Mike Azzolino's birthday is June 13th. There will not be a national holiday or even a parade. But there will probably be more loving thoughts of him on this day than usual, by his children and grandchildren, other living family members, and his friends. An exceptional individual, Mike Azzolino was a son, husband, brother, friend, father, grandfather, guidance counselor, administrator, professional organization officer, tour business pioneer and company founder. Though he lead an ordinary life -- high school, work and part-time work, WWII service, the GI Bill and college, marriage and houses, father, grandfather, and professional recognitions -- he always excelled in any role or job he had. 
Mike died on January 20th, 2009. He died before the Vinik Marine tug MIKE AZZOLINO could be dedicated to him. At the time of planned dedication, the page Michael Anthony Azzolino was written. This page mimics the dedication page, but, where that page is more a list of achievements, this page is more a story, some recognitions of influences on his life. It includes pictures, of the life Mike Azzolino. (Click on pictures to see enlargements.) The page is written now because I think his wife, Dorothy Azzolino would probably have wanted it to be written. 101 Central Avenue, Lodi, NJ 
Though born in Jersey City, Mike grew up in Lodi, NJ. He was the middle son of Nick and Agnes Azzolino. Anne (Sebastianna) was their oldest child, then Tony, Mike, Mary, and Joe. See: 1940 Census and more detail, Parents and family Mike's mother Agnes was born in Italy while her family was on a vacation. Mike's father was Italian and immigrated to the US, probably through Boston. American Cinema was born in Fort Lee, NJ, but after WWI movie companies moved to California for cheaper costs and "sun" which originally lit the movie stidios. Nick worked in a company which was moving west, but Agnes wanted to stay in NJ. So, Nick and Agnes stayed in NJ. Agnes was an Executive Secretary in NYC then owned a dress shop in Lodi. Nick owned Bergen Films also in Lodi. Tony and Mike were in high school at the same time. Mike had suffered an eye injury and was blind in one eye. The times were different then, think "cripple" rather than "handicapped" or "disabled." The school would not let Mike play on the basket ball team because he was crippled, so, Mike managed the basket ball team. Tony and Mike also worked with father Nick at Bergen Films. How did Mike excel? He graduated high school a year early! In their early twenties, Mike and Tony each also had another job. Tony was a silk examiner , probably in Paterson, NJ, "Silk City." Mike was a cashier at the grocery store Packard Bambergers, in Hackensack, NJ. Bergen Films was a pivotal part of the brothers' lives. Bergen Film Laboratories, 103 Union Street, Lodi, NJ 
Nick Azzolino owned BERGEN Film Laboratories, 103 Union Street, Lodi, NJ. All Nick's sons - Tony, Mike & Joe ( labeled) worked there with other technicians. They copied and distributed cartoons, shot and processed still photographs, but specialized in "8-16mm motion pictures." The cartoon strips, strips of film, stored on reels, saved in flat circular cans, had to be copied, loaded, and checked, and stored (labeled) first in tins then in cardboard boxes, then shipped to clients. Bergen Films specialized in "Snappy" cartoons? (like these and this elephant cartoon). Mike & Joe ( labeled) some times worked in the same room on different projects. Here Joe is loading a projector. The film spool (reel) had to be loaded on the top arm of the projector and then manually run through a maze of gears and sprockets towards a position in front of a powerful lamp and lens. In this position the image on the film was "projected" onto a special screen a distance from the projector. The images was focused using the special lens. The sound of the film was stored on two coded bars on the side of the film and a speaker system was need to play aloud the dialogue and music. As the film was projected, it was run onto a bottom arm containing a pick-up reel to re-spool the film. Before you could replay the film, the film had to unspooled and run backwards onto the original top arm spool (into its original position) bypassing all the sprockets and gears so as not to damage the film. Tony was the photographer of both photos and movies. His movie camera is shown here: outside and inside. Tony shot and filmed large groups, ochestra, weddings (here is the Pedavillano Wedding), and often his family members were subjects of his work. Mike
shot films and worked at the Lab itself. He also was the contact person for the clients. Though Mike lost the sight in 1 eye in childhood, he was drafted. Tony was also drafted. The brothers served in the Army Air Force (later named the US Air Force). Tony was assigned to Supply? Mike was assignd to the Signal Corps and learned to read Morse Code at 40? words per minute -- the highest rate in his class. Yes, he excelled. BTo oth brothers went overseas. Mike’s ship was in a convoy that headed to Africa, but his ship was quarantined and had to remain in Africa for a number of months more than the rest of the convoy. In Africa, rations were not easy to come by, so local foods were introduced into the menu. In fact, they subsisted on what local farmers could provide. The only meat available was lamb. The 1945 quarantine was Mike’s introduction to lamb. The next time he ate lamb was in 2002 when he was celebrating his granddaughter Julie’s college graduations. Just one taste was enough. He never ate lamb again. Toth brothers were in Italy and for at least some time were in contact with each other. Mike was made Staff Sergeant. This is maybe not exceptional, but it is at least rare. How many one-eyed staff sergeants have you heard of? He was prohibited from officer candidate school because he had only one eye. Not a surprise. He was the ONLY (as in he really, really excelled) non-commissioned officer to head an army base! Even though Mike was only a one-eyed staff sergeants non-commissioned officer he still headed an army base AND he was excelled in that role. Yeah, prove it. No problem. SHOWERS! He built showers for his men. No other US Army base in once enemy territory in WWII Europe did this! How?
Post WWII, The GI Bill, Family and Careers Bergen Films, the GI Bill, and family all shaped the futures of these returning GI brothers. Anne, Mary, and Joe all married and had children. Anne's son Sal died in a car accident after he went to college, graduated, and became a much loved art teacher in Hackensack HS. Mary & Joe had grandchildren and I believe great grandcholdren. Joe went to college at the same time Mike was in college. Joe graduated with a degree in chemistry and later started a business which is now run by two of his three sons. Mike and Tony also married Before
continuing with stories on Tony & Mike. There are a few quizzes. Click on an image to see the answer.  After the War, Mike's & Tony's paths diverged, but not completely. Mike went to college, married, and went into teaching. Tony went into business, lighting, and real estate. Anthony (Tony) Azzolino 
Tony Azzolino is well worthy of a page all his own. He is included here because of the impact he had on his entire family, on his brother Mike, and on Mike's famiy. He counseled and watched over his family and assisted and gifted them in many ways. He gave his siblings land for their houses, sold Mike his Lake Swanannoa house because Mike's family had grown and needed more room, later found Mike another home closer to work and with better schools, got Kippy a job lighting for CBS, and gave substantial inheritances to 15 neices and nephews. When Tony visited brother Mike's house, he played number guessing games with his neices and nephews designed to put quarters in tiny hands. He loved this family - parents, siblings and their spouces and their children and grandchildren AND THEY LOVED HIM BACK. Tony did many things in his life. He was a successful entrepeneur. He at one time owned a bar, had at one time owned 2 houses in NJ, and 2 houses in Florida, in addition to other houses he sold. Tony even worked as a US Census Taker. His obituary was in the New York Times not because of these things but because of his contributions to the broad casting industry. He was a pioneer in the new television broad casting industry.
Tony was the Lighting Director for ABC Sports and ABC TV. He light the ABS Pro Bowlers Tour Shows broadcast each Saturday morning from all over the country. He created the lighting setups that became the industry standards in the new field of television broadcasting. He worked on Pro Bowler Tour and in 1975 he was recognized by his "friends," at Ebonite, an organization for Amateur and Professional Bowlers, and Coaches. He was recognized for "his tireless efforts for over 11 years in making the ABC Pro Bowlers Tour Show so successful. Yes the bowlers recognized him for his efforts in making their show better. He was a lighting consultant to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, spent 40 years setting up and supervising for ABC's "Wild World of Sports" and the Olympics and earned an A Honorary Liftime Membership in the PBA and induction to their Hall of Fame. One summer, Tony "lit the world!" The 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics, the XIX Olympiad, were the first olympics held in a Spanish-speaking country. It was a very different world in 1968 than it is now in 2020. Television was a very new, white, male, English-speaking world. Spanish? "No one" spoke that, let alone knew where the Latin-American countries were. The '68 Olympics changed that. While black American metal winners lit up the political scene with raised, black-gloved fists, at their awards ceremony, Tony lit the rest of the Olympics. Tony was the "best of the best" Lighting Director for ABC, The "best of the best" of the big three US tv companies, ABC, CBS, NBC (because of the ABC Wild World of Sports). He spoke Italian which is similar enough to Spanish, that he could direct the Spanish-speaking tv crews. Tony moonlighted doing lighting for the Latin-American tv networks. It was extremely tiring but the pay was substantial. So, Tony really "lit the world." Tony's name was known "all over the US" because it was in the credits of the "Pro Bowlers Tour Shows" that aired on Saturday mornings opposite/with "Roy Rogers" and "The Lone Ranger." Mike's fourth son, Anthony Charles Azzolino, was thought by his school mates to be "ABC Wild World of Sports" and the "Pro Bowlers Tour Shows" Lighting Director's son. This was not an unreasonable assumption becuase they lived in Bergen County, NJ, a bedroom community of NYC where their fathers also worked. The point here is not that young Tony Azzolino was a nephew of Mike's brother Tony, but that Anthony Azzolino's name was recognized by many and not only those living in Bergen County, NJ. Tony really worked for ABC Sports. Among other things, he lit the 1984 Sarajevo, Yugoslovia Olympics. In 1976, ABC Wild World of Sports recognized him. For this work in the broadcast industry, his obituary was in the New York Times. Shown below are, his Pro Bowlers Tour Shows award from Ebonite, Tony with Cis Azzolino receiving thanks from many, Tony on the lanes, lighting a trophy.
Mike Azzolino Weds Dorothy Elizabeth Anne Terlep The most important decision a man can make in his life is choosing a wife. In making this choice Mike excelled. After the war, Mike worked at Bergen Films. On a trip into NYC to see a Bergen Films client, he met Dottie who was working for the client. You should read her two pages to understand the 60 years of their life together. The pages include his children, grandchildre, houses, and gatherings, but not his great grandchildren because he did not live to know them.
Mike's Awards, Honors, and Everyday Life Mike did all sorts of things in his life. Sometimes one thing led to another, sometimes it was a new venture. Sometimes honors came for years of excellent work or a specific task. Sometimes honors just came with love. Here routine paths have dots. Awards and honors have stars.
Michael Anthony Azzolino of Washington Township, died on January 20th, 2009 at 88. He was an exceptional individual. He excelled as a scholar, printer, photographer, staff sergeant, teacher, guidance counselor, school administrator, member and professional organization officer, tour business pioneer and company founder -- at every endeavor. Brett Casser wrote in his funeral guest book, "He is a great example of how to live your life to the fullest possible extent." Mike Azzolino was a son, husband, brother, friend, father, grandfather. Even in these roles he excelled. There
are two more pictures to end this story.
Rest in Peace, Mike Azzolino.
|
Member, Phi Zeta Kappa Honorary Scholastic Fraternity, Fairleigh Dickenson University, Teaneck, NJ
Some doctoral work at Yeshiva University, NYC.
