker effort at the Morning Journal is focused primarily on the Clothe-a-Child donation program, back in 1960 the big Christmas benefit show featuring local talent was still the main component of fund raising.

There was usually some well-known regional and even national talent as master of ceremonies, such as Lynn Sheldon (TV’s “Barnaby") (1950), Leo DeLyon (1954), Bob McFadden (1955), Frank Fontaine  (better known to many as Crazy Guggenheim on the Jackie Gleason Show) (1957), Don Webster (1964), and Houlihan and Big Chuck (1968).

(Click here to pull up all my posts about the history of the Mary Lee Tucker program, and then scroll all the way down to the bottom to read the multi-part posts in order.)

Anyway, in 1960, Cleveland KYW radio personality “Big” Wilson was the scheduled master of ceremonies for the Mary Lee Tucker benefit show. Here’s some of the pre-show publicity from the Lorain Journal of Nov. 15, 1960.

The Journal also provided a preview of the scheduled entertainment in its Nov. 28th edition. Acrobatic hand balancers Kay and Kay were the featured act. 

As usual, Biz Grove and his Orchestra were to provide background music.

The Capris (featuring well-known local guitarist/musician Ron Zehel) would provide music in the Palace Theater lobby prior to the performance.

Although bad wintry weather prevented “Big” Wilson and Cleveland Indian Jim Piersall from appearing, the show went on as scheduled on Wednesday, November 30, 1960. Cleveland Brown player Bobby Mitchell did show up, however, and was a big hit. Hosting duties were shared by Journal reporter Jack LaVriha and professional emcee Joe DeSantis. 

The Journal's detailed coverage provides all the information on the various acts.

Even with the setbacks, the show was still a big success with a standing-room-only crowd of 2,000 – the largest turnout in the past 15 years.

Wouldn’t it be great if somehow the Mary Lee Tucker benefit show was resurrected in the 2000’s?

****

It was nice reading about Biz Grove and his orchestra. Along with my older brother, I was a member of that band in the 1980s while Charles “Biz” Bisgrove was still the leader, and in several different incarnations of the group after he passed away. I’ll write about my experiences as a band member here on the blog eventually – maybe even in 2021!

Kay and Kay, the acrobatic act that performed at the benefit show enjoyed a long career. I found a few online references to them, mainly in Billboard magazines from the 1940s and 50s, appearing everywhere from Montreal to Aurora, Indiana to Galesburg, Illinois. They were usually billed as hand balancers.