He Crooned His Way To Fame
Perry Como was the barber whose mellifluous crooning carried him all the way to the top of the entertainment business. With a career that stretched on for 50 years, he avoided the usual pitfalls of fame—but still managed to find some of his own.
1. He Had A Big Italian Family
Perry Como was born a long way away from the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In fact, as the seventh of 13 children born to Italian immigrant parents on May 18, 1912, in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, he barely even stood out in his family. Still, the beginnings of real musical talent were already there.
General Amusements Corporation (management), Wikimedia Commons
2. He Grew Up Speaking Italian
Even though he was the first of his siblings born in the US, Como didn’t speak English until he entered school. Music (and Italian), as it turns out, was his family’s primary language. Como’s father was an amateur baritone and insisted that all of his children study music. But, as a humble mill worker, he could “barely afford” the music lessons his 13 kids needed.
Como didn’t need too many lessons anyway.
3. He Fell For A $3 Organ
As a toddler, Como’s love for music was already apparent. While most kids fought over turns on the rocking horse, Como made a beeline for the family’s second-hand organ—a $3 treasure his father scraped together to buy. He’d “pump the bellows” with tiny feet and play songs entirely by ear, reproducing melodies like it was nothing.
Even his swoon-worthy croon came naturally.
Walter Albertin, World Telegram staff photographer, Wikimedia Commons
4. He Mastered Music Without Lessons
In his teens, Perry Como became a one-man music department. In addition to playing the organ, he played trombone and could strum a guitar. But his best instrument was one that he was born with: his voice. Despite never taking voice lessons, Como’s croon was pitch perfect. You might say that he kept his first fans on a razor’s edge.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
5. He Became A Barber At 10
Money was tight in the Como household so, by age 10, little Perry had to help out anyway he could. When he wasn’t in school, Como was sweeping the floors and learning the basics of barbering at a local shop, earning 50 cents a week. By 13, he had already earned his own chair, raising himself up on a box to cut his clients’ hair and give them a good shave.
This taught him one of life’s most valuable lessons.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
6. He Learned A Hard Lesson
Como’s paltry 50 cent salary at the barbershop wasn’t a lot—but it made all the difference to his family. So, when he lost his entire week’s wages in a dice game, the guilt he felt was unimaginable. “Filled with shame,” he hid in his room until he was so hungry that he had to leave. When he told his father what he had done, the elder Como simply told him he was allowed to make mistakes—but hoped he’d never do worse.
The lesson came just in time.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
7. He Supported His Family At 14
The next year, fate flipped Como’s world upside down. His father—a dependable rock for the entire family—developed a severe heart condition that left him unable to work. Instead of giving up, Como practiced barbering on his father until he “mastered the skills” and promptly opened a barbershop of his own.
All he needed was the right clientele.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
8. He Sang While He Groomed Grooms
Perry Como quickly became a sought-after “wedding barber” among the Greek community across Pennsylvania and Ohio. He provided full grooming services for grooms and their entourages before the big day, famously serenading them with his sonorous voice. And he was hitting all the right notes; Como’s clients tipped generously.
The ladies would be helpless against his sweet sounds.
RCA Records, Wikimedia Commons
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9. He Fell In Love By A Campfire
During a 1929 picnic along Chartiers Creek, 17-year-old Como gave his first private performance—kind of. He had gone to the picnic with a girl, but that night, as the group gathered around a campfire, he only had eyes for another girl: Roselle Belline. In that moment, Como entertained his friends with a rendition of “More Than You Know”, locking eyes with Belline the entire time.
From that night onward, their love would defy the rules of Hollywood romances.
10. He Moved Closer To The Spotlight
In 1932, Perry Como left Canonsburg for Meadville to work in his uncle’s barbershop at the Hotel Conneaut, believing that his life’s work would be delivering the closest shaves and cleanest cuts. But the Hotel Conneaut teemed with touring dance bands, giving the young crooner a front-row seat to the professional music world.
Pretty soon, he would be trading in his clippers for a microphone.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
11. He Had An Impromptu Audition
A night out at Cleveland’s Silver Slipper Ballroom turned out to be Como’s big break. The bandleader, Freddy Carlone, invited anyone from the audience who could sing up onto the stage. That’s when Como’s friends shoved the shy barber up onto the bandstand. Despite his nerves, Como sang his heart out and left Freddy Carlone stunned.
Carlone offered Como a job as a vocalist on the spot. But there was one problem. First, Perry needed one man’s blessing.
12. He Took The Pay Cut—And The Job
Perry Como was both excited and scared by Carlone’s offer. While it represented a huge opportunity, it was also a major pay cut. Uncertain who to do, he went back to Canonsburg, certain that his father would tell him to stick with the scissors. Instead, his old man flipped the script, urging him to take the chance instead of living with regrets.
But if he was going to risk it all, there was one thing he wanted to make sure he had first.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
13. He Tied The Knot Then Hit The Road
Before he embarked on his musical adventure, Como had to know that he wouldn’t lose one thing: Roselle Belline. So, on July 31, 1933—just four days before climbing onto Carlone’s bus—Como and Belline tied the knot. Making just $28 a week, he toured with Carlone for about 18 months while his new bride headed back to their hometown.
It wasn’t exactly the honeymoon they had hoped for—but opportunity awaited.
14. He Met The Band That Made Him
While Carlone’s orchestra did their thing, Perry Como had a chance encounter that changed his whole career trajectory when he met the trombonist Ted Weems. Shortly after that, when one of Weems’ bandmates left the group, Como was there to step in—and step up. In addition to a significant pay raise, touring with Weems gave Como national exposure and, most importantly, radio time.
15. He Sounded Familiar—Too Familiar
With the Ted Weems Orchestra, Como made his first recording in May 1936: the novelty tune “You Can’t Pull the Wool Over My Eyes”. While the song had fans swooning, critics complained that Como sounded familiar—too familiar. They said that Como was just another Bing Crosby sound-alike, but, despite the criticisms, Weems kept Como.
And the fans proved him right in doing so.
16. He Caused “Cardiac Flutters”
The following year, no one was complaining about Como’s waxy warble. In fact, Life magazine went so far as to say that Como caused “cardiac flutters with his crooning” while appearing on NBC. And, thanks to regular appearances with Weems on the quiz-music show Beat the Band, Como was quickly becoming a household name.
Family, however, came before fame.
Twentieth Century-Fox, as marked, Wikimedia Commons
17. He Put Family Before Fame
While the Weems band continued pushing forward, Perry Como prepared for another exciting chapter in his life: fatherhood. But it came at a high price. Como wanted to be with his wife and newborn child, Ronnie, but he faced threats of dismissal if he left. Despite the threats to his singing career, Como believed that the road was “no place to raise a child” and stepped away to be with them before rejoining the tour.
Still, the only audience he cared to perform for was in his living room.
18. He Nearly Gave Up Show Business
By late 1942, worn down by constant travel and missing his family, Como did what no aspiring singer ever does: he quit the band and headed home. Reflecting on his years with Carlone and Weems, he said that he imagined they would always be temporary and that he would eventually “go home to work”. Even when an offer came up for him to be a Frank Sinatra impersonator, he turned it down.
It looked like he would never sing anywhere but in a barbershop again.
19. He Got An Offer He Couldn’t Refuse
Back in Canonsburg, Perry Como was in the middle of negotiating a lease for his new barbershop when the phone rang. While “Fate” wasn’t on the other end of the line, it was the next best thing: talent agent Tommy Rockwell. And he had an offer that Como couldn’t refuse. CBS wanted to give Como a radio program plus a recording contract.
The offer looked even better than a fresh shave.
20. He Took Over The Copacabana
Como’s radio program hit the airwaves on March 12, 1943. But it was his stint at the Copacabana that really brought him back into showbiz. What was meant to be a two-week booking stretched all the way through the summer thanks to an adoring audience that couldn’t get enough of him. Pretty soon, he would be crooning with the best of them.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
21. He Crooned With The Best Of Them
In 1943, RCA Victor went searching for a crooner who could go toe-to-toe (or note-to-note) with the likes of Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. The only possible contender was, of course, none other than the former wedding barber from Pennsylvania. Three days later, Como recorded “Goodbye, Sue,” kicking off a remarkable 44-year run with RCA.
The hits just kept coming.
Macfadden Publications, Wikimedia Commons
22. He Rivaled The Biggest Names
Through the 1940s, Como turned into a chart-topping, record-pressing machine. At the height of his popularity, the Los Angeles Times even reported that “some four million Como records were pressed during a single week”. Over the course of his career, he earned 27 gold records and more than 100 million in sales, plus 42 Top 10 hits—second only to Crosby himself.
But Como didn’t even have to try.
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23. He Made Whimsy Sound Effortless
Perry Como mixed his swoon-worthy songs with cheerful little ditties that allowed him to show off his playful side. Novelty numbers “Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)” and “Papa Loves Mambo,” became some of his staples and defined what the Los Angeles Times called his “easy-listening, family-oriented sound”.
With music conquered, the movies were calling.
24. He Made Musical Movies
As his records climbed the charts, Como branched out into films. In the 1940s, he appeared in three 20th Century-Fox musicals—Something for the Boys, Doll Face, and If I’m Lucky—each time alongside the dazzling Carmen Miranda. MGM would later borrow him for Words and Music in 1948, but something about the blank stare of the camera lens didn’t sit well with him.
Screenshot from Doll Face, 20th Century Fox (1945)
25. He Knew Movies Weren’t His Lane
Como’s foray into films lasted almost as long as one of his songs. Even though he had signed a seven-year contract, he quickly realized that the movie business wasn’t for him. After Words and Music, he asked out of his MGM obligations, later saying, “I was wasting their time and they were wasting mine”. Television, he predicted, would be his real ticket.
Screenshot from Doll Face, 20th Century Fox (1945)
26. He Headlined The Supper Club
Como’s voice found him work even when he wasn’t looking for it. The Chesterfield Supper Club producer Doug Storer had heard a demo tape that Como had once recorded. After listening to the tape, he knew that only Como was right for the radio musical variety program. So, by late December of 1944, Como hopped networks to headline the show.
He was, you might say, flying high.
Screenshot from Chesterfield Supper Club, NBC Radio Network (1949)
27. He Performed From 20,000 Feet Up
In April of 1946, listeners tuned in to Chesterfield Supper Club and heard something unprecedented: a full show broadcast from high in the sky. Como, Jo Stafford, the Lloyd Shaffer Orchestra, and crew performed the show aboard an airplane tens of thousands of feet in the air. It was the first broadcast of its kind—and Como wasn’t done setting trends just yet.
Screenshot from Chesterfield Supper Club, NBC Radio Network (1949)
28. He Brought Christmas To Early TV
By 1948, Chesterfield Supper Club was such a success that NBC began televising the radio show. The show’s TV debut marked Como’s first regular television outing. And he wanted to mark the occasion. For the debut, his eight-year-old son joined a boys’ choir to sing “Silent Night” with him—setting a warm, family tone for his TV career.
Soon, he’d own Sunday nights as well.
Screenshot from Chesterfield Supper Club, NBC Radio Network (1952)
29. He Faced Off Against Ed Sullivan
NBC saw the potential of Chesterfield Supper Club and made it a weekly Sunday half-hour program. But that put Como head-to-head with Toast of the Town (later The Ed Sullivan Show). However, Como’s popularity was too much for one night. After a few years, Como took his talents to CBS where he landed The Perry Como Chesterfield Show, a breezy 15-minute series airing three nights a week after the news.
Bigger ambitions followed.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
30. He Landed His Own Show
Perry Como became a television staple—whether he wanted to or not. After his CBS contract ran out, NBC swooped back in, getting him to sign a 12-year, “unbreakable” contract. But Como got the better end of the deal. The new contract gave him The Perry Como Show, a full hour of variety that premiered on September 17, 1955. After just a few episodes, Como’s show became NBC’s only top-10 Nielsen hit that season.
Como never forgot his roots, though.
31. He Said Goodbye In Style
On his final CBS program on June 24, 1955, Perry Como gave a heartfelt goodbye. He brought off-camera staff onstage for introductions and even tried his hand at operating a TV camera. Funny enough, he accidentally flipped the picture upside down, broadcasting a broken image to the whole viewing audience.
It was the perfect send-off for a new beginning.
32. He Made Dreams His Theme
Como opened every episode of his namesake show with “Dream Along With Me (I'm on My Way to a Star)”—and viewers couldn’t get enough. Letters poured in by the stacks, all requesting songs for the beloved “Sing to me, Mr C” segment. When the show came to a close each week, “You Are Never Far Away From Me” reminded audiences that Como would return.
And return he did, with his trademark humor intact.
33. He Made A Splash On Live TV
Como’s “relaxed style” and quick wit defined his 1950s television work. During a March 16, 1957 broadcast with Esther Williams, wardrobe malfunctions and on-set mishaps turned the show into delightful chaos. Como’s solution? He simply said “Goodnight, folks,” and jumped fully clothed into a specially constructed swimming pool on live television.
That wasn’t even his most memorable live TV moment.
34. He Gave Kirk Douglas A Shave
Even at the height of his TV fame, Como never forgot his “roots”. On a December 1955 episode, Como surprised, amazed, and entertained his audience when, live on air, he shaved actor Kirk Douglas’ beard. And it was quite the shave. Douglas had grown out his beard for his Vincent Van Gogh role in Lust for Life, which had just wrapped filming.
Como handled the razor like he’d never left the barbershop.
35. He Brought Color (And Royalty) To TV
Perry Como set all kinds of records on his show. But the 1956 premiere of The Perry Como Show made history—in color. Transmitting from NBC’s new studio at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York, the show was one of the earliest weekly color television shows. To mark the occasion, Como welcomed special guests Prince Rainier III of Monaco and his new bride, Grace Kelly.
He needed all the star power he could get.
Screenshot from The Perry Como Show, NBC Television (1958)
36. He Battled The Great One
Como’s show was a success—but it wasn’t without competition. Throughout the 1950s, he went head-to-head with Jackie Gleason in what the press dubbed a “Battle of the Giants”. Como and Gleason had a healthy competition, trading top spots in the ratings. Despite the on-air competition, the two stars were actually friends. Como once joked with Gleason that he’d appear on his show as a favor “so the ratings will be better”.
Como was winning all of the popularity contests.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
37. He Was The Ideal Husband
A 1956 Life magazine poll asked young women which public figure best matched their ideal husband. At the top of the list? Perry Como, of course. Two years later, a nationwide survey of teenagers found him to be the most popular male singer—ahead of even Elvis Presley!
Como’s appeal was about to earn him a record-breaking payday.
Photographer:Lawrence Photo Studio, Wikimedia Commons
38. He Made Television History
Perry Como never pursued music and TV for the money—but that didn’t mean he wasn’t getting paid. Como became the highest-paid performer in TV history when he signed a $25 million deal with Kraft Foods to host Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall on Wednesday nights. But no amount of money was worth working himself to the bone.
Donaldson Collection, Getty Images
39. He Switched To Specials
By 1963, Perry Como seemed ready to coast. Kraft Music Hall shifted from weekly episodes to periodic specials. The new format alternated with shows like Kraft Suspense Theatre and The Andy Williams Show, giving Como more time off. He even used his production company to put together selected summer replacement shows like Perry Presents.
He was doing good things with all that free time.
Donaldson Collection, Getty Images
40. He Boosted Morale At Guantánamo
When Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara invited Perry Como to Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, Como couldn’t refuse an opportunity to entertain the troops. He spent eight days filming an episode of Kraft Music Hall, going so far as to shave a serviceman sporting a Castro-style beard. That wasn’t the most important invitation he had.
Pictorial Parade, Getty Images
41. He Sang At The Vatican
Perry Como received a once-in-a-lifetime honor for his December 17, 1964 Christmas episode of Kraft Music Hall. Pope Paul VI granted special permission for Como to film at the Vatican—in areas never before accessible to cameras. The episode featured segments shot in the Vatican gardens and the Sistine Chapel Choir’s very first television appearance—with Como singing alongside them!
It would be impossible to top that.
Donaldson Collection, Getty Images
42. He Made Christmas His Specialty
Beginning in 1967, Como scaled back his regular television commitments and focused on seasonal specials—especially Christmas programs. His Christmas specials quickly became a beloved tradition, taking him to locations like Israel, Mexico, and Canada all the way until 1994. His final Christmas special would be especially poignant.
Donaldson Collection, Getty Images
43. He Powered Through The Flu
Como’s final Christmas special, Perry Como’s Irish Christmas, almost never happened. Despite battling the flu, Como performed before 4,500 people, including the Irish president Mary Robinson and actress Maureen O’Hara. Still, the flu almost got the best of him. It took Como four hours to complete the show, and afterward, he apologized to the audience for what he felt was a below-par performance.
For Como, though, there was no such as a bad night.
Screenshot from Perry Como’s Irish Christmas, PBS Television (1994)
44. He Returned To The Stage
In 1970, Perry Como did something he hadn’t done in 26 years: he accepted a nightclub engagement. The International Hotel in Las Vegas wanted Como’s sweet crooning—and he delivered. The engagement was such a triumph that Como recorded his first live album, Perry Como in Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas.
His fans were all over the world.
Screenshot from Perry Como in Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas, NBC Television (1970)
45. He Conquered London
Como had only ever performed inside the United States. But that didn’t mean he didn’t have fans elsewhere. Still, when he performed at the London Palladium for the first time, he was stunned with the reception. Before he even had the chance to sing a note, the crowd erupted into applause for 10 whole minutes. After his performance, he chatted with his British fans and felt so inspired that he announced a UK tour beginning in spring 1975.
Screenshot from Perry Como: The Royal Variety Performance, BBC Television (1974)
46. He Sang For Royalty
When the Italian president Sandro Pertini visited the White House for a state dinner, he insisted on hearing from two legendary crooners: Como and Frank Sinatra. When Como delivered a flawless performance of “Santa Lucia”, Pertini enjoyed it so much that he joined in. The performance was such a hit that he and Sinatra repeated it the next year in California for Queen Elizabeth II’s royal visit—at the Queen’s special request.
Como kept performing well into his golden years.
Screenshot from Perry Como & Frank Sinatra In Performance at the White House, PBS Television (1982)
47. He Toured Into His 80s
By the 1980s, Como was getting on in years, but he wasn’t slowing down—quite the opposite. Even into his 80s, he embarked on a 50th Anniversary tour across the country. And he showed up at every performance in style. He ditched the cardigan sweaters he’d worn on TV for years, opting for a classy tuxedo instead saying that showed “respect for the audience”.
The cardigans, however, were part of his legacy.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
48. He Made Cardigans Cool
Throughout his NBC career, for almost a decade, Como had worn cardigans. In fact, he had become so synonymous with the cardigan that the Los Angeles Times said he “turned the cardigan sweater into a fashion statement”. Ironically, according to later reports, Como never liked wearing the stuffy sweaters.
His casual look had matched his casual sound.
49. He Was Mr Casual
Como and Bing Crosby shared a vocal styling that critics called “intimate, easy-listening”. As easy as the listening was, however, everyone appreciated the effort that went into Como’s simple sound. Many critics noted that Como’s cooing croon was “the result of mastery over the details of the craft”. Even so, he made it look so easy that they called him “Mr Casual”.
Some things, however, he took very seriously.
50. He Practiced His Faith Quietly
Throughout his life and career, Perry Como was a practicing Catholic. But he never turned his beliefs into a public spectacle. In fact, even at his Long Island parish, he would always quietly slip into mass so he wouldn’t draw attention away from the altar. Even in 1952, when he and his wife were invested as Knight Commander and Lady Commander of the Holy Sepulchre, the honor only became public knowledge when Archbishop Fulton J Sheen mentioned it later.
51. He Found Peace On The Water
While Como’s TV career kept him in New York for years, he eventually found some peace and quiet in Florida. There, he spent long stretches on his boat, fishing and rehearsing with RCA tapes playing softly in the background. The quiet hours on the water became his preferred creative space. But storms—literal and otherwise—still found him.
52. He Paid A Price For A Fall
Perry Como managed to remain healthy throughout his career—mostly. He did, however, seriously injure himself in 1971 when he slipped from a stage platform. At first, it looked like he had only bruised his knee. But the next morning, when his knee had doubled in size, it was obvious that something was wrong. A later exam revealed a serious break that needed resetting—and months of recovery.
He would face even tougher health battles ahead.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
53. He Lost The Love Of His Life—And His Mind
Unlike his many crooner compatriots, Como had remained married to one woman his entire life: Roselle Belline. So, when she passed on in 1998, Como was “devastated”. Still, he kept a song for her in his heart for as long as he could, even as he battled Alzheimer’s. But then, things got complicated.
54. His Family Duked It Out
As Como’s illness grew worse, the matter of his care came down to his living will—but there was just one problem. Two of his children, Ronnie and Terri, disagreed on what he wanted. They spent the final year of his life battling as drifted farther and farther away.
Then finally, he drew his last breath on May 12, 2001—just days shy of his 89th birthday. Unquestionably, it was a life well-lived.
55. He Stayed Humble Until The End
Asked late in life how he viewed his achievements, Perry Como replied with the same humility he had lived with: “For the amount of talent I had—and I couldn’t dance, act, or tell a joke—I enjoyed a tremendous career”.
RCA Records, Wikimedia Commons
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