— Mob watchers say the Sunday night murder of loan shark and muscle man John Fecarotta could signal a shift in underworld control of illegal activities in the lucrative 1st Ward. Fecarotta was a top aide to former 1st Ward mob boss Angelo LaPietra, now languishing in a federal prison in Danbury, Conn. But now it appears that LaPietra apparently has been unable to control his street crew from afar, even with the help of his brother, Jimmy, on the outside. The feds say there could be more violence before things settle down. — Chicago IRS agent Robert Fuesel, who directs the Federal Criminal Investigators Association, was among the nation`s top law-enforcement agents summoned to Washington Monday for a briefing from Vice President Bush on the President`s new antidrug campaign.
The g`day guy . . .
If ”Crocodile Dundee” is as good for Paul Hogan`s career as his TV commercials have been for Australian tourism, the guy`s got it made. Hogan wrote the adventure movie and is covering the United States in five weeks to promote it. Then it`s back to Australia to check in with his family (four sons and a daughter) before heading off to Europe to promote the movie there–all within months of having suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, which Hogan shrugs off. ”I just had a rotten headache for two weeks,” he told INC. ”But I was very lucky. They can kill you, or leave you crippled, but I was one of the lucky 10 percent that didn`t require any surgery and didn`t suffer any lasting effects.” While Hogan is pleased that his ”g`day” commercials have boosted Australia from the 49th international vacation stop to the first, there is a down side. ”It`s very hard to get a decent seat on a plane to there now; I`ve been bumped more than once.”
The sock award . . .
A few more dirty socks to stuff in Adlai Stevenson`s mouth? Rev. George
”One Church/One Child” Clements, who has led the cause for black adoptions throughout the nation, is none too pleased with Adlai`s criticism of Gordon Johnson, director of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, for the rise in child-abuse-related deaths. Father Clements, who has worked closely with Johnson in getting black children out of the warehouse of foster care, praised Johnson for being ”one of the top administrators in the nation, with impeccable credentials that are beyond question.” So there.
`Crime Story` stories . . .
— Anthony Denison: from struggling New York actor to TV series star in four days. A Wednesday, last spring: His acting coach recommends that he check in with a casting director looking for ”Italian types.” He does. She plotzes. He`s just what she`s been looking for. Thursday: She calls. You`re going to L.A. Friday. He plotzes. He`s never been there. Friday: He goes to L.A., planning to sleep on the flight. The flight is full of drunk women bowlers heading for a tournament. No sleeping. No kidding. Saturday: He auditions for ”CS” producer Michael Mann and a roomful of NBC execs, including Brandon Tartikoff in tennis shorts. Brandon offers Anthony a bagel. He declines the bagel, gets the job. He flies back home to New York. Hi, honey (Jennifer Evans). I got a job. Let`s get married. That`s nice. Okay, let`s. Sunday: Another phone call. You gotta go to Chicago today. Bye, honey. The rest is history. The show premieres Thursday. P.S. Jennifer was a June bride. — Bill Campbell: From Adam Carrington`s lover to ”Crime Story” cop in one career jump. Campbell, ”bumming around the country” after a ”Dynasty” gig and an amicable break-up with longtime love Virginia Madsen, makes a stop in Chicago to visit the folks, check in with agent Harisse Davidson. Any work? Check ”CS” casting director. Not tough enough. Tough. Off to Los Angeles. A week later, the call. They changed the concept. You`re tough enough to play young cop Joey Indelli. Get a crew cut because the show is set in 1963. Campbell was 4 at the time. Life is strange. ”Crime Story,” he says, is great. Spare time: rugby with old pals. Old pubs with rugby pals. Reruns of
”Dynasty” in foreign countries still keep his fan mail box full. Lots from kids. Some from gay fans. What to do when this job is over? Blow off six months maybe, see the country.
That`s entertainment . . .
For the first time in ”Dance Fever`s” illustrious history, Merv Griffin didn`t show at the show`s wrap party last weekend. . . . The new TV spokesman for Aramis men`s fragrance is Chris Lemmon, son of Jack. . . . INC. hears that former ”CBS Morning News” producer Susan Winston has been talking with
”Entertainment Tonight” execs.
INC.lings . . .
The tall ”German” marching in the annual Von Steuben Society parade Saturday down Dearborn Street will be none other than grand marshal Harry Semrow, of the Cook County Board of (tax) Appeals. . . . Memo: art buffs
–Isobel Neal, wife of CHA board member and prominent attorney Earl Neal, just established the first full-time gallery featuring artwork of black artists exclusively. Location: 200 W. Superior St. . . . Thursday birthdays:
Robert Blake, 53; Claudette Colbert, 81; Greta Garbo, 81. . . . Chicago`s Marcy Pauker is one of only two Americans ever chosen to attend Paul Bocuse`s graduate school of cooking in Lyons, France. . . . Chicago actor Ron Masak shows up Oct. 3 in an episode of ”Webster.”
