Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1963)

totally at ease with each other and with their families; the Deibels, the Avallones, the Marcuccis. It was such a happy time. . . . The Philadelphia visitors decided to stay for Christmas and the holidays. Frankie was booked for the Sands in Las Vegas. They went en masse, all the families. Uncle Joe and his wife set up a tree in Frankie’s parents’ suite and ate all the best Italian food in town. “Matron!" There was no question now in Frankie’s mind. They had gay, laughing times and quiet, serious times. They’d go swimming together, dancing, to movies. They’d talk about everything, not always agreeing. “This girl’s no pushover, she’ll fight,” he told me. “I kid her. I tell her she can’t be right ninety-nine times out of a hundred, ninety-eight maybe, but not ninety-nine. I like the way she thinks, it’s great. I love the way she talks. She’s just right in any situation and everyone likes her. I’d look at her when she’d say something and murmur ‘ Marron /’ And she’d want to know what that meant and it’s hard to translate. But in Italian Marron sort of means Wow!” They were together constantly, he was going to marry her someday, he knew that. He was in love with Kay, but he didn’t tell her, he held back, wondering about the responsibilities of marriage. “I was worried,” he said, “wondering whether I was settled enough yet to really take on the responsibilities of marriage and a family. I figure when I get married, I get married only once.” A deep, beautiful male voice is singing the “Ave Maria.” Mass continues ... a bell rings. . . . She was in the audience for every show and every song he sang he sang to her. There was a time — earlier this year — when Frankie, playing the adult night clubs for the first time, singing ballads and standards, was so scared. . . . The first time he played the Sands he didn’t eat for three days and couldn’t sleep; he was so nervous. But not now, not with this year’s experience behind him, not with Kay there in the audience. They had a marvelous Christmas. Under the tree Kay had for Frankie a handsome dark blue knitted sweater, and under the tree he had for her a gold charm bracelet with a heart charm and engraved on the back of it one word, MARRON ! It was the happiest Christmas, the richest, he’d ever had. Something new had been added, something different, he had someone to belong to. And still he held back, said nothing. On December 29, ready to do his first show, he dropped by her room at the hotel. He just wanted to say hi, just wanted to find out if she was going to the first show or the second, and what would she like to eat for dinner. “Kay was in slacks and a shirt, her hair was up in rollers,” Frankie’s eyes dance when he remembers that. He had a few moments and they chatted, cheerfully enough about all sorts of things. Then Kay said quietly that she must make plans to get back to LA and her job. “Let’s get married,” Frankie said. “What?” she said, as if she were hearing wrong. “That’s right . . . let’s get married.” “When?” she asked— just like that. But there was no time to discuss that just then. They both suddenly saw the clock and Frankie kissed his girl and rushed downstairs to do his show. “The next night between shows I took everyone out to dinner,” he told me. “I was looking for just the right time and the right place to break the news. We found a very good Italian restaurant and Kay and I sat there, hand in hand, close together and my mother was kidding us. ‘Well, did you see that arrow go by?’ she’d say. ‘Cupid’s really working overtime tonight!’ Finally, after dinner, we got in the car and drove back to the Sands’. All the time in the car, Kay and I were kissing and looking at each other and my mother said, ‘When are you two going to get married?’ “So I said, ‘Being as how you asked, we’ll probably get married in June.’ ‘You’re kidding,’ she said. ‘No, Mom, we’re very serious,’ I said.” So serious that they finally decided on January. First of all, why wait? Frankie is booked solidly and they want only one thing of life — to be together. Sometimes in the weeks that followed he wished they’d been married right then and there. It wasn’t easy, one week before the wedding, to awake one morning to a screaming headline: Frankie Avalon named by girl in baby case . . . and a three column picture of the “jilted” girl and the baby she says Frankie fathered. Put yourself in Frankie’s place. He had found everything he wanted in life in a girl and she was about to become his wife. How would Kay react? He rushed to the telephone, called her and told her. And as long as he lives he’ll never forget her response. “Don’t worry about a thing,” she said. She didn’t ask a single question. “She’s stuck right with me all the way,” Frankie said. A bell rings, the priest genuflects. Now I can see him, standing at the altar, looking at the ring on her finger. I know he can still hear her voice in the jewelry store worrying about the diamonds. . . . “Suppose I get some dirt on it working around the house, suppose I ever lost a diamond washing dishes?” she worried. “So what,” Frankie’d said, “we’ll have another diamond put in.” Communion is offered, the wafer to each tongue. The beautiful voice is singing, “ Come then sweet Saviour to this morning place. . . . Give to these children thy blessing and grace . . .” The wedding march again and up the aisle come Frankie and his bride. You’ve never seen anything like it on film. Happiness. Real and wonderful. Outside the church, they now stand, the newlyweds, in the bright sunlight, facing a new life. Photographers are waiting, shutters click, a hundred teenagers crowd around to shout good wishes. Frankie kisses his Kay. The ceremony is over, Frankie Avalon has found his love . . . and his life. Tonight they’ll be dining in Mexico City at the Villa Fontana — the violins will be playing for them, the food will be superbly cooked for them, the moon will be shining for them. For this a new world . . . just for them. — Jane Ardmore Frankie will soon be seen in AIP’s “Operation Bikini,” Warners’ “The Castilian” and MGM’s “Drums of Africa.” HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT All Rubber Maillot style Exercise Suit Wear this attractive all rubber sanitized exercise suit while you take regular exercises. It helps you lose unneces sary weight just like professional athletes do. Matching Shorts $2.50 MARINER WEAR 6 Hearthwood Drive Please send me Matching Shorts. 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