Three Rivers Inn

 For about seventy years, from 1934 until the beginning of the Twenty-First Century, there existed, at the confluence of the Oswego, Oneida and Seneca Rivers (half way between Syracuse and Oswego, New York), a night club named the Three Rivers Inn.  It attracted some big name entertainers, such as Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Bobby Darin, Connie Francis, Johnny Cash, Paul Anka, Peggy Lee and Frankie Avalon.

My parents took me there as a child on at least two occasions.  I remember seeing the singer Frankie Laine.  He was born Francesco LoVecchio in Chicago on March 30, 1913.

In 1957, one of my favorite movies was Gunfight at the O. K. Corral starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas.  The movie's theme song's lyrics were written by Ned Washington, music composed by Dimitri Tiomkin and sung by Frankie Laine.    

Beginning in 1959, a popular TV show was Rawhide, one of whose stars was Clint Eastwood.  The show's theme song's lyrics were written by Ned Washington, music composed by Dimitri Tiomkin and sung by Frankie Laine.

Because of Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and Rawhide, I was very excited to see Frankie Laine in person.  I was not disappointed.

On another occasion, we saw a presentation of the Tennessee Williams' play Period of Adjustment starring Dane Clark.  He was born Bernard Zanville in Brooklyn, New York on February 26, 1912.

My favorite movie of Dane Clark's was the 1945 version of Pride of the Marines with John Garfield (born Jacob Julius Garfinkle).  I didn't realize when I saw it on television that the two heroic actors were both Jewish.

Period of Adjustment is a comedy "set on Christmas Eve and tells the story of two couples, one newlywed and the other married for five years, both experiencing pains and difficulties in their relationships.  However, the observance of each other’s troubles brings both couples to realize what they have and to reconcile their own relationships."

I remember the younger woman repeating the same line several times with a southern twang, each time gaining more and more laughter from the audience.  "All I want is my little blue bag."