100 New Yorkers of the 1970s — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
100 New Yorkers of the 1970s
John Stuart Mill · en
Most of the filming is done on the Upper West Side -- usually on the
street or in someone's apartment, but also in such diverse places as stores,
restaurants, the waterfront, boiler rooms and lobbies. A recent skit was
shot at a Westside swimming pool; it features Pat Profito as a swimming
instructor who teaches three bikini-clad beauties his "jump-in-and-swim"
method, in which he pushes them into the pool and expects them to swim
instinctively, or drown.
Ferris, who grew up in Queens and Brooklyn "and departed as soon as
was possible," studied filmmaking at New York University under Martin
Scorsese and was encouraged to pursue comedy writing. For the past five
years he has been married to Beverly Ross, a composer with many hits to
her credit including "Lollipop."
It's 10 seconds before midnight on Sunday evening. Time once again for
Ferris to bid his viewers goodnight. "And remember: stay alienated, stay
wiped out, and stay wasted."
********
EASTSIDER SAMMY CAHN
Oscar-winning lyricist
3-10-79
"I've never written a song that didn't almost write itself," says Sammy
Cahn, one of the world's most successful lyricists of popular songs. "I'm
like the catalyst. It's like I start the boulder down the hill, but after that,
there's only one place it can go. I'm always thrilled by the adventure of
finding the lyric and leading it to a happy conclusion. If I come to the
slightest impasse, I've learned to stop, and look around and see what
needs to be done around the house. Then I come back, and it's so easy.
You can't go into combat with a lyric."
Over the past four decades, his songs have received four Oscars and more
than 30 Oscar nominations. Among his numerous hits, written in
collaboration with six different melodists, are "Three Coins in a
Fountain," "Love and Marriage," "Call Me Irresponsible" and "Let It
Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!" His musicals include _Anchors
Aweigh_ and _High Button Shoes_. As a performer, he has the distinction
of making his Broadway debut in 1974 at the age of 60, in a one-man
show with backup musicians titled _Words and Music_, in which he sang
his own material and told colorful stories about his life and career. For his
performance, Sammy won the Outer Circle Critic's Award for Best New
Talent on Broadway, as well as a Theatre World Award. Since then, he
has been in great demand all over the country as an entertainer.
Small, wiry and energetic -- he describes himself as "all glasses and
mustache" -- he is utterly without pretension, and seems as much at home
with strangers on the street as he is with royalty (last year he sang for
England's Prince Charles). He manages to embrace both worlds by
involving himself in many projects simultaneously.
Born on "the lowest part of the Lower East Side," he now has an
apartment in the East 60s with his wife Tita, a fashion designer. He has
another residence in Los Angeles, and spends about the same number of
days each year in the two homes.