Dick Contino, RIP

Posted by Sampo, on April 21st, 2017

Fresno, Calif–Hipster accordionist, B-movie actor and MST3K icon Dick Contino died here April 19. He was 87.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal has the story.

Thanks to Paul for the heads up.

26 Replies to “Dick Contino, RIP”

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swh1939 says:

April 21, 2017 at 8:59 pm

Hiking my pants up in tribute.

22 likes

pearliemae says:

April 21, 2017 at 9:20 pm

Rest in peace, Daddy-O.

18 likes

That ain't Dirk says:

April 21, 2017 at 10:21 pm

Gotta get some rock candy and watch Daddy-O.

11 likes

Professor Gunther says:

April 21, 2017 at 10:55 pm

It’s time to take up the accordion so we can keep the tradition alive. — RIP Mr. Contino. (Eerily, my wife and I were talking about him earlier this evening.)

3 likes

Undernova says:

April 21, 2017 at 11:50 pm

Aw. Now who will I insult all men everywhere by insulting?

4 likes

radioman970 says:

April 22, 2017 at 12:05 am

I tried pushing my belt buckle to the side but… I’m just unworthy. He was the best at it than there ever was!

4 likes

Cornjob says:

April 22, 2017 at 3:50 am

He’s slapping fruit out of the angel’s hands now.

15 likes

Magicvoice says:

April 22, 2017 at 7:23 am

Some guys had brothers. He had Sonny. Hope they’re together.

9 likes

trickymutha says:

April 22, 2017 at 8:29 am

Your quote nearly made me cry- instead, I’m hiking up my pants and watching Daddy-O

Magicvoice:
Some guys had brothers. He had Sonny. Hope they’re together.

4 likes

Stupid Repulsive Anteater says:

April 22, 2017 at 9:25 am

Geez, Dick, you just had to go and make the ACEG commentary on Daddy-O obsolete, didn’t you?

Thank you for, if nothing else, providing a memorable episode of our cowtown puppet show. RIP, Mr. Contino.

6 likes

Ang says:

April 22, 2017 at 10:21 am

I have one of his accordion albums of French songs and it’s really good. Found it several years ago at an antique shop. RIP Daddy-O.

5 likes

ck says:

April 22, 2017 at 11:47 am

Odd coincidence, before reading this I put on Daddy-O today and am
half way through it. Apparently blondes had more fun with him.

3 likes

Insect Man #47 says:

April 22, 2017 at 11:54 am

Now enjoying a Fudgesicle with Sydney Chillis. Daddy-O is my favorite Ep, so this hits hard. RIP Pete Plum…… or Phil Sandifer…… or whatever.

3 likes

Torgo's Pizza-NJ says:

April 22, 2017 at 1:56 pm

Somewhere in heaven, he’s telling Iris to shut up….or was that Tony Travis? Either way, God bless.

5 likes

underwoc says:

April 22, 2017 at 6:37 pm

In all seriousness – if you haven’t read Hollywood Nocturnes by James Ellroy, I highly recommend it. Makes you see Daddy-O in a little different light. And a hell of a good tribute to Mr. Contino in the process. RIP.

4 likes

Thug Musk says:

April 22, 2017 at 9:45 pm

I went looking on YouTube, and this is the only live performance I can come up with of his signature song–he was 69 at the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6937HJURC4

Whether you like what he did or not, he was an absolute original, and the pride of Fresno.

4 likes

new cornjob says:

April 23, 2017 at 12:59 pm

man, so many sad RIPs to render past and this year. this one really hits home!

anyone else watching tha “daddio” this weekend in memoriam? i am now… one of my faves, and surely of all ‘yall… i don’t know whether to call him the “nerdiest he-man” ever on-screen (but oops, i guess i just did)… but hey, he was – no one could rock the high-pants like he did!

even if it was just fictional flirtation, i always dug daddy-o because he was locked into some sort of weird battle-of-the-sexes with the obviously incredibly bodacious sandra giles… i dated a girl like her for awhile back in college. sighhhhhss… memories.

i’ll have to fall down the youtube hole later and look up other stuff on him. never seen him rock the accordion! i’ll have to look at that; i’ll probably need to collect some of his stuff at some later date…

1 likes

Corky Bennett says:

April 23, 2017 at 2:07 pm

Dick Contino was my friend for many years.

Because of Dick, back in the 50’s, every teenager wanted to play the accordion. In 1949, when I was seven years old, I heard Dick on the radio. I told my mom that I wanted to be an accordion player just like Dick Contino. It was because of him that I entered the music world and became a professional. Ironically, I became Dick’s musical director, arranger, keyboardist, confident, sometimes manager and personal comic. I could make him laugh hysterically by just saying good morning.

Dick will be forever be known as one of the most loving people on the planet; not only to his family but to everyone he ever encountered. He treated everyone equal, from the restroom attendant to his superstar peers. He was very respectful of everyone, no matter where or what they came from.

Dick suffered from extreme phobias and demons his entire life. His major quest in his life was not to be the greatest accordion player or superstar entertainer, but to figure out the human mind and relationships between people. He was tormented by the whole mystifying thing he called “the human mindset.” He was never without his index cards in his shirt pocket on which he would write down his thoughts. He was a student of Joel Goldsmith and his philosophy called “The Infinite Way.” He hardly ever read newspapers but constantly read books and listened to tapes by Goldsmith. It consumed his life.

Dick was very intelligent and could discuss different religious philosophies with priests, rabbis, lamas, and religious scholars. He would talk to me on these deep subjects and I would pretend to listen intently. After a while I would get bored with the whole thing and do things to break him up. I would pour a cup of coffee on the floor or fall down. He would laugh so hard. I think he finally figured out that I was not the brightest bulb in the lamp.

I don’t ever recall Dick buying anything for himself, but he was the first to reach for his wallet when it came to buying dinner or drinks. He was a very generous man.

Accordion players and teachers around the world owe a great deal of gratitude to Dick Contino. He kept a lot of them working and made a few of them rich. There would be no accordion industry if it were not for Dick. He did for accordions what Elvis did for guitars. He was responsible for selling millions of accordions in the 50s and 60s.

Pete Barbutti, the famous comic, said of Dick; “A lot of entertainers make fun of him but none of them want to follow him on stage.” He was an amazing showman and a wonderfully gifted musician of the highest order. His fan club members followed him all through his 70 year career. They absolutely adored him. I consider my many years with Dick the honor of a lifetime. There will never be another Dick Contino!

26 likes

Corky Bennett says:

April 23, 2017 at 2:15 pm

Here I am with Dick a few years ago! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFvpWIC9f30

11 likes

new cornjob says:

April 23, 2017 at 3:41 pm

Corky Bennett:
Dick Contino was my friend for many years… “A lot of entertainers make fun of him but none of them want to follow him on stage.” … I consider my many years with Dick the honor of a lifetime. There will never be another Dick Contino!

:0 that’s my jaw dropped at such a wonderful reverie… a seriously honorific bow to you and your service and friendship with him, great sir… greatest and most heartfelt condolences to you, his fam, and all others who were so blessed to know the man!

6 likes

Thug Musk says:

April 23, 2017 at 4:08 pm

Corky Bennett:
Dick Contino was my friend for many years.

Because of Dick, back in the 50’s, every teenager wanted to play the accordion. In 1949, when I was seven years old, I heard Dick on the radio. I told my mom that I wanted to be an accordion player just like Dick Contino. It was because of him that I entered the music world and became a professional. Ironically, I became Dick’s musical director, arranger, keyboardist, confident, sometimes manager and personal comic. I could make him laugh hysterically by just saying good morning.

Dick will be forever be known as one of the most loving people on the planet; not only to his family but to everyone he ever encountered. He treated everyone equal, from the restroom attendant to his superstar peers. He was very respectful of everyone, no matter where or what they came from.

Dick suffered from extreme phobias and demons his entire life. His major quest in his life was not to be the greatest accordion player or superstar entertainer, but to figure out the human mind and relationships between people. He was tormented by the whole mystifying thing he called “the human mindset.” He was never without his index cards in his shirt pocket on which he would write down his thoughts. He was a student of Joel Goldsmith and his philosophy called “The Infinite Way.” He hardly ever read newspapers but constantly read books and listened to tapes by Goldsmith. It consumed his life.

Dick was very intelligent and could discuss different religious philosophies with priests, rabbis, lamas, and religious scholars. He would talk to me on these deep subjects and I would pretend to listen intently. After a while I would get bored with the whole thing and do things to break him up. I would pour a cup of coffee on the floor or fall down. He would laugh so hard. I think he finally figured out that I was not the brightest bulb in the lamp.

I don’t ever recall Dick buying anything for himself, but he was the first to reach for his wallet when it came to buying dinner or drinks. He was a very generous man.

Accordion players and teachers around the world owe a great deal of gratitude to Dick Contino. He kept a lot of them working and made a few of them rich. There would be no accordion industry if it were not for Dick. He did for accordions what Elvis did for guitars. He was responsible for selling millions of accordions in the 50s and 60s.

Pete Barbutti, the famous comic, said of Dick; “A lot of entertainers make fun of him but none of them want to follow him on stage.” He was an amazing showman and a wonderfully gifted musician of the highest order. His fan club members followed him all through his 70 year career. They absolutely adored him. I consider my many years with Dick the honor of a lifetime. There will never be another Dick Contino!

0 likes

Thug Musk says:

April 23, 2017 at 4:14 pm

Not only an actual clip of you and Dick Contino, BUT A PETE BARBUTTI QUOTE.

Thank you for posting.

1 likes

new cornjob says:

April 23, 2017 at 5:11 pm

p.s. hi-larious clip there corky! he so gladly let you grandstand; he wanted to let you “riff” up his own show, obviously… and he was obviously too so full of humor himself. no maudlin schmaltz… you can feel the love there between you bros. i’m sure there’ll be plenty of wistful weeping to be had amongst the family and friends… but later, you’ll remember much more just all the happy times, the fun and the laughter. l’chaim!

he -really- rocks the accordion here!…
Dick Contino “Contino Boogie” Seattle 1995
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVICxfnLtPA

and – i know this isn’t so proper a time to say such things, but this clip shows why the ladies would swoon over him… here he is treating that accordion all like “wait’ll i get you home, babe!”
Dick Contino Dick Contino – My Melody Of Love – Seattle 1988.mpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKOxrA04AEI

1 likes