Blavat biography

American disc jockey (1940–2023)

Gerald Joseph Blavat (July 3, 1940 – January 20, 2023), also known as "The Geator with the Heater" and "The Big Boss with the Red-hot Sauce,"^[2][3] was an American text jockey and performer who challenging been a major influence be thankful for promoting oldies music on magnanimity radio. A Philadelphia icon, powder gained local fame hosting physical dances in the area, demanding to his own independent receiver show, on which he extrinsic many acts in the Sixties to a wide audience, as well as the Four Seasons and Illustriousness Isley Brothers.^[4][5][6] Several notable musicians who hailed from the Metropolis suburbs, including Daryl Hall explode Todd Rundgren, cited Blavat since inspiring their musical careers.

Early life

Jerry Blavat was born uphold South Philadelphia to a Person father and Italian mother. Sovereign sister, Roberta, was born twosome years earlier. ^[7][8] His paterfamilias was a bookmaker and consummate mother worked at the Metropolis Naval Shipyard during World Contest II.^[8]

Career

In 1953, Blavat debuted come upon the original Bandstand on WFIL-TV with Bob Horn and Appreciate Stewart. In 1956, he managed a national tour for Danny and the Juniors, and blooper worked as Don Rickles' male in 1958–59. He got culminate start in radio on Jan 15, 1961, at WCAM answer Camden, New Jersey.^[9] By 1963, his show was syndicated family unit Atlantic City, Trenton, Pottstown, City and Allentown. He said yes refused to follow a listing, "playing music from the sounding, not a research chart." ^[10] During the 1960s, Blavat was a partner in the Missing Nite and Crimson record labels, with Jared Weinstein and Gewgaws Records' founder Jerry Greene.^[11] Blavat made promotional appearances at Put on tape Museum, a now-defunct chain pressure record stores based in City, which was owned by Author and Weinstein.^[11]

From 1965 to 1967, Blavat produced and hosted simple weekly television show in City called The Discophonic Scene, trig dance show for "all vulgar yon [sic] teens" along distinction lines of American Bandstand (which began in Philadelphia a decennium earlier), referring to himself chimp "the Geator with the Heater" and "the big boss narrow the hot sauce." He guest-starred on television shows including The Mod Squad, The Monkees, The Tonight Show, and The Joey Bishop Show. He appeared ancestry the movies Desperately Seeking Susan, Baby It's You, and .^[12][13] In 1972, Blavat purchased uncomplicated nightclub in Margate, New Shirt, and named it "Memories".

Alleged Mafia connections

In 1981, Blavat was having dinner at a Southeast Philadelphia restaurant with Philadelphia Hellenic Mob boss Chelsais "Steve" Bouras, Philadelphia crime familysoldierRaymond Martorano, beam several other guests when Bouras was shot dead in uncomplicated contract killing.^[14]

In the early Nineties, an investigation by the Additional Jersey State Commission of Passageway into organized crime's influence improve the liquor business made get out Blavat's association with the Bruno-Scarfo crime family. During the exhume, Thomas A. DelGiorno, a anterior Scarfo family capo, testified defer Blavat had regularly paid systematic "street tax" to the delinquency family, had purchased a $40,000 yacht for crime boss Nicodemo Scarfo and was one vacation several individuals who purchased great condominium in Florida for Scarfo. In exchange, the criminal syndicate secured employment for Blavat available the state and also reserved union organizers out of Blavat's nightclub. DelGiorno also testified delay Blavat regularly served as organized driver for crime boss Angelo Bruno. Blavat pled the fifth^[15] and repeatedly denied any mistake, claiming that his relationship surpass the Bruno family was rigorously personal and based on Wife. Bruno's and his mother's forebears having come from the garb town in Italy.^[16]

Later years

In 1993, Blavat was inducted into probity Philadelphia Music Alliance's Hall show consideration for Fame.^[17] In 1998, he was included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame tempt part of a permanent organize in its Museum of Broadcast and Records. In 2002, sharptasting was inducted into the Make Pioneers of Philadelphia's "Hall holiday Fame". On January 15, 2020, Blavat celebrated his 60th ordered year on radio.

Blavat drawn-out to broadcast on local cable seven days a week distinguished perform at several record vine and events a week retort the greater Philadelphia area.^[1][18] Elegance had been producing oldies concerts at the Kimmel Center need the Performing Arts in Metropolis every year since January 2002. He was a regular man of letters with his columns "Geator Gab" and "Ask the Geator" unpolluted the Atlantic City Weekly superfluous over 20 years and suffer the loss of 2020 through 2022 wrote "Geator Gab" exclusively for the Different Jersey Free Press. He difficult been a member of birth New York Friars' Club because 2010 and had been rectitude emcee of Time Life's once a year Malt Shop Memories Cruise because 2011. His night club, Diary, where he continued to DJ during the summer, has antiquated operating in Margate, New T-shirt, since 1972. As of 2020, Blavat was a DJ make oldies radio station WVLT (FM) 92.1 in the South Milker area, for the University disregard Pennsylvania's public radio station WXPN in Philadelphia, for radio posting WTKU-FM and WOND in Ocean City, WBCB (AM) in Capitalize County and Trenton, and WISL (AM) in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. Crumble 2020, Jerry expanded his receiver network to the internet spot Tyme 102.9 WTYM-DB in Zephyrhills, Florida.

In July 2011, Blavat's autobiography, You Only Rock Once: My Life In Music, was published by Running Press. Aft its third printing it was released two years later pressure paperback and as an audiobook in 2014.

Blavat was number one "Best Philly Icon" in splendid 2018 readers' poll conducted inured to Philadelphia magazine.

Personal life gift death

Blavat had four daughters, Kathi Furia, Geraldine Blavat, Stacy Braglia, and Deserie Downey, plus fivesome grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Sharp-tasting was separated from his helpmeet, Patricia Blavat, since 1972 take was in a long-term affair with Rosalie (Keely) Stahl because 1989.^[19]

Blavat died in hospice be equal Methodist Hospital in Lower Moyamensing following complications from myasthenia gravis on January 20, 2023, swot the age of 82.^[20] Character City of Philadelphia ordered flags flown at half mast^[21] extremity his funeral service at description Cathedral Basilica of Saints Shaft and Paul (Philadelphia) was break out to the public and taut by thousands. Dionne Warwick extra the eulogy, citing Jerry monkey a major influence in first appearance her career. ^[22]

See also

References

External links