Mystery of the "real" Gino solved

[Roy Hobbs]

I know a lot of people are curious about this, so I'm bringing it up, even though the story doesn't end as happily as I'm sure we'd all like it to.

Dick Clark Productions, which produced "American Bandstand" until it went off the air in 1989, agreed to help locate [the real dancing "Gino"] after being contacted by The Wall Street Journal. The company reviewed old tapes and talked to former dancers to uncover the mystery. One dancer, Terry Izen of East Highlands, Calif., received a call a few weeks ago from another former dancer telling her to check out the Gino video on YouTube.

"I was like, 'Oh my God, it's Joe Massoni!'" says Ms. Izen, who says she is the redhead to the right of him in the video.

Ms. Izen, who is now 52 and is involved in theater, was a regular dancer on "American Bandstand" in the mid-1970s. She says didn't know Mr. Massoni very well but lent him the tight Gino Vannelli T-shirt. But she did remember stopping by his family's Italian restaurant in Rialto, Calif., between shootings one day.

So when she set out to find him, she began calling Rialto's Italian restaurants. No luck. She turned to the white pages of the phone book. On the second try, she reached a woman who said she was Mr. Massoni's brother's mother-in-law.

The news couldn't have been sadder. Mr. Massoni, the woman said, passed away 18 years ago from pneumonia. "I didn't want to burst everybody's bubble because it's been so neat what's been going on in Boston," Ms. Izen said. The Wall Street Journal couldn't independently verify the claim that Mr. Massoni is the deceased dancer. But Dick Clark Productions vouches for Ms. Izen's story. A spokeswoman for the San Bernardino, Calif., coroner's office confirmed that a man named Joseph R. Massoni passed away in 1990 at age 34 in Fontana, Calif. Calls to the residence of Mr. Massoni's brother weren't returned.

"If it's true, we are saddened to hear that news," says the Celtics' [team president Rich] Gotham. "'Gino' has provided a lot of enjoyment for our fans, and his spirit will live on during the NBA Finals."

Link

[cordobes]

Great piece in the WSJ about Gino. Sad news, though:

"I was like, 'Oh my God, it's Joe Massoni!'" says Ms. Izen, who says she is the redhead to the right of him in the video.

Ms. Izen, who is now 52 and is involved in theater, was a regular dancer on "American Bandstand" in the mid-1970s. She says didn't know Mr. Massoni very well but lent him the tight Gino Vannelli T-shirt. But she did remember stopping by his family's Italian restaurant in Rialto, Calif., between shootings one day.

So when she set out to find him, she began calling Rialto's Italian restaurants. No luck. She turned to the white pages of the phone book. On the second try, she reached a woman who said she was Mr. Massoni's brother's mother-in-law.

The news couldn't have been sadder. Mr. Massoni, the woman said, passed away 18 years ago from pneumonia. "I didn't want to burst everybody's bubble because it's been so neat what's been going on in Boston," Ms. Izen said. The Wall Street Journal couldn't independently verify the claim that Mr. Massoni is the deceased dancer. But Dick Clark Productions vouches for Ms. Izen's story. A spokeswoman for the San Bernardino, Calif., coroner's office confirmed that a man named Joseph R. Massoni passed away in 1990 at age 34 in Fontana, Calif. Calls to the residence of Mr. Massoni's brother weren't returned.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121269998910949901.html

Here's hoping that somehow Ms. Izen is confused about Gino's identity.

[cordobes]

... (how does one delete repeated posts?)

[Redz]

... (how does one delete repeated posts?)

You can't...Edit it out and leave it as blank as possible (or you can ask a mod to delete it for you)

[EarthBall]

Didn't see this elsewhere on the blog...




http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2008/06/gino_dances_in.html

[BudweiserCeltic]

I had my suspicions, I think he would've made himself known much earlier if he were alive, no real surprise here.

Well, such is life... let's win it for Gino.

[SShoreFan 2.0]

wow, he was only 34 when he passed away.  What a shame.

[LarBrd33]

what year is the bandstand clip?  How old would he have been?

[rondohondo]

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2008/06/gino_dances_in.html

The season-long search for the Celtics' dancing man affectionately known as Gino has come to a saddening end as the Wall Street Journal reports that the man died 18 years ago.

Joseph R. Massoni, pegged as the dancer clad in a Gino Vannelli T-shirt grooving in the American Bandstand clip that has become known as the Celtics' virtual victory cigar, reportedly passed away at age 34 in Fontana, Calif.

From the Journal:

    Dick Clark Productions, which produced "American Bandstand" until it went off the air in 1989, agreed to help locate the man after being contacted by The Wall Street Journal. The company reviewed old tapes and talked to former dancers to uncover the mystery. One dancer, Terry Izen of East Highlands, Calif., received a call a few weeks ago from another former dancer telling her to check out the Gino video on YouTube.

    "I was like, 'Oh my God, it's Joe Massoni!'" says Ms. Izen, who says she is the redhead to the right of him in the video.

    Ms. Izen, who is now 52 and is involved in theater, was a regular dancer on "American Bandstand" in the mid-1970s. She says didn't know Mr. Massoni very well but lent him the tight Gino Vannelli T-shirt. But she did remember stopping by his family's Italian restaurant in Rialto, Calif., between shootings one day.

    So when she set out to find him, she began calling Rialto's Italian restaurants. No luck. She turned to the white pages of the phone book. On the second try, she reached a woman who said she was Mr. Massoni's brother's mother-in-law.

    The news couldn't have been sadder. Mr. Massoni, the woman said, passed away 18 years ago from pneumonia. "I didn't want to burst everybody's bubble because it's been so neat what's been going on in Boston," Ms. Izen said.

    The Wall Street Journal couldn't independently verify the claim that Mr. Massoni is the deceased dancer. But Dick Clark Productions vouches for Ms. Izen's story. A spokeswoman for the San Bernardino, Calif., coroner's office confirmed that a man named Joseph R. Massoni passed away in 1990 at age 34 in Fontana, Calif. Calls to the residence of Mr. Massoni's brother weren't returned.

    "If it's true, we are saddened to hear that news," says the Celtics' Mr. Gotham. "'Gino' has provided a lot of enjoyment for our fans, and his spirit will live on during the NBA Finals."

[cdawg617]

Good find.

It's sad to hear but also nice to know that Mr. Massoni will live on not just in the hearts of his friends and family, but for Cs fans and players in Boston, even if the majority never know his name.

RIP brotha.

[Bahku]

Truly ... very sad, but also very cool, that he has become an icon of sorts posthoumously, and from complete anonimity to fame, for his memory to live on in such a positive way for his family and friends. It gives me a bit of an eerie feeling that so many people have been looking skyward to him for inspiration ... not knowing the irony of doing so. I guess there's more of him in that building than we thought! Nice to know his spirit is in such good company ... Red, Reggie, DJ, and Len ... good company, indeed.