TV Radio Mirror (Jan - Jun 1963)

Giancana became a widower in 1954, according to this story, but "it was not until three years ago . . . that serious love overcame Momo. He met Phyllis McGuire in Las Vegas, and ever since, practically every place that Phyllis appears, Giancana is not far away. As recently as last May . . . they were in New York together. Phyllis has an apartment at 525 Park Ave., and the little man was in and out during the visit. Occasionally, they have been seen in such spots as El Morocco. "Giancana even followed Phyllis to Europe, where a large covey of wellwishers from Interpol, Scotland Yard, the Italian police, the F.B.I, and Internal Revenue tailed along behind. But Momo has never been bothered by such occupational hazards when romance is concerned." The same story details how Giancana's attorneys filed for a restraining order against the F.B.I, (for "rough shadowing") on June 28th and how, the following Monday — July 1st — "when Phyllis McGuire drove up to Giancana's house in a cab, she was apparently photographed on her way into the bungalow. It was the treatment, the beleaguered Momo complained, that all the visitors received, thus causing many old friends to stop dropping by." During the hearing, Giancana testified that an F.B.I. agent had met him "at O'Hare Airport nine months ago," Then, apparently, "F.B.I, agents questioned Momo and his traveling companion, Phyllis McGuire." Being with a gangster had more than one unpleasant moment for Phyllis. "About a year and a half ago," the Sunday paper says, "Momo and Phyllis, arriving by plane in Chicago, were approached by a swarthy little man who murmured something to Momo. Giancana burst into obscene invective . . . but the man turned to the crowd . . . and said loudly: 'Ladies and gentlemen I This insignificant little character is the gangster leader of Chicago! He is the man who runs this city. Look at him and remember him — ' "Before he got any further, Momo grabbed Phyllis' arm and hurried her to a plane ready for departure. They jumped aboard — without even asking its destination." The story was illustrated by a photo of the McGuire girls having wine with Giancana and their traveling hairdresser, Frederic Jones, at a London night club. Publicity Unking Giancana to Phyllis has not ended, and only time will tell whether this association will hurt the sisters' career — Phyllis, particularly, since she also works as a solo performer. The fact is, other stars have survived contact with notorious figures. The late great Fanny Brice was once happily married to famed gambler Nicky Arnstein. Lana Turner's career survived the killing of her lover, underworld character Johnny Stompanato, by her own daughter. Many singers have been married to, or are managed by^-or have as lovers — ■ known racketeers. Girl performers find it difficult to avoid men of the underworld in night clubs. Most cafe patrons go home after the late show. Usually, only the moneyed men who can afford to hang around all night — and keep the same hours as the entertainers — are available, after closing time, as escorts, friends and lovers. As one girl singer explains, "When I'm through in a night club, it's 2 A.M. or later. I'm too stimulated to want to go right to sleep, so I'm glad to have somebody stay up with me for a while. And the ones around at that hour are either musicians and other performers or playboys and racketeers. Most of us, at one time or another, go out with racketeers." That's only a partial explanation, of course. What happened specifically to The McGuire Sisters that made them forget they had a mother and an uncle as ministers . . . that they'd been brought up in a very strict evangelical church . . . that they were once shy, awkward, naive? When the McGuires arrived in New York from Ohio in 1952, they were quite plain looking, with homemade hairdos, uncapped teeth and "hometown" type clothes. And because Godfrey's publicity office thought they'd seem more glamorous that way, they posed as being single. When Godfrey fired Julius La Rosa for romancing Dorothy McGuire, the truth began to leak out: Dottie had a G.L husband. Phyllis was married to radio announcer Neal Van Ells. Christine had just wed John H. Teeter— and had two sons by a previous broken marriage. Eventually, all three girls were divorced. Dottie later married an oil man, Lowell Williamson. She now lives in Calgary, Canada, with her husband and two sons, Rex, 3, and David, 1. Christine divorced Teeter last year and her older son, Harold, 20, made her a grandmother in July. Five marriages and four divorces. Christine, Dorothy and Phyllis are 35, 33 and 31, respectively — according to their official biographies. (If correct, Christine must have married at fourteen.) Phylhs dated a lot after her divorce. For a time, she was reported engaged to comedian Dan Rowan. She wore an eleven-carat ring from metal tycoon Si Syrbnik — but they broke up in 1959. About that time, she began to date Giancana. After seven years as Little Godfreys, the {Continued on page 39)