by Bill Dal Cerro | Aug 21, 2026 | Uncategorized
The late Dominic DiFrisco, president emeritus of Chicago’s Italian American cultural organization the JCCIA (Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans), was originally from New York (the Bronx) and came to the Windy City in 1962, representing Alitalia Airlines...
by John Mancini | Aug 17, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Mussolini family was quite the target of gossip during the Fascist Era. But recently, British author Caroline Moorehead devoted a book on Edda Mussolini, the dictator’s controversial daughter. Subtitled “The most dangerous woman in Europe,” this biography...
by Bob Masullo | Aug 13, 2026 | Uncategorized
Frank Sinatra lived to 82, Connie Francis to 87 and Tony Bennett to 96. Like many other Italian-American singers they were blessed with longevity. At least three, however, were not. They apparently were under a maledizione (Italian curse). Russ Columbo...
by John Mancini | Aug 10, 2026 | Uncategorized
An Institute colleague and I saw the much-ballyhooed The Odyssey last week in an IMAX theater necessary for the full dramatic effect. We both agreed that it was too long, too loud, and too Woke. We knew of the controversy in filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s casting...
by Bill Dal Cerro | Aug 7, 2026 | Uncategorized
(“Of the dead, say nothing but good,” Italian monk Ambrogio Traversari, 3rd century AD). Vincent Pastore: “a beautiful soul” (Lorraine Bracco) Never speak ill of the dead, we’re told. Either out of superstition, bad luck, or just plain...
by John Mancini | Aug 4, 2026 | Uncategorized
A few weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal reviewed a book titled Gowanus Crossing. If ever there was a book ready for the trash heap, this is the one. It is purportedly a memoir by author Vincent Coppola (no relation to Francis but clearly a clone of Scorsese) of...
John Mancini
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