Monacello |
According to a story by John P. Martin at philly.com, Ligambi
was livid over a Philadelphia Magazine article about the mob and believed
Blavat was behind it, Louis "Bent Finger Lou" Monacello said.
"He was ranting and raving, 'That [expletive] Jerry
Blavat, he set this up. Jerry Blavat, I'm gonna kill this [expletive],' "
Monacello testified.
There were no signs that the threat against Blavat, a
longtime Philadelphia radio icon and owner of the Memories in Margate
restaurant at the Shore, was more than hot air.
Blavat, known to fans as the Geator with the Heater, said
the threat was news to him.
"I never heard it," he said Tuesday. "I grew
up with these guys. I know Joe."
The detail emerged as Monacello resumed his role as a star
witness in the racketeering trial of the 73-year-old Ligambi and six
codefendants.
Blavat |
In 1953, Blavat debuted on the original Bandstand on WFIL-TV
with Bob Horn and Lee Stewart. In 1956 he managed a national tour for Danny and
the Juniors, and he worked as Don Rickles' valet in 1958-59. He got his start
in radio in 1960. By 1963, his show was syndicated in Camden, Atlantic City,
Trenton, Pottstown, Wilmington and Allentown.
From 1965-1967, Blavat produced and hosted a weekly
television show called The Discophonic Scene. He also guest-starred on
television shows including The Mod Squad, The Monkees, The Tonight Show and The
Joey Bishop Show. He has also appeared in the movies Desperately Seeking Susan,
Baby It's You and Cookie. In 1972,
Blavat purchased a nightclub in Margate, New Jersey, and named it
"Memories."
In 1981, Blavat was having dinner at a South Philadelphia
restaurant with Greek mob boss Chelsais "Steve" Bouras and several
other guests when Bouras was shot dead in a contract killing.
In the early 1990s, an investigation by the New Jersey State
Commission of Investigation into organized crime's influence in the liquor
business made public Blavat's association with the Bruno-Scarfo crime family.
During the investigation, Thomas A. DelGiorno, a former Scarfo crime family
Capo, testified that Blavat had regularly paid a "street tax" to the
crime family, had purchased a $40,000 yacht for crime boss Nicodemo Scarfo and
was one of several individuals who purchased a condominium in Florida for Scarfo.
In exchange, the criminal organization secured employment for Blavat throughout
the state and also kept union organizers out of Blavat's nightclub. Del Giorno
also testified that Blavat regularly served as a driver for crime boss Angelo
Bruno. Blavat pled the fifth.
In 1993, Blavat was inducted into the Philadelphia Music
Alliance's Hall of Fame. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock &
Roll Hall of Fame as part of a permanent exhibit in its Museum of Radio and
Records. In 2002, he was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia's
"Hall of Fame."
On January 15, 2010, Blavat celebrated his 50th consecutive
year on radio.
Blavat has been producing and hosting two oldies concerts a
year at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia every year
since January 2002.
In 2011, Blavat is a DJ for oldies radio station WVLT (FM)
92.1 in the South Jersey area, for the University of Pennsylvania's public
radio station WXPN in Philadelphia, and for radio station WTKU-FM in Atlantic
City.
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