You’ve heard about John and his buddies walking on railroad tracks, hopping trains and jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. It seems there is a plethora of crazy stunts John and his family got up to throughout his life.
Well, here’s one from his early days about the song “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka dot Bikini” written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss and first released in June 1959 by Brian Hyland with orchestra conducted by John Dixon.
One day, after that song came out, radio disc jockeys in Colton, California, put out a request for photos of girls in bikinis. John’s mom, Jeanne Fleming, baked a cake and decorated it like a girl in an “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini”. She even added cupcakes to the chest.
John and his brother, Gene, took the cake to the radio station where the disc jockeys talked about it on the air. John said they even said something like,”and you’ll never guess which part I’m eating now!”
John’s mom loved fun as much as her boys did. It must have been that fun-loving spirit that got passed onto John and gave him the strength and courage to take life light-heartedly even in the face of adversity.
This is definitely meant to make you smile and recall fond memories.
Many of my happiest childhood memories are of Auntie Jeanne and being in her home. Pat and I have 5 older brothers. John was the one who was the kindest to us. He would happily play along with what ever was the play of the day. We always left his room in fits of giggles.
What a lovely memory, Jayne!
Jane, so glad you’re following this. Love the memories. We’d love to hear some of yours if you’d like to send them. Will you be at the Fleming picnic in August?