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ent001379-046
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I agree.Pg. No.2 The following night, Prime was scheduled to open at Basin Street East in New York City?╟÷ and the call came through for young Gia to also appear there. She still wasn't sure what was happenning, except by now she was sure she had lost her job at Howard Johnson's restaurant for not appearing for work. When she arrived in the huge metropolis, a series of swift-moving, unimaginable events took place. She was immediately thrust into the hands of Basin Street East secretary, Phoebe Ostrow, to have the latter assist in preparing Miss Maione with the buying of gowns, going to the beauty parlor, eating a good dinner and calming her nerves to the point whereby she would be able to go on. She was literally in a state of shock from the whirling chain of events that gave her no time to come out of the magic wand real dream that she had been touched with in this 24-hour period. "Don't be nervous, don't be nervous, " she said to herself as did everyone around her. And She wasn't. And she went on stage. And she sang like she never did before. And she received accolades from the press like never before accorded a newcomer. Here are }ust some of the raves that were bestowed on her that night and that are still being showered upon her whenever she stands before the microphone: Walter Winchell: "Gia Maione is a pretty thing who can really sing and when she merely stands there in the background, she gives Louis Prima and his confidantes real class." Jack O'Brian, N. Y. Journal-American; "Gia Maione has what vaudevillians call 'class' along with talent. , .she exudes more than a hint of attractive niceness." Leonard Harris, N.Y. World-Telegram & Sun: "Miss Maione is a real star."