Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 1D

People Section Tuesday, April 24, 1979 TV Logs 2D Puzzles, Columns 5D a en uuinui aai i uuniuai uv Color Comics 6D Brevard After Dark trt; George Carter Dennis Yost Classics IV At Banyan HOLIDAY INN, Merritt Island: DennU Yost and the Classics IV opened Monday night In the Banyan Tree Lounge and will play through Satur day. Yost and his group, you will recall, peaked in the 19C8 70 period with million seller hits like "Spooky," "Stormy," and "Traces of Love." They also recorded "Change of Heart" "Midnight" "The Funniest Thing," and "God Knows I Love Her." who has been out of the business for a few years. Is back In the entertainment picture again. His agent, Sid Rudeau, whose office is in St. Petersburg, reported that Yost's personal manager is Larry Spellman, who also handles comics Pat Cooper and Bobby Ramson.

Yost has recently completed an album for Tel records, and has some Las Vegas appearances and a movie screen test scheduled During National Secretaries Week this week ladies lunching in the Treehouse restaurant here will get a free carnation or a glass of wine. Afternoon hostess is Kathy Burgess, with waitresses Jay Mitchell, Millie Meadows, Penny Rudolf, Helen Eden, and Dot Sherwood. Chef is Len Nelswander, with Ernie Eden helping. Three Suns Coming DiVINCrS ITALIAN RESTAURANT, Merritt Square Mall: Marty Johnson and manager Mike Furni announce that the Three Suns will be appearing in the lounge beginning Tuesday, May 8, through Sunday, May 13, which is Mother's Day. The Suns became popular in the late '30s and early '40s when big bands and musical groups did "remotes" live radio broadcasts during the slow midnight hours.

Along with Glenn Miller, coming from Frank Dalley" Meadowbrook in New Jersey, and Tommy Dorsey, from the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, you'd hear the announcer say: "From high atop the beautiful Picadllly Hotel in downtown Manhattan, it's the music of the Three Suns." Then the group would play their theme, "Twilight Time." There will be no cover or minimum for the Da Vinci's performances, but reservations are suggested, especially during Mother's Day weekend. Call 452 3290. It's Party Time BEACH SHACK, Cocoa Beach: Ron Stevens and Jim White have received permission from the city of Cocoa Beach to have a big beach party this Sunday. They have been working on the project for several weeks and just got the OK from the' city fathers A major participant will be radio station ZETA In Orlando, which will be plugging the event and whose personalities will be on hand for coverage and for a jet ski race. Local participants at this writing are the Beach Shack, the Thirsty Turtle, Key West Taco and the Exotic Shell Shop.

The crossroads at A1A and the Minuteman Causeway will be blocked off and traffic rerouted to accommodate the party. Events will Include a surfing contest, volleyball, a tug of war and jet skiing. Action begins at 7 a m. and free beer will be served at the Shack and the Thirsty Turtle at 10 a m. Local merchants and contestants who wish to participate may call White or Stevens at 783 7679.

Inside the Beach Shack, Stevens and White have created a really nautical, mood in the oceanfront spa'. The interior has been done with raw wooden slabs, the ceiling is fish net and the new bar overlooks the ocean through oversized portholes. The partners have an extensive roster of customer activities planned as well. In addition to Tuesday pool night, they are Involved in a Softball league which plays Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Cocoa Beach Recreational Complex. They have also organized a moonlight fishing trip which will take place Friday, May 4, on the Super Blue Seas party boat.

The evening will cost about 25 per person for beer, sandwiches and fishing equipment. The trip will last from 7:30 m. until 2:30 a m. It's open to all and information may be had by calling 783 7679. The Beach.

Shack Is open seven days from 7 a m. until 4 a.m. Beer and wine is served and on Sundays, Busch canned beer is 50 cents all day long. Gals behind the bar are Cat Nagy, Karen Burke, Pam Ross and Betty Rosenberg. "Captain Bob" Ryan serves the pizzas and sub sandwiches.

Secretaries Sweepstakes MOUSETRAP, Cocoa Beach: For National Secretaries Week, the brothers Kolsch are having a Secretary's Sweepstakes. The secretaries or their bosses may fill out an entry blank for a drawing to be held Friday at 8 m. First prize is a dinner for two in the VIP room, second place gets lunch for two and third prize Is a bottle of champagne. Entrants must register by Thursday. The Naturals, the current attraction In the lounge, will appear through Saturday.

Gene Sheltoo appears at cocktail time and on Sunday nights, when he is joined by George Carter. Sundays have become a jam session of sorts. Sitting In last week were Al flood on trumpet and Roy Mitchell on trombone. Singers were Dee Harris and Don Marian. Stop the Music OCEAN EDGE RESTAURANT, Melbourne Beach: Rich Migliore and Mike Duda have discontinued entertainment here because of a lack of space.

The partners say the dinner action has been so busy that there wasn't room for dancing. The most popular food items, according to chef Don Darns, are the red snapper and barbecued punt (nick nee, lire oar opera bi wm uumcr See B.A.D, 4D 'ttXaVaBBBBBBBBBBBBBKBBBBBBM "J4v okfMBelBBBBBVMpTI, faZlBBBBBBBBBaVaaaffsBHBao! JTAovHBBVQaoaflPTFSi HBBBBBBBWOBBBHLMBlffafallBBV ''CV. 1' Worth Gruelle of Rockledge makes a sketch while severs Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls look on. The son of the artist who created the doll characters, Gruelle illustrated Raggedy Ann books until about 10 years ago. TODAY Stofl Photo by Miko 'own Artist Finds Security in Raggedy Ann By GEORGE KORDA TODAY Staff Writer Worth Gruelle of Rockledge spends every day of his life with one of the most famous girls in the world.

She's more recognizable than John Wayne, and even more durable. You can knock the stuffings out of her, but she'll bounce back. And she and her brother form one of the most famous entertainment combinations in history. Raggedy Ann lives in Rockledge with Gruelle. She's been there for four years, ever since he moved there from Dade County.

Gruelle (pronounced Grew EL) Is the son of Johnny Gruelle, creator of the Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy dolls. When his father died in 1938, 28 year old Worth Gruelle picked up where he had left off, carrying on the life of the two most famous rag dolls in America. "My father was an illustrator for the Indianapolis Star," Gruelle said. "He started putting Raggedy Ann stories on paper in 1912." The stories became so popular they were published in book form, Gruelle said. Ironically, it is a tragic story that may explain how Raggedy Ann first appeared.

Gruelle's sister, Mar cella, was suffering from a heart condition when her father gave her an old doll he'd once made in their house's attic. The doll kept the child company from the time she was 10 until 14, when she died It was after that that Johnny Gruelle began writing stones using the doll as a character. Is the story true? "There's no telling," said his son. "After all, I was very young then But that's the history all the folks pass down." Gruelle's family eventually moved to Miami Beach and became friends with the wealthy and powerful. On the wall of Gruelle's home is a photo of a familiar face.

It is signed, "To Johnny Gmelle from his friend, Franklin D. Roosevelt." "The time he was shot at and Mayor Cermak (of Chicago) was killed he was supposed to be staying at our house," Gruelle said "But as soon as the shooting took place he went traipsing back to Washington pretty fast." It was 1938 and Gruelle was 28 when his father died By this time the career of Raggedy Ann had really hit the skids. "Raggedy Ann goes in cycles, like anything else," Gruelle said. "Back in the late '30s it was all a mess really it had practically dropped out of the picture. "Around the time Dad died an outfit came and guaranteed us a certain price," Gruelle said "It took World War II to get us going again Gruelle added that he didn't mean that it took a war to make the doll popular, but that people just wanted something to distract them from the bitter day to day news "The biggest thing is that something that simple could be such a loveable gift," he said Gruelle said it has been about 10 years since he illustrated his last Raggedy Ann book.

Subsidiary companies of the International Telephone Telegraph Co. own the production licenses for the dolls and books. Since 1964, about 45 million of the dolls have been sold. Gruelle and his brother, who lives in North Carolina, receive the royalties It is, Gruelle says, "a comfortable living Raggedy Ann and Andy dominate almost every aspect of the home Gruelle shares with his wife Suzanne The oldest doll he has goes back 40 years, he estimates "Some doll collectors say they have original Rag gedy Anns, but they're aren't any," Gruelle said. A ham radio enthusiast, Gruelle sends Raggedy Ann certificates to people he Converses with, and said that Sen Barry Goldwater even has one.

Gruelle has a room of Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, pictures all over the house, and lately he has become adept at carving Raggedy Ann scenes into windows using a diamond tipped engraving tool. It would seem that at least one of the several tattoos Gruelle had put on his arms during Navy service in World War II would be that of Raggedy Ann or Andy. "No, I didn't get one of those," he said "The sailors would've called me a sissy." Youth Scores In Two Fields TODAY Itoft Photo BV DM HOMtty TODAY Itoff Photo hv Ooono Kortfo Paige Matlock Divides Her Time Between Modeling and Being a Little League First Baseman By GEORGE KORDA TODAY Staff Wrltor You can't get to first base with fashion model Paige Matlock she's already there. Paige, 11, plays first base for the Expos of the North Memtt Island Little League's Minor II division. She is also a model, laving been in several fashion shows since she started modeling classes in September.

Although she's no threat to either Steve Garvey or Cheryl Tiegs, Paige is doing all right, thank you. "She's at least above average of the 12 players on the team," said her baseball coach, Bob Tichy. "She's got a real good baseball head That's why I've got her playing first base." Paige is the only girl on Tichy's team. Her modeling instructor, Donna Buckley of Encore Modeling in Merritt Island, said, "As a beginner, she's good She's already done a fashion show She's got potential Paige finds it easy to move between her two hobbies. "Sometimes I like to model," she said, "and sometimes I like to be with the boys." She wouldn't be playing baseball at all if her mother Polly hadn't been coaxed into letting her' on the diamond "I didn't want her to, but she begged me when she was first old enough to play," said Mrs Matlock, who was a widow at that time.

She held firm, and after she remarried her husband Joe agreed with her at first. "Joe said the boys would be too rough, then he found out how rough she was and said we should let her play this year," Mrs. Matlock said. Paige said her fielding is probably the strongest part of her baseball game. But to listen to her once skeptical mother tell it, her daughter may be destined for stardom "She's really pretty good at ball playing," Mrs.

Matlock said. "I think she plays ball better than anything." Mrs. Matlock added that Paige has modeled clothes for JC. Penney's and has been in a fashion show for the Merritt Island YMCA. Paige takes modeling classes on Monday afternoons.

"But she's had to miss a few classes because of games," her mother said. Paige herself said that in case of a conflict, "I'd go to whichever was more Import tant." Retiree Organizing Atheist Group Here By PETER ADAMS TODAY Staff Wrltor Tom Atkinson of Merritt Island doesn't believe In God. And the 72 year old retiree went on radio Sunday to spread his gospel of atheism. His contention that there Is no supreme being and that organized religion has been responsible for more bloodshed than good brought some strong reaction from listeners on the WCWR AM radio call in show "Viewpoint." The former engineer with the Apollo space program said he Is forming a Brevard branch of the Society of Fellowship, an atheist organization based in Hollywood, Calif. 'It's for thinking people who don't want to be brainwashed by the Tom Atkinson "The history of Christianity has left a bloody trail," he said, listing the occupation of South America by the Spanish conquistadors and 17th century wars between Catholics and Protestants as examples.

"Religion has a history Of cruelty look at any of them," he added. "And today It's just become big business and nothing else." While Atkinson dusji't accept a belief in God, he is strictly an evolutiomsv does have strong beliefs. "I believe in love of each other," he said. He sums up his humanist faith by paraphrasing St. Augustine: "St.

Augustine said, 'Love God and do as you I say, 'Love each other and do as you With only a handful of members so far, Atkinson said his Society of Fellowship has run into some very vocal opponents. The Kentucky native and one time Sunday school teacher re calls, "I've been told I ought to be burned at the stake. It doesn't bother me, there haven't been any serious threats." He even had opposition from his family and said he was separated from his wife "on philosophical grounds. She didn't accept my beliefs." Raised as a Baptist by his mother, Atkinson 'said he got his atheist training from his father, but added that he's only taken it up seriously in the past 20 years. His enemies are "those preachers who take in millions of dollars on the collection plate." Not connected with Ma dalyn Murray O'Hare's American Atheists, the Society of Fellowship has branches throughout California.

Atkinson received plenty of criticism from Brevar dians who heard his opinions on the air Sunday. "Go back to Russia you came from. You're working for Satan," said one woman irately. Another woman warned him: "Your'e not going to get to heaven if you keep talking like that." But none of that ruffles atheist Atkinson, who doesn't accept the concepts of Satan, heaven or hell. "Nobody has come back from either place to tell me about it," he said.

"How can I believe it?" IfaBl jLOW ioltV'Vi 'a msSm TOM ATKINSON draws heavy criticism.