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Uncle Al's 'family' looks back

Childhood memories came rushing back last weekend with the news that Al Alberts had died at his Florida home at age 87.

Childhood memories came rushing back last weekend with the news that Al Alberts had died at his Florida home at age 87.

For three decades from the late 1960s, "Uncle Al" - a singing star in his own right in the 1950s with the Four Aces - indulged young local entertainers on Al Alberts' Showcase, a Saturday TV variety show that frequently took its act on the road.

Alberts helped discover such entertainers as Andrea McArdle, Broadway's first Annie; singing group Sister Sledge; soul legend Teddy Pendergrass; and Jarrod Spector, who plays Frankie Valli on Broadway in Jersey Boys. All passed through the old Studio No. 1 at Channel 6, where the show was taped on Thursday nights.

Thousands of others were part of what Alberts and his wife, Stella, called his family.

"It was a family show," said Steven Sacks, the program's longtime cameraman. "The people watched and identified with it. They could imagine having their own kids on the show."

So long as they dressed the part. Bell-bottoms and psychedelic colors may have been in vogue, but Alberts' young boys always wore shirts and ties, and the girls were dolled up in pretty dresses.

"And [boys'] hair could not touch the ear," said Eddie Bruce, still an entertainer.

Bruce was on the first show, which aired in 1968 on Channel 48, its home for about two years. "It took 12 hours to tape the first show," Bruce said. "They had no clue what to do. We were doing retake after retake with a six-piece band, and who did that? It was so unbelievable. I remember thinking this will never last." Bruce remained with the show until age 18, when he had to "retire."

Jennifer Butler Wiener recalled how, in 1973, the Albertses approached her and her family while they were out to dinner. "I was only 4 years old, but went on and won the Little Miss Showcase Pageant on Al's show," said Wiener, who was introduced to Russell Faith, a popular voice coach, through the show.

"I remember the thrill of sneaking behind a curtain in the studio and playing on Captain Noah's [children's show] set and meeting Larry Ferrari," who had a popular organ show on Sundays, said Wiener, who also sang with Alberts' summertime show at Hersheypark.

Wiener did commercials, dinner theater, and modeling before retiring. After her children urged her, she is resuming her showbiz career.

Kim Mulford-Farmer, of Sewell, started as a dancer (or Show Stopper), eventually became the Alberts' choreographer, and is still in showbiz. "At one point, I counted, and back in the day we literally did 20 to 30 shows a year with Al Alberts," said Mulford-Farmer, who owns Mulford Dance Studio in Mount Ephraim. "Al and Stella were like Dad and Mom to me."

Sharon Steidler, of West Chester, recalled how her Chester County Ballet Company became a staple on the show weekly. "Once a year, Al allowed my studio an entire show to perform excerpts from the Nutcracker Suite," Steidler said. "It was such a great thing. From then on in, we were featured every single week. We became a part of the family. . . . He even sang 'Happy Birthday' to me on my 17th birthday, on air."

Also among the Alberts alumni are Bob Kelly, now CBS3/WOGL's traffic reporter. His seventh-grade class at All Saints School in Bridesburg wrote a song in 1976 for the Bicentennial. The nun sent in a tape, and the class went to Channel 6. "I more remember meeting Jim O'Brien than the show itself," Kelly said.

Brian McDonough, the physician whose reports are heard on KYW-AM (1060), appeared on Alberts' show at Hersheypark in 1972 singing a Jan and Dean song.

Neither man has photographic evidence.

"Al treated everyone as if they really had talent and encouraged them to keep trying," said McDonough. "I remember a whole group of us saw him perform in Wildwood about 1976, long after I abandoned my futile attempt as a vocalist."

Alberts' wife, Stella, said yesterday she had been fielding calls from well-wishers; she is reachable at 12836 Southwest Pembroke Circle North, Lake Suzy, Fla. 34269.

Memorial services have not been confirmed, as she said she was not able to fly to Philadelphia. She said that her husband's ashes would be scattered at sea from the deck of her son Al's 50-foot yacht.