"JOL" 2006 Obituary

JOLIFFE  JOLIVET  JOLLEY  JOLLIFFE  JOLLOW  JOLLY  JOLLYMORE  JOLY 

JOLIFFE o@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-06-08 published
CAMPBELL, Patricia A. (née MANN)
After a brief yet courageous battle with cancer, it is with great sadness that we announce the death of the beloved Patricia A. CAMPBELL (née MANN) in her 78th year on June 5, 2006 at her residence in London, Ontario, surrounded by family. Loving wife of the late George CAMPBELL. Predeceased by "Jimmy." Survived by her sister Helen and Ainslie TURNER, and brother Jack and Joan MANN. Predeceased by her brothers Father Walter MANN and Frank MANN. Cherished mother of daughter Patricia and Steve ARMSTRONG, daughter Nancy PATTERSON and Jeff JOLIFFE, daughter Kathy and Alex KOSATSCHENKO, son Thomas and Brenda STONEHOUSE, son Craig and Fatima CAMPBELL, and daughter Arlene CAMPBELL. Dear Grandmother of grand_son David and Kim PRATT, granddaughters Karey and Sara KOSATSCHENKO, granddaughter Valerie STONEHOUSE and Grandson Tyler CAMPBELL. Great grandmother of Hailey and Mackenzy PRATT. There will be a family memorial service following cremation. Patricia will be laid to rest at the Beechwood Cemetery in Forest, Ontario. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Humane Society or the Boys' and Girls' Club of London would be appreciated. Special thanks to Mary WELLMAN and the employees of Medical Priorities, Palliative Outreach Team, Community Care Access Centre and 5th floor staff at Victoria Hospital.

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JOLIFFE o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2006-10-23 published
Gino EMPRY, Agent▼ And Publicist (1925-2006)
Brassy Toronto impresario with a 1,000-name roster of show-biz clients was, deep down, a shy guy with a heart of gold, and a regular churchgoer
By Ron CSILLAG,
Special to The Globe and Mail; Globe and Mail archives, Page S8
Toronto -- He spent one night with Pearl Bailey while the singer talked about the sex life of a pomegranate until 3 a.m.
Marlene Dietrich gave him a wallet with blank cards inside after spying him fishing around in his pockets for something to scribble on. "You must always be chic," she cooed.
Tony Bennett once fixed him with a stare and asked menacingly, "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you making fun of me?"
Phyllis Diller once sent him $500 to help pay for a nose job. On the other hand, buxom Jane Russell took one look at that generous schnozz and pronounced it "big enough to fit my cleavage."
Welcome▼ to Gino EMPRY's world.
Talent agent, impresario, boulevardier and flack-turned-friend to dozens -- no darling, make that hundreds -- of stars, Mr. EMPRY was a throwback to an era when Public Relations men such as Irving "Swifty" Lazar bent the ears of such make'em-or-break'em celebrity scribes as Walter Winchell and Hedda Hopper.
For▼ over 40 years, Mr. EMPRY was a show-biz fixture in Toronto, booking the talent at the fabled Imperial Room in the Royal York Hotel, hyping his stable to pretty much anyone who listened, befriending cops, doormen, tough guys and starving artists. Dubbed the father of celebrity publicity in Canada, it's probably no exaggeration to say he rubbed shoulders with every famous name in, well, the Western Hemisphere.
His 1,000-name roster of clients included, at various times, Mr. Bennett, Peggy Lee, Deborah Kerr, Cher, Jack Lemmon, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Hope, Eartha Kitt, Peter O'Toole and, closer to home, Ronnie Hawkins, William Hutt, Karen Kain, Anne Murray and Roch Voisine. The only person he regretted not having worked with was Clark Gable. "But he's dead," Mr. EMPRY once observed. "Otherwise, I've met all the others."
His forte was the personal touch. "He and I hit it off quite well," recalled Ms. Murray. "He was always so flamboyant and we always had good laughs. He used to say to me, 'when are we gonna have dinner?' And, of course, we never had dinner. But every year he sent me a Christmas card -- every single year since 1971 -- and he handwrote on every one, 'when are we gonna have dinner?' "
It was a God-given gift, he told The Globe and Mail in a 1996 spread. "That's why stars trust me and why they have done things for me that they wouldn't do for other people."
Like the time he talked British singer Petula Clark into taking over a laryngitis-stricken Mr. Bennett's Toronto gig on one day's notice. Or when the Toronto police force "begged" Mr. EMPRY to get Hal Linden, then television's Captain Barney Miller, to appear at one of their bashes. "He said yes to me, and I guess that's partly why I have half the police force as my Friends," Mr. EMPRY recalled with satisfaction. "I just looove policemen."
And they loved him back. At his legendary parties, whether at the Royal York or at his knick-knack-filled, white-carpeted, shagadelic downtown pad, "half the Toronto police was there, and that's one reason he could park anywhere at any time, no questions asked," recalled Mary JOLLIFFE, who served as the Stratford Festival's first communications director. "He never paid a parking ticket -- ever," confirmed Helga STEPHENSON, a Toronto film promoter.
Mr. EMPRY was a character in a character's world. "People tell me, 'Gino, you don't walk into a room, you make an appearance.' " It was a trick he learned from Bernadette Peters. "She told me once, 'Gino, do you know how you get the best table in a restaurant? You walk to the front of the line and look imperious.' "
The▼ look came naturally. The family name was EMPERATORE, from the Italian imperatore, meaning emperor or commander, or, to Mr. EMPRY, of the Caesars. "And my police Friends tell me I am like a Caesar, always ordering people around."
It was an unlikely trait for a pallid, elfin guy, barely 5 feet 6 inches (when not wearing his favourite two-inch heels), a Kim Jong-il-style bouffant 'do, silk ascot, and jewellery -- lots of it, as befitting someone with such distinguished roots. Around his neck was a multicoloured ammolite pendant -- a gift, he said, from Ella Fitzgerald. The heavy gold bracelet was from Tony Bennett, the Mickey Mouse watch from Kay Ballard, the diamond pinky ring from Glenda Jackson, and the goldfish charm from Lena Horne. A chunky signet ring flashed the family coat of arms: a star and a half-moon topped by a chivalric helmet, anchored by the banner, "Emperatore." This bit of heraldry also adorned Mr. EMPRY's gold-embossed business cards.
At his zenith, he managed Mr. Bennett worldwide for a dozen years, but not Robert Goulet, as has been reported. "Gino and I were Friends," said Mr. Goulet on the phone. "He did Public Relations for me in Canada. We loved him dearly." And then, he popped the most hotly debated question about Mr. EMPRY: " How▼ old was he?" Told an estimate, Mr. Goulet seemed shocked. "Holy mackerel! He never looked it."
Like▼ Jack▼ Benny▼ plus a decade, Mr. EMPRY was eternally 49. "I'm not vain," he insisted. "I just go to great lengths to look better than I am." He would say, with a straight face, that he was born in 1949, though biographical material says he graduated from the University of Toronto in 1961 at what would have been the precocious age of 12 (one unconvinced wag quipped that Mr. EMPRY "seems to have represented everyone from Sir Wilfrid Laurier to Ella Fitzgerald"). He was also coy about his credentials those close to him say he had been a bona fide chartered accountant.
One thing that might surprise people who couldn't see beyond the glitz -- Mr. EMPRY was, deep down, a shy guy with a heart of gold, and a regular churchgoer to boot.
"Everybody's talking about what a character he was and all the stars he dealt with, but nobody has said how helpful he was to a lot of unknowns... all the small companies starting out," said Sylvia SHAWN, who was Mr. EMPRY's partner for 20 years. "Whoever asked for help, got it."
And it was a long list: the Actors Fund of Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society, DareArts, Easter Seals, the Ontario Musical Arts Centre, juvenile diabetes, Israel Bonds and the Variety Club of Ontario, to name a few. In 1993, he received the city of Toronto's highest honour, the Award of Merit, and three years later, was guest of honour at a tribute from Famous People Players, the renowned black-light theatre company, one of his favourite causes.
Long-time Imperial Room maitre d' Louis JANNETTA, famous for refusing Bob Dylan entrance because the singer wasn't wearing a tie, recalled Mr. EMPRY's creation of "Gypsy nights" -- when the cover charge was dropped at the venue for young theatre unknowns.
"We allowed all the [local] theatres -- the Limelight, the Mousetrap, Second City -- to come for the late show on Thursdays of opening week without a cover charge." A lot of young artists came, John Candy among them, and to Mr. JANNETTA's consternation, their dress was not up to the room's formal standards. "I provided jackets for them," he noted. Mr. EMPRY "was a genius in his own right."
The eldest of nine children, Gino was the son of Arturo EMPERATORE, who came to Canada from a rural region outside Rome, and Lucy FLAMMINIO of Toronto, who was 15 when she gave birth to him. The couple ran a small grocery store and butcher shop, where the young Gino cut off the top of two of his fingers in a meat-slicing machine.
Mr. EMPRY remembered being "wretchedly poor. We had to count our pennies. In the Italian ghetto, there were gangsters and rough types. I used to get beat up because I liked school. I remember my mother telling me, 'There's more than one way to fight a battle. Use your tongue.' So I learned to use my mouth which is very useful in my business!"
He developed a love of the theatre while at Saint Mary of the Angels Separate School in Toronto. He acted with Catholic youth groups before joining an all-boys acting ensemble at Saint Michael's College. "I played Portia and Juliet because I was small."
He had an uneasy relationship with his parents and left home early. His father was distant at best. "My father was a wonderful man, but very shy, and never a father figure to me. So I kept looking for strong men to give me what I felt I needed -- authority. Being of Caesarean heritage… I'm both a gladiator and a slave. I'm a slave to my work and I'm a perfectionist. I insist on things being done right. There are no loose ends with me."
His first job was as a night auditor for a trucking company. Later, he worked as a systems analyst for a transportation firm, while appearing in some 50 amateur theatre productions, including what he'd refer to as his best performance -- in Teahouse of the August Moon. But he yearned for more, and plunked down $2,000 for a career consultant, who advised him to take two years to get a toehold in entertainment. Mr. EMPRY wrote hundreds of letters to radio producers, theatre owners -- anyone who might give him a break.
It happened in 1964, when the contacts he'd made at the Ontario Drama▼ League▼ led him to Ed MIRVISH of Honest Ed's discount store fame. Mr. MIRVISH needed a boost for his recently purchased Royal Alexander Theatre. To compete, it had to draw the big names away from the rival O'Keefe Centre, and Mr. EMPRY was hired. Emboldened, he formed his own booking and public-relations agency. "I started at the top," he said later. "You couldn't get any better than the Royal Alex at the time. I got $100 a week." Things only improved when the Irish Rovers signed him as their international publicist.
In 1970, he became entertainment director/Public Relations consultant for the 500-seat Imperial Room, then the country's top nightclub. In addition to A-list celebs, he booked female impersonators and Las-Vegas-style revues. Mr. Bennett, among the top acts, insisted on the same suite at the Royal York, one that faced east fronting the gilded Royal Bank Tower (the crooner's paintings adorned the walls of Mr. EMPRY's condo.) Count Basie was "the very essence of cool." Raquel Welch was "pretty, but not glamorous." Mr. EMPRY and dancer Cyd Charisse used "to sit for hours talking about everything under the sun… I never got tired of looking at those incredible legs."
The▼ Imperial▼ Room▼ closed in 1989 and in 1991, Mr. EMPRY was abruptly dismissed from the MIRVISH account by Honest Ed's son, David.
He soldiered on with corporate shilling, including for Playboy magazine in Canada. Three years ago, he couldn't have bought juicier publicity than when he orchestrated a handshake and chit-chat between Aline Chrétien, prim wife of the then-prime-minister, and Tailor James, a well-endowed Toronto-born Playmate of the Month. Organizers of the charity event were miffed, but it got tongues wagging. The news media took note, but dismissed it as "a tempest in a D cup."
More▼ recently, Mr. EMPRY farmed himself out, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, as "the Happiness Guru" ($100 for a one-hour session), inspired by sultry singer Peggy Lee, who referred to Mr. EMPRY in her autobiography by that 1960s tag. When he asked why, she replied: "Think about it, Gino. We are considered as stars in the entertainment industry but we are misused, abused, taken advantage of and left stranded in embarrassing situations that have nothing to do with what we really are all about.
"Along▼ comes baby-faced Gino EMPRY, and he really cares. He understands our concerns, our worries and our needs. Even more important, he doesn't pander to the vanities we parade to our unsuspecting fans. He seems to know our weaknesses and treats them with love and respect. He really loves us!"
He really did. "He was very good to his clients, very loyal," Ms. JOLIFFE said. "He often worked around the clock for them."
Of course, there was his dark side. "To know Gino was, at one point, to have had a fight with him," said Ms. Stephenson. "He could be infuriating one moment and endearing the next."
A temper that fuelled more than a few thrown telephones got him into hot water in 1989 after an altercation with a woman in the lobby of the building that housed his million-dollar condo. The judge didn't buy his plea of self-defence, and he was fined $1,000. "I haven't used a lawyer since," he said, years later.
The▼ appearance of Mr. EMPRY's memoirs was a foregone conclusion. He wanted to call them You Star, Me Gino, but the 2002 volume was titled I Belong to the Stars, a collection of piquant tales ranging from procuring hashish for Peter O'Toole, to getting Cher an Eaton's credit card, to fending off the advances of Xaviera (the Happy Hooker) Hollander.
Last year, he corralled support from musicians and performers in Toronto in an event to shine a light on increased gun violence in the city. This past summer, it was rumoured that he was working on a bash to celebrate the city's burgeoning Chinese population.
Mr. EMPRY never married, not even to his companion of 20 years, psychic Nikki PEZARO. He knew he occasionally rivalled the celebrity of some of his clients but "I'm a person in my own right, so why not?"
Gino EMPRY was born in Toronto on, it is believed, October 11, 1925, and died there on October 14, 2006, after suffering complications from a stroke that occurred in July. He was 81.

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JOLIVET o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.toronto_star 2006-04-23 published
GRECE, Frederick Donald
Peacefully, on Friday, April 21, 2006 at Credit Valley Hospital in his 76th year. Beloved husband of Estelle. Devoted father of Debbie MARINANGELI (Michael) and Donna NIELSEN (Ted.) Don was the proud grandfather of Christopher, Geoffrey, Andrew, Sarah and Scott. Donald is predeceased by his parents Maranda STEELE and Frederick GRECE as well as his sister Jane JOLIVET. Donald will be mourned by countless family, Friends and colleagues. Friends will be received at the Neweduk Funeral Home - "Mississauga Chapel", 1981 Dundas St. W. (1 block east of Erin Mills Pkwy.), on Monday, April 24, 2006 from 6-9 p.m. A complete funeral service will be held in the chapel on Tuesday at 11 a.m. Cremation to follow. As expressions of sympathy, donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or the charity of your choice.

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JOLLEY o@ca.on.grey_county.owen_sound.the_sun_times 2006-01-16 published
CRAMP, J. Murray
At the Meaford Long Term Care Facility on Sunday January 15, 2006. Murray CRAMP of Meaford, beloved husband of the former Jane HILLIS, at the age of 78. Loving father of Bonnie JOLLEY of Meaford, Kathryn (Glen) McCUTCHEON also of Meaford, Elizabeth (Arthur) HOUSE of Cambridge, Robert (Brenda) CRAMP of Wasaga Beach, David (Shannon) CRAMP of Owen Sound and Michael (Chris) CRAMP of Meaford. Predeceased by a son William. Sadly missed by many grandchildren and several great-grandchildren and fondly remembered by his nieces and nephews and their families. Brother of Isabel CRAMP and Marjorie (Don) DAVISON of Meaford and Kathryn CRAMP of Vancouver, British Columbia. Predeceased by brothers Lloyd and Ross (Verla) CRAMP. In keeping with Murray's wishes, a private family service of committal and interment of his cremated remains, officiated by Reverend Judith OLIVER, will be conducted at Lakeview Cemetery in Meaford on Wednesday January 18, 2006. As your expression of sympathy, donations to the Meaford Nursing Home Auxiliary or the Ontario Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated and may be made through the Ferguson Funeral Home. 48 Boucher St. E., Meaford, N4L 1B9 (538-1320) to whom arrangements have been entrusted.

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JOLLEY o@ca.on.grey_county.owen_sound.the_sun_times 2006-10-17 published
ROBERTSON, Ruth Elaine (née SWORD)
Suddenly, at her home at R.R.#1, Bognor, on Sunday, October 15th, 2006. Ruth Elaine ROBERTSON (née SWORD,) of R.R.#1, Bognor, in her 63rd year. Dearly beloved wife of Dave ROBERTSON. Loving mother of Heather GOWAN and her husband, Bill, of Elsinor, Barb HUTCHINSON/HUTCHISON and her husband, Darryl, of Meaford, Kathy McKIBBON and her husband, Wayne, of Chatsworth and Les ROBERTSON and his wife, Heather, of R.R.#6, Owen Sound. Proud grandmother of Jason and Ryan VAIL; David and Natasha JOLLEY; Lauren McKIBBON; David, Emma, Kyle and Hayden ROBERTSON; Amber, Jocelyn, Devin and Joel HUTCHINSON/HUTCHISON. Dear sister of Ron (Shirley) SWORD, Bill (Lynn) SWORD, Murray (Eileen) SWORD; Doug (Jean) SWORD, Jean (Russel) DIAMOND and Peggy (Dennis) RINNER. Ruth will be sadly missed by her in-laws, Mary (Orval) KALINOWSKI and Alex (Shirley) ROBERTSON. Predeceased by her parents, John and Alice SWORD; her brother, Wayne SWORD her father and mother-in-law, Les and Elizabeth ROBERTSON and her sister-in-law, Jean ROBERTSON. Friends may call at the Brian E. Wood Funeral Home, 250 - 14th Street West, Owen Sound (519-376-7492) on Wednesday evening from 7: 00-9:00 p.m. A Funeral Service for Ruth ROBERTSON will be held in the Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday, October 19th, 2006 at 11: 00 a.m. with Doctor Brad CLARK officiating. Interment in McLean's Cemetery, Bognor. If so desired, the family would appreciate donations to the Grey Bruce Health Services Foundation as your expression of sympathy.

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JOLLEY o@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-10-14 published
GOWER, William Hugh Albert
Died peacefully on Friday October 13, 2006 at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital. He fought a courageous battle with lung cancer. He leaves behind his loving wife Mary Ellen (O'NEILL) GOWER and 4 children and 7 grandchildren; James Douglas (Helen) GOWER and sons Michael and Mark; Cynthia Bridget (William) KING and daughters Bridget and Jocelyn and son Brendan; Larry Albert Thomas (Caroline) GOWER and daughter Julia; Anna Rose (Vaughn) FORSYTH and son Peter William. Bill was born to Thaddeys Albert GOWER and Rosetta Kathleen (McGUIRE) GOWER, now both deceased, in Westfield East Wawanosh Twp. Bill is survived by siblings; Shirley (Donald) JOLLEY of Burlington, Delores (William) SOUCH of R.R.##3 Blyth, The late David GOWER, John (Ruth) GOWER of Goderich, Donald James (Joan) of Clinton and Sue GOWER (Bob SHEPPARD) of Goderich. Also brother-in-law T. Edward (Joyce) O'NEILL of Clinton and sister-in-law Margaret Ann (Larry) HARRISON and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held at McCallum and Palla Funeral Home, Cambria Rd. at East St. Goderich, on Sunday from 3-5 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Saint_Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Kingsbridge on Monday October 16, 2006 at 11 a.m. Interment Saint_Joseph's Catholic Cemetery. Flowers gratefully declined, memorial donations to Saint_Joseph's Catholic Church Building Fund or Mocha Shrine Club.

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JOLLIFFE o@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-01-24 published
LOGAN, Bernice Margaret (née SMITH)
Passed away peacefully at Chelsey Park Nursing Home, London on January 22, 2006 in her 94th year. Predeceased by her parents William C. SMITH (1962) and Sadie (née GRAY/GREY) (1935) and sister Irene (1944). Bernice was the beloved wife of the late C. Murray LOGAN (1993) of Crumlin. Cherished and loving mother of Bob LOGAN and his wife Linda of London. Also loved by grand_son Michael LOGAN and his mother Viviane. Fondly remembered by Linda's daughter Amanda McWHA. She is also survived by sisters Ruby (Reginald HOLLEY) and Lillian JOLLIFFE (wife of the late Ewart JOLLIFFE 1997.) She will be sadly missed by nephews Roger JOLLIFFE (Judy) and Tom JOLLIFFE (Paulette) and nieces Nancy (Pat KELLY) and Cathy (Steve FODEMESI) and their families. Bernice was a Member Emeritus of the Registered Nurses of Ontario. Relatives and Friends may call at the Lloyd R. Needham Funeral Chapel (520 Dundas St. London) on Wednesday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. where a celebration of Bernice's life will be conducted on Thursday, January 26th, 2006 at 10: 00 a.m. Interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. In memory of Bernice, contributions to the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be greatly appreciated.

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JOLLIFFE o@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-01-31 published
CORNISH, Frank
At Alexandra Hospital, Ingersoll on Sunday, January 29, 2006, Frank CORNISH, of R.R.#2, Mt. Elgin, in his 89th year. Husband of the late Grace (JOLLIFFE) CORNISH (1992.) Dear father of Mary Lou CORNISH and Kathleen DODSWORTH and her husband Jad all of Fergus. Cherished friend of Edna MacINTYRE of Springfield. Beloved grandfather of Erica DYCE and husband Wayne of Fergus, Darren MORE and wife Pam of Palmerston and Braden MORE of Fergus. Adopted grandfather of Heather COBURN and husband Jeff and Holly DODSWORTH all of Fergus. Proud great grandfather of Russel, Spencer, Troy and Quinn DYCE and Daphnie MORE. Friends will be received at the McBeath-Dynes Funeral Home, 246 Thames St. S., Ingersoll Wednesday 2: 30-4:30 and -9 p.m. where funeral service will be held on Thursday, February 2, 2006 at 11: 00 a.m. Pastor Jeff ROCKWELL of Springfield Baptist Church officiating. Interment later Mt. Elgin Cemetery. Memorial donations to the Ontario Heart & Stroke Foundation or Alexandra Hospital Foundation would be appreciated.

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JOLLIFFE o@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-06-26 published
NIELSON, Gertrude (LARCHER)
Of London, widow of Hans peacefully passed away on June 24th, 2006 at London Health Sciences Centre Victoria Hospital with family by her side after a courageous battle with cancer in her 80th year. Cherished and devoted mother to Madeleine (Art) LAIR, Norman (Juliana) and Rita. She will be remembered by her grandchildren Roger (Alison) LAIR, Sherry-Lynn (Phil) FREEMAN, William (Kristie) JOLLIFFE, Katherine (David) ADAM/ADAMS, Christopher, Lance and Scott. Known as G.G. to great-grandchildren Siniece, Siara, Brock, Seth, Philip, Damian, William, and Zoe. She is also remembered by her siblings Alertine, Lucille, Gilberte, Bernadette and Rheo. The Nielson family will receive Friends on Monday from 7-9 p.m. and one hour prior to the service which will be conducted in the chapel at the A. Millard George Funeral Home, 60 Ridout Street South, London on Tuesday, June 27th at 1 p.m. with Reverend Pansileta A. ROWBOTHAM, officiating. Interment to follow at Woodland Cemetery. On line condolences accepted at www.amgeorgefh.on.ca

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JOLLIFFE o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2006-10-23 published
Gino EMPRY, Agent▲ And Publicist (1925-2006)
Brassy Toronto impresario with a 1,000-name roster of show-biz clients was, deep down, a shy guy with a heart of gold, and a regular churchgoer
By Ron CSILLAG,
Special to The Globe and Mail; Globe and Mail archives, Page S8
Toronto -- He spent one night with Pearl Bailey while the singer talked about the sex life of a pomegranate until 3 a.m.
Marlene Dietrich gave him a wallet with blank cards inside after spying him fishing around in his pockets for something to scribble on. "You must always be chic," she cooed.
Tony Bennett once fixed him with a stare and asked menacingly, "What the hell is that supposed to mean? Are you making fun of me?"
Phyllis Diller once sent him $500 to help pay for a nose job. On the other hand, buxom Jane Russell took one look at that generous schnozz and pronounced it "big enough to fit my cleavage."
Welcome▲ to Gino EMPRY's world.
Talent agent, impresario, boulevardier and flack-turned-friend to dozens -- no darling, make that hundreds -- of stars, Mr. EMPRY was a throwback to an era when Public Relations men such as Irving "Swifty" Lazar bent the ears of such make'em-or-break'em celebrity scribes as Walter Winchell and Hedda Hopper.
For▲ over 40 years, Mr. EMPRY was a show-biz fixture in Toronto, booking the talent at the fabled Imperial Room in the Royal York Hotel, hyping his stable to pretty much anyone who listened, befriending cops, doormen, tough guys and starving artists. Dubbed the father of celebrity publicity in Canada, it's probably no exaggeration to say he rubbed shoulders with every famous name in, well, the Western Hemisphere.
His 1,000-name roster of clients included, at various times, Mr. Bennett, Peggy Lee, Deborah Kerr, Cher, Jack Lemmon, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Hope, Eartha Kitt, Peter O'Toole and, closer to home, Ronnie Hawkins, William Hutt, Karen Kain, Anne Murray and Roch Voisine. The only person he regretted not having worked with was Clark Gable. "But he's dead," Mr. EMPRY once observed. "Otherwise, I've met all the others."
His forte was the personal touch. "He and I hit it off quite well," recalled Ms. Murray. "He was always so flamboyant and we always had good laughs. He used to say to me, 'when are we gonna have dinner?' And, of course, we never had dinner. But every year he sent me a Christmas card -- every single year since 1971 -- and he handwrote on every one, 'when are we gonna have dinner?' "
It was a God-given gift, he told The Globe and Mail in a 1996 spread. "That's why stars trust me and why they have done things for me that they wouldn't do for other people."
Like the time he talked British singer Petula Clark into taking over a laryngitis-stricken Mr. Bennett's Toronto gig on one day's notice. Or when the Toronto police force "begged" Mr. EMPRY to get Hal Linden, then television's Captain Barney Miller, to appear at one of their bashes. "He said yes to me, and I guess that's partly why I have half the police force as my Friends," Mr. EMPRY recalled with satisfaction. "I just looove policemen."
And they loved him back. At his legendary parties, whether at the Royal York or at his knick-knack-filled, white-carpeted, shagadelic downtown pad, "half the Toronto police was there, and that's one reason he could park anywhere at any time, no questions asked," recalled Mary JOLLIFFE, who served as the Stratford Festival's first communications director. "He never paid a parking ticket -- ever," confirmed Helga STEPHENSON, a Toronto film promoter.
Mr. EMPRY was a character in a character's world. "People tell me, 'Gino, you don't walk into a room, you make an appearance.' " It was a trick he learned from Bernadette Peters. "She told me once, 'Gino, do you know how you get the best table in a restaurant? You walk to the front of the line and look imperious.' "
The▲ look came naturally. The family name was EMPERATORE, from the Italian imperatore, meaning emperor or commander, or, to Mr. EMPRY, of the Caesars. "And my police Friends tell me I am like a Caesar, always ordering people around."
It was an unlikely trait for a pallid, elfin guy, barely 5 feet 6 inches (when not wearing his favourite two-inch heels), a Kim Jong-il-style bouffant 'do, silk ascot, and jewellery -- lots of it, as befitting someone with such distinguished roots. Around his neck was a multicoloured ammolite pendant -- a gift, he said, from Ella Fitzgerald. The heavy gold bracelet was from Tony Bennett, the Mickey Mouse watch from Kay Ballard, the diamond pinky ring from Glenda Jackson, and the goldfish charm from Lena Horne. A chunky signet ring flashed the family coat of arms: a star and a half-moon topped by a chivalric helmet, anchored by the banner, "Emperatore." This bit of heraldry also adorned Mr. EMPRY's gold-embossed business cards.
At his zenith, he managed Mr. Bennett worldwide for a dozen years, but not Robert Goulet, as has been reported. "Gino and I were Friends," said Mr. Goulet on the phone. "He did Public Relations for me in Canada. We loved him dearly." And then, he popped the most hotly debated question about Mr. EMPRY: " How▲ old was he?" Told an estimate, Mr. Goulet seemed shocked. "Holy mackerel! He never looked it."
Like▲ Jack▲ Benny▲ plus a decade, Mr. EMPRY was eternally 49. "I'm not vain," he insisted. "I just go to great lengths to look better than I am." He would say, with a straight face, that he was born in 1949, though biographical material says he graduated from the University of Toronto in 1961 at what would have been the precocious age of 12 (one unconvinced wag quipped that Mr. EMPRY "seems to have represented everyone from Sir Wilfrid Laurier to Ella Fitzgerald"). He was also coy about his credentials those close to him say he had been a bona fide chartered accountant.
One thing that might surprise people who couldn't see beyond the glitz -- Mr. EMPRY was, deep down, a shy guy with a heart of gold, and a regular churchgoer to boot.
"Everybody's talking about what a character he was and all the stars he dealt with, but nobody has said how helpful he was to a lot of unknowns... all the small companies starting out," said Sylvia SHAWN, who was Mr. EMPRY's partner for 20 years. "Whoever asked for help, got it."
And it was a long list: the Actors Fund of Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society, DareArts, Easter Seals, the Ontario Musical Arts Centre, juvenile diabetes, Israel Bonds and the Variety Club of Ontario, to name a few. In 1993, he received the city of Toronto's highest honour, the Award of Merit, and three years later, was guest of honour at a tribute from Famous People Players, the renowned black-light theatre company, one of his favourite causes.
Long-time Imperial Room maitre d' Louis JANNETTA, famous for refusing Bob Dylan entrance because the singer wasn't wearing a tie, recalled Mr. EMPRY's creation of "Gypsy nights" -- when the cover charge was dropped at the venue for young theatre unknowns.
"We allowed all the [local] theatres -- the Limelight, the Mousetrap, Second City -- to come for the late show on Thursdays of opening week without a cover charge." A lot of young artists came, John Candy among them, and to Mr. JANNETTA's consternation, their dress was not up to the room's formal standards. "I provided jackets for them," he noted. Mr. EMPRY "was a genius in his own right."
The eldest of nine children, Gino was the son of Arturo EMPERATORE, who came to Canada from a rural region outside Rome, and Lucy FLAMMINIO of Toronto, who was 15 when she gave birth to him. The couple ran a small grocery store and butcher shop, where the young Gino cut off the top of two of his fingers in a meat-slicing machine.
Mr. EMPRY remembered being "wretchedly poor. We had to count our pennies. In the Italian ghetto, there were gangsters and rough types. I used to get beat up because I liked school. I remember my mother telling me, 'There's more than one way to fight a battle. Use your tongue.' So I learned to use my mouth which is very useful in my business!"
He developed a love of the theatre while at Saint Mary of the Angels Separate School in Toronto. He acted with Catholic youth groups before joining an all-boys acting ensemble at Saint Michael's College. "I played Portia and Juliet because I was small."
He had an uneasy relationship with his parents and left home early. His father was distant at best. "My father was a wonderful man, but very shy, and never a father figure to me. So I kept looking for strong men to give me what I felt I needed -- authority. Being of Caesarean heritage… I'm both a gladiator and a slave. I'm a slave to my work and I'm a perfectionist. I insist on things being done right. There are no loose ends with me."
His first job was as a night auditor for a trucking company. Later, he worked as a systems analyst for a transportation firm, while appearing in some 50 amateur theatre productions, including what he'd refer to as his best performance -- in Teahouse of the August Moon. But he yearned for more, and plunked down $2,000 for a career consultant, who advised him to take two years to get a toehold in entertainment. Mr. EMPRY wrote hundreds of letters to radio producers, theatre owners -- anyone who might give him a break.
It happened in 1964, when the contacts he'd made at the Ontario Drama▲ League▲ led him to Ed MIRVISH of Honest Ed's discount store fame. Mr. MIRVISH needed a boost for his recently purchased Royal Alexander Theatre. To compete, it had to draw the big names away from the rival O'Keefe Centre, and Mr. EMPRY was hired. Emboldened, he formed his own booking and public-relations agency. "I started at the top," he said later. "You couldn't get any better than the Royal Alex at the time. I got $100 a week." Things only improved when the Irish Rovers signed him as their international publicist.
In 1970, he became entertainment director/Public Relations consultant for the 500-seat Imperial Room, then the country's top nightclub. In addition to A-list celebs, he booked female impersonators and Las-Vegas-style revues. Mr. Bennett, among the top acts, insisted on the same suite at the Royal York, one that faced east fronting the gilded Royal Bank Tower (the crooner's paintings adorned the walls of Mr. EMPRY's condo.) Count Basie was "the very essence of cool." Raquel Welch was "pretty, but not glamorous." Mr. EMPRY and dancer Cyd Charisse used "to sit for hours talking about everything under the sun… I never got tired of looking at those incredible legs."
The▲ Imperial▲ Room▲ closed in 1989 and in 1991, Mr. EMPRY was abruptly dismissed from the MIRVISH account by Honest Ed's son, David.
He soldiered on with corporate shilling, including for Playboy magazine in Canada. Three years ago, he couldn't have bought juicier publicity than when he orchestrated a handshake and chit-chat between Aline Chrétien, prim wife of the then-prime-minister, and Tailor James, a well-endowed Toronto-born Playmate of the Month. Organizers of the charity event were miffed, but it got tongues wagging. The news media took note, but dismissed it as "a tempest in a D cup."
More▲ recently, Mr. EMPRY farmed himself out, perhaps tongue-in-cheek, as "the Happiness Guru" ($100 for a one-hour session), inspired by sultry singer Peggy Lee, who referred to Mr. EMPRY in her autobiography by that 1960s tag. When he asked why, she replied: "Think about it, Gino. We are considered as stars in the entertainment industry but we are misused, abused, taken advantage of and left stranded in embarrassing situations that have nothing to do with what we really are all about.
"Along▲ comes baby-faced Gino EMPRY, and he really cares. He understands our concerns, our worries and our needs. Even more important, he doesn't pander to the vanities we parade to our unsuspecting fans. He seems to know our weaknesses and treats them with love and respect. He really loves us!"
He really did. "He was very good to his clients, very loyal," Ms. JOLIFFE said. "He often worked around the clock for them."
Of course, there was his dark side. "To know Gino was, at one point, to have had a fight with him," said Ms. Stephenson. "He could be infuriating one moment and endearing the next."
A temper that fuelled more than a few thrown telephones got him into hot water in 1989 after an altercation with a woman in the lobby of the building that housed his million-dollar condo. The judge didn't buy his plea of self-defence, and he was fined $1,000. "I haven't used a lawyer since," he said, years later.
The▲ appearance of Mr. EMPRY's memoirs was a foregone conclusion. He wanted to call them You Star, Me Gino, but the 2002 volume was titled I Belong to the Stars, a collection of piquant tales ranging from procuring hashish for Peter O'Toole, to getting Cher an Eaton's credit card, to fending off the advances of Xaviera (the Happy Hooker) Hollander.
Last year, he corralled support from musicians and performers in Toronto in an event to shine a light on increased gun violence in the city. This past summer, it was rumoured that he was working on a bash to celebrate the city's burgeoning Chinese population.
Mr. EMPRY never married, not even to his companion of 20 years, psychic Nikki PEZARO. He knew he occasionally rivalled the celebrity of some of his clients but "I'm a person in my own right, so why not?"
Gino EMPRY was born in Toronto on, it is believed, October 11, 1925, and died there on October 14, 2006, after suffering complications from a stroke that occurred in July. He was 81.

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JOLLOW o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.toronto_star 2006-01-10 published
CAMPLIN, Ron
Entered into rest at Lakeridge Health Services in Port Perry on Sunday, January 8th, 2006. Ronald CAMPLIN, in his 75th year, was the beloved husband of Eleanor BAGSHAW. Loving father of Roy (Margie) of Beaverton, Marie (Bill) JOLLOW of Beaverton, Mervin (Mandy) of Stirling and Faye (Larry) DURAND of Beaverton. Dear brother of Bob of Lindsay, Earl of Whitby and Jean (Mrs. Cliff RODD) of Greenbank. Dearly remembered by ten grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Friends are invited to call at the Thorne Memorial Chapel in Sunderland on Tuesday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral Service from Vroomanton United Church near Sunderland on Wednesday, January 11th, 2006 at 2: 00 p.m. Interment Bagshaw Cemetery. As a remembrance, donations to Vroomanton United Church or a charity of your choice, would be appreciated by the family.

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JOLLY o@ca.on.grey_county.owen_sound.the_sun_times 2006-12-19 published
EYRE, Earle Wilson " Bill"
Peacefully, at the Grey Bruce Health Services in Owen Sound, on Sunday, December 17th, 2006. Earle Wilson (Bill) EYRE, of Owen Sound, in his 75th year. Dearly beloved husband of Helen EYRE (née SHOWERS.) Loving father of Gordon EYRE and his wife, Barbara, of Chatsworth, Brenda GREEN and her husband, David, of Owen Sound, Susan COWLING and her husband, Dennis, of Ottawa, Edward EYRE, of Owen Sound, Linda QUESNEL and her husband, Steve WHITE/WHYTE, of Sarnia and Sherry CORNFIELD and her husband, Barry, of Wiarton. Proud grandfather of seventeen grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. Dear brother of Wayne (Karie) EYRE, of British Columbia, Donna (Jerry) ROBINSON, of Lindsay and Irene (Gil) JOLLY, of Owen Sound. Bill will be missed by his sister-in-law, Evelyn WAITE. Predeceased by his parents, Thomas and Dorothy EYRE; his brother, Lynold WAITE; his sisters, Pat WALPOLE and Elaine BROWN. Friends may call at the Brian E. Wood Funeral Home, 250 - 14th Street West, Owen Sound (519-376-7492) on Wednesday evening from 7: 00-9:00 p.m. A Funeral Service for Bill EYRE will be held in the Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday, December 21st, 2006 at 11: 00 a.m. with Rev. David STEAD officiating. Spring interment in Bayview Cemetery, Wiarton. If so desired, the family would appreciate donations to the Alzheimer Society or the charity of your choice as your expression of sympathy.

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JOLLY o@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-11-24 published
WOOD, George Douglas
Peacefully at Vision Nursing Home surrounded by his loved ones on Tuesday, November 21, 2006 George Douglas WOOD, age 89, a life long resident of Sarnia. Beloved husband of Annie Janette (Harwood) WOOD. Loved father of Ken (Sylvia) WOOD, Ray (Debra) WOOD, Jeff (Lorna) WOOD, Brenda WOOD and Marlene WOOD. Grandfather of Sean, Stephanie, Jason, Jade, Everett, Cis, Grayson, Khayman and great-grandfather of Jake. Survived by brothers-in-law Charles HARWOOD (Ruby HICKEN), Norman (Margarett) HARWOOD, Reginald, Frank, Bert HARWOOD, and many nieces and nephews in Canada, U.S.A. and Britain. Predeceased by his parents Frank and Margaret WOOD, brother Capt. Gerald WOOD (CSL) and sisters Margaret WOOD (Fred) and Catherine JOLLY (Neil) and sister-in-law Dorothy HARWOOD. George was a member of St. Bartholomew's Anglican Church and the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 62. He was a World War Two veteran, worked at Imperial Oil for 35 years and was a 58 year member of Liberty Lodge No. 419 A.F.& A.M., a member of the York Rite Hiawatha Chapter No. 252 R.A.M.(Gold Award Member), Riblah Council, Knight's Templar (Award of Merit), Ambassador Emeritus of the Mocha Shrine, and the Lambton Shrine Club, former S.M.A.A. softball coach, past Secretary/Treasurer of the former School Section #5 Sarnia Township and a long term member of Saint_James Anglican Church, Board of Management, and volunteer with Christ Anglican Church Cub Pack. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, November 25, 2006 at 1: 00 p.m. at Smith Funeral Home, 1576 London Line, Sarnia. Interment in Lakeview Cemetery. Family and Friends will be received at Smith Funeral Home on Friday afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. and evening from 7 to 9 p.m. Liberty Lodge #419 will be conducting a Masonic Service held at the funeral home on Friday evening at 6: 30 p.m. Sympathy through donations to the Alzheimer Society, the Cryptic Right Foundation (Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Research) Memories and condolences may be sent online at www.smithfuneralhome.ca

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JOLLY o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.toronto_star 2006-03-07 published
JOLLY, R.W. "Bob"
Passed away peacefully at Milton District Hospital on Saturday, March 4, 2006 at the age of 63. Husband of Linda. Father of David (Selena), Kevin and Karen (Perry). Grandfather of Spencer, Kaitlyn and Isabella. Uncle of Philip (Jane) and Diane. Son-in-law of Nora "Nana". Predeceased by his siter Vivian. Family and Friends will be received at the J. Scott Early Funeral Home, 21 James Street, Milton, (905) 878-2669 on Tuesday, March 7 from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 2: 00 p.m. at Lowville United Church, 5800 Guelph Line, Milton with burial to follow in Lowville Cemetery. Special thanks for the excellent nursing care at both Allendale and Milton District Hospital. As expressions of sympathy, in lieu of flowers, donations to The Allendale Foundation, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, or Lowville United Church would be appreciated. Online condolences available at: www.earlyfuneralhome.com

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JOLLYMORE o@ca.on.grey_county.owen_sound.the_sun_times 2006-07-12 published
LAVERY, Norma Mildred (née SPRUNG)
Passed away peacefully at Lee Manor on July 11, 2006. In her 91st year. Norma Mildred LAVERY (née SPRUNG) the beloved wife of the late Theodore LAVERY. Special aunt of Marian DAVIS, Frances CARD (LEBROCQ), Doug HOLDAWAY and Joan JOLLYMORE. Lovingly remembered by her nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her sisters Maude LEBROCQ, Dorothy DAVIS, Kaye SPRUNG and Eleanor HOLDAWAY and by her brothers Vernon and Whitfield. Friends may call at the Breckenridge-Ashcroft Funeral Home on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A funeral service will be held at the funeral home at 1 p.m. Interment in Greenwood Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations to the Canadian Cancer Society or to the Lee Manor Resident's Fund would be appreciated by the family.
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JOLLYMORE o@ca.on.middlesex_county.london.london_free_press 2006-09-25 published
IALENTI, Ronald
Suddenly at his home on Saturday, September 25, 2006, Ronald IALENTI of Woodstock in his 83rd year. Husband of Lillian (nee BATCHELAR.) Father of Vincent (Heather) of Bracebridge and Cheryl JOLLYMORE (Warren) of Woodstock. Grandfather of Shelli (Paul) and Kristi (Trevor) and great grandfather of Michael IALENTI and Wesley McFARLAND. Brother of Fermena of Sterling, Ontario and Armand (Debbie) of London. Also remembered by several nieces and nephews. Ron served overseas in the armed forces in World War 2 and was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 55, Woodstock. At his request, his remains have been donated to science at the University of Western Ontario. A family service will be held later followed by interment at Hillview Cemetery. If desired, memorial donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario or the Woodstock Hospital Foundation would be appreciated and may be arranged through the Smith-LeRoy Funeral Home, (519) 537-3611. Personal condolences may also be sent at www.smithleroy.com

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JOLLYMORE o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2006-05-30 published
THOMPSON/THOMSON/TOMPSON/TOMSON, Joan E.
Passed away on May 29, 2006, at Joseph Brant Hospital, in her 74th year, daughter of the late Hector and Leone (CRAIG) THOMPSON/THOMSON/TOMPSON/TOMSON. Predeceased by her brother Bill in 1983. Survived by her loving brother Colin and three nieces, Jane (Tim) McKENNA, Anne (Arch) JOLLYMORE, and Barbara THOMPSON/THOMSON/TOMPSON/TOMSON, six great-nieces and nephews, also survived by her cousins, Betty SEALE in Toronto and Babs (Hunter) ARMSTRONG in California. Visitation at Dodsworth and Brown Burlington Chapel, on Wednesday, May 31 from 7-9 p.m. Service on Thursday at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow at Anne and Arch Jollymore's.

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JOLY o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2006-12-16 published
SIMARD, Raymond
Passed away peacefully Thursday, December 14, 2006 at the Hospital Hotel-Dieu in Quebec, at the age of 73. Raymond SIMARD, husband of the late Marijo WILLIAMS and of Carmen BOUTET. Beloved father of Thomas (Donna SIMARD,) Linda (Daniel MOREAU,) Nancilee (James RICHARDS), Jean (Johanne CHARRON), Kenneth (Lyse JOLY) and Michael (Catherine MAINGUY,) loved grandfather of: Justin, Meghan, Gabrielle, Jessica, Jephté, Aaron, Jordan, Sebastian, Marijo, Stefanie, Rebecca, Cédric, David, Alexandre, James, William, along with his sisters and brothers: Louise, Pauline and André (Viola GIROUX,) as well as his brother and sister in-laws from the Williams and the Boutet families, and his many nephews, nieces, cousins, family and Friends. The family will receive the condolences at: Complexe Funéraire Sylvio Marceau Dignity Memorial Member 15015 Henri-Bourassa, Québec (Formerly the 5015 boul. du Jardin, Charlesbourg) On Monday, December 18th, 2006 from 9h to 13h40. A service to celebrate his life will be held Monday, December 18th 2006 at 14h at the church Notre-Dame des Laurentides followed by the interment at the St-Charles cemetery. If desired, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Quebec (1040, avenue Belvédère, office 312, Sillery, Québec G1S 3G3). On-line condolences may be given for Mr. SIMARD by visiting the web site www.mem.com. For more information please contact us by phone at 627-3493, Fax machine 627-1415, or by internet at charlesbourg@ sylviomarceau.com

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