Julius La Rosa

Born in Brooklyn, Julius La Rosa brought to his interpretations an emphasis on lyric content and emotional depth reminiscent of Frank Sinatra during the latter’s peak years. His professional start came in 1951 when Arthur Godfrey discovered him performing at the enlisted men’s club on the Navy base in Pensacola, Florida, where Godfrey was then training for his pilot’s wings. Godfrey subsequently invited the singer to appear on his New York radio and television programs once La Rosa completed his service. After parting from Godfrey in 1953, La Rosa developed his craft through club dates and television engagements while also drawing on theatrical studies to appear in summer-stock productions of Stalag 17 and Carousel. He later mounted his own revue, An Evening with Julius La Rosa, which proved unsuccessful, leading him to retain a manager and concentrate on Las Vegas bookings. That period ended abruptly with an offer to host a disc-jockey program on WNEW in New York beginning in 1969, a role he held for the next eight years amid widespread popularity. New management at the station declined to renew his contract, returning him once more to singing and summer stock. His signature success arrived with the Sicilian number “Eh, Cumpari,” and his performance as a waiter on the daytime drama Another World earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Into his seventies he continued presenting material associated with Sammy Cahn, Johnny Mercer, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Lorenz Hart, and Cole Porter. La Rosa died in May 2016 at the age of 86.