Talent Auditions For Boston Television Show Employed As A Legion Fund Raiser

May 18, 1961

……….Auditions for a televised talent show will be held here next Friday, between 5 a d 8 p.m.,

at Legion Hall. Children and adults are urged to participate. There will be cash awards for

winners and the winner will have the opportunity to appear on the Community Auditions Talent

Show hosted by Gene Jones on Channel WBZ-TV, Boston.

………The local auditions will be held at Town Hall on Friday, June at 8 p.m., sponsored by

Simeon L. Nickerson Post 64, the American Legion.

………Those interested in trying out for the show may contact Commander Harold Tower at 1496-R or

Adjutant George Stetson at 117-M evenings after 7 p.m. The auditions will be judged by the

Gene Jones staff. Mr. Jones is the well-known master of ceremonies of Community Auditions seen

on Sundays at WBZ-TV

……….Tickets for the Friday, June 9 auditions at Town Hall are available for $1.50 each. The

Legion is promoting the talent show as community event and as a fund raiser for Post

activities.

……… Thirty spots were assigned for the competitors trying out for the winning talent prizes.

First place went to the vocal duo of sisters Karen, 13, and Penny Abizaid, 14. They are the

daughters of Mrs. Priscilla M. Abizaid of Everett Street. They have been singing together for

several years under the direction of their mother.

……… Finishing in a strong second was Sandy Conant for her vocal solo. She also earned a

chance to appear on the television show. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Conant of

Forest Street. She has appeared in about a dozen shows this year. She was scheduled to appear

in the Miss Middleboro Fair contest but came down with a cold.

……….Nancy Falcetano took third place as a solo singer.

………The talent winners were chosen by audience applause. Chief of Police William E. Gardiner,

Memorial High School Principal Charles Manos and Edwin Denton physical education instructor at

Middleboro Junior High School were applause meter judges.
……………………………..(Compiled by Bob Lessard Historian 2014)