American singer, actor, and TV personality (1912–2001)
Perry Como
Publicity still, c. 1962
Born
Pierino Ronald Como
(1912-05-18)May 18, 1912
Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died
May 12, 2001(2001-05-12) (aged 88)
Jupiter Inlet Colony, Florida, U.S.
Occupations
Singer
actor
television personality
Years active
1932–1997
Spouse
Roselle Belline
(m. 1933; died 1998)
Children
3
Musical career
Genres
Vocal pop
easy listening
Instrument(s)
Vocals
Labels
Decca
RCA Victor
Musical artist
Signature
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (/ˈkoʊmoʊ/; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an American singer, actor, and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, from 1943 until 1987.[1]
"Mr. C.", as he was nicknamed, reportedly sold over 100 million records worldwide[2][3][4] and pioneered a weekly musical variety television show. His weekly television shows and seasonal specials were broadcast throughout the world. He recorded primarily vocal pop and was renowned for recordings in the intimate, easy-listening genre pioneered by multimedia star Bing Crosby.[5] In the official RCA Records Billboard magazine memorial, his life was summed up in these few words: "50 years of music and a life well lived. An example to all."[6]
Como received five Emmys from 1955 to 1959,[7] and a Christopher Award in 1956. He also shared a Peabody Award with good friend Jackie Gleason in 1956.[8][9] He received a Kennedy Center Honor in 1987 and was inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame in 1990.[10][11][12] Posthumously, Como received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002 and was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006.[13] He has the distinction of having three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work in radio, television, and music.[14]
^"Special Perry Como RCA Victor 10th Anniversary section". Billboard. July 4, 1953. pp. 18–24. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
^"Perry Como: The Singing Barber". www.bbc.com. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
^"Legendary Crooner Perry Como Dies". MTV. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
^Thurber, Jon (May 13, 2001). "From the Archives: Perry Como, Soothing Pop Crooner, Dies at 88". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
^Gibbens Gary "Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams" published by Little, Brown
^"RCA Memorial-Perry Como". Billboard. May 26, 2001. p. 79. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
^"Primetime Emmy Database". American Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
^Moore, Jacqueline (January 5, 1957). "Perry Como: Even His Rivals Are Fans". Ottawa Citizen Magazine. pp. 40, 41, 53. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
^"Peabody Awards Honor Como and Gleason". Milwaukee Journal. April 11, 1956. Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
^Macfarlane, Malcolm; Crossland, Ken (July 6, 2009). Perry Como: A Biography and Complete Career Record. McFarland. p. 310. ISBN 978-0786486571. Retrieved April 28, 2010.
^"Hall of Fame Lists Inductees". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. December 12, 1989. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
^"Kennedy Center Honorees-Perry Como". The Kennedy Center. 1987. Archived from the original on August 28, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
^"Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for Perry Como". United Press International. February 26, 2002. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
^"Perry Como Hollywood Star Walk". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (/ˈkoʊmoʊ/; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an American singer, actor, and television personality. During a career spanning...
PerryComo was a prolific American recording artist for RCA Victor Records from 1943 until 1987, and is credited with numerous gold records. Como had...
The following is a list of selected recordings by PerryComo (all on RCA Victor except where Ted Weems orchestra is referenced; in those cases, on Decca):...
comedy lines; on the PerryComo Show, it was just the opposite, with Como getting the "last word" on Gallop. At the start of the PerryComo Show, there literally...
the Fontane Sisters and PerryComo, "PerryComo With The Fontane Sisters", containing many of the songs featured on the Como radio and television shows...
PerryComo who recorded and released his version in late 1957. The song's melody is based on a theme from Brahms' Academic Festival Overture. Perry Como's...
in 1942 during a ten-week stay. Ted Weems and His Orchestra (vocal by PerryComo – recorded on December 9, 1941 for Decca Records in Los Angeles, California...
The PerryComo Christmas Album is PerryComo's 15th RCA Victor 12" long-play album. Como is accompanied on the album by the Ray Charles Singers and an...
Texas Playboys. In 1942, PerryComo had a smash hit with "Deep in the Heart of Texas"; Crosby, who had an enormous influence on Como, covered this song and...
PerryComo was an American singer, radio and television performer whose career covered more than fifty years. He is probably best known for his television...
PerryComo in Italy is PerryComo's 14th RCA Victor 12" long-play album. "In Italy" was recorded at the RCA Italiana studios in Rome with arrangements...
v t e PerryComo Albums PerryComo Sings Merry Christmas Music (1946) So Smooth (1955) We Get Letters (1957) Saturday Night with Mr. C (1958) When You...
and Shirley Jones. There were four hit versions of the song in 1945: PerryComo (#3), Frank Sinatra (#7), Bing Crosby (#8) and Harry James (#8). In 1954...
was first recorded by Wayne Newton and subsequently by Bobby Vinton and PerryComo. The song is best known for a 1966 recording by Frank Sinatra which peaked...
PerryComo Sings Merry Christmas Music was PerryComo's first Christmas album, originally issued by RCA Victor as a 78 RPM album set in 1946. The original...
Dipinto di Blu (Volare)" – Domenico Modugno "Catch a Falling Star" – PerryComo "Fever" – Peggy Lee "The Chipmunk Song" – David Seville and the Chipmunks...
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