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| Romy Gosz Grave, Francis Creek National Cemetery, Francis Creek, Wisconsin, August 31, 2012 |
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| Homestead Tavern former home of Romy Gosz, "Polifka's Corners" near Kellnersville, Wisconsin, Auugust 8, 2012 |
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| Rich Bouril with his Airstream, Two Rivers, WI, August 6, 2008 |
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Rich Bouril with Toni Gosz's, Kellnersville, WI, 1972
Photo courtesy of Rich Bouril |
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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
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Romy's daughter Ramona (a/k/a Tootsie) from Hi-Tower Flashes,
Lincoln High School, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, Friday, October 14, 1949 |
nice memories. I have the card table from the bar room.
ReplyDeleteWhere is this jukebox?
ReplyDeleteCheck 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?"
ReplyDelete5 cent Orange Crush in brown bottles from the slide top cooler., a piano in the living room, and a big Italian kitchen!
ReplyDeletethe 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.
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.
ReplyDeleteWas 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!
ReplyDeleteYup, 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.
DeleteTo 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.
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!
ReplyDeleteI 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