24.9.12

Romy Gosz Grave, Francis Creek, WI

Romy Gosz Grave, Francis Creek National Cemetery, Francis Creek, Wisconsin, August 31, 2012
Homestead Tavern former home of Romy Gosz, "Polifka's Corners" near Kellnersville, Wisconsin, Auugust 8, 2012
Rich Bouril with his Airstream, Two Rivers, WI, August 6, 2008

Rich Bouril with Toni Gosz's, Kellnersville, WI, 1972
Photo courtesy of Rich Bouril


 Wisconsin Polka King Romy Gosz (1910-1966) made rich complex Bohemian style polka music that formed the sound track of our lives. His records, TV appearances, and live performances created the atmosphere of all social events from weddings to firefighters picnics. We collect his Polkaland LPs, 45s and 78s for the drunken joie de vivre they encapsulate. His family has worked to keep his memory alive even hosting a Facebook page. Grandson Rich Bouril offers Roman's Espresso Roast coffee at his Culture Cafe on Calumet Avenue in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and remembers skate boarding in the dance hall of Romy's former home/tavern at Polifka's Corners. Daughter Ramona "Tootsie" Bouril has a boutique, Ramona's Courtyard Shoppe, next door to Rich's cafe. Despite the long trek from Manitowoc, her high school dates were willing to make the "mighty long" trek to Polifka's Corners near Kellnersville to pick her up.

Romy Gosz played on a Seeburg M100C video by J. Shimon & J. Lindemann 2012 

Romy's daughter Ramona (a/k/a Tootsie) from Hi-Tower Flashes,
Lincoln High School, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Friday, October 14, 1949

9 comments:

  1. nice memories. I have the card table from the bar room.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous21:01

    Where is this jukebox?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Check out the vintage color snapshot Rich emailed us documenting his visit to Toni Gosz's Tavern. The jukebox is in our collection and we've filled it with 45s we love from Romy Gosz to Tiny Tim to Peggy Lee's "Is That All There Is?"

    ReplyDelete
  4. 5 cent Orange Crush in brown bottles from the slide top cooler., a piano in the living room, and a big Italian kitchen!
    the dance hall was huge with a stage, I used as my own indoor skatepark. a pigeon coop uncle Tony raised racing pigeons. and grandmas tomato garden out back. The Polifkas were always feuding and grandma kept the cash in a coffee can.

    ReplyDelete
  5. oh yes, my momma says Romy was the first bandleader to have a band play on a ferris wheel. not sure about that but it may very well be.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Was Orange Crush (a/k/a Kewaunee Bottling Company) one of the sponsors for Romy's TV show? Wish some of those clips were on YouTube!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bob Kuether16:02

      Yup, Kewaunee Bottling was a long time sponsor of the TV show on WBAY in Green Bay. Another sponsor was the Sorge Dairy (now Cedar Crest Dairy) from Manitowoc's south side.
      To my knowledge, no videos of those shows still exist. The video tape was re-used each week and therefore erased every time they did a new show.

      One story has it that the owner of Kewaunee bottling (A huge Romy fan)went to WBAY right after Gosz died and offered to buy all the video tapes. A good idea, but unfortunately impossible due to the practice of erasing each week's show.

      Delete
  7. You've clarified a couple mysteries. Supposing WBAY didn't feel this material was valuable as an archive because it was so close at hand. Would be golden to have access to the world of Romy today. We are honored that you checked out our blog and remember hearing of your band. Thank you thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I watched the WBAY Romy show as a neighbor of ours, Paul Nedvecki, played piano for the band. I went to grade school with a grand daughter of Romy's. His funeral card showed him at his best,playing the trumpet.

    ReplyDelete