JAMES “JIMMY CRICKET” MELLO
May 16th, 1954 - September 17th, 1992
    (A reminiscence by Casey Wayne)
Wednesday, May 07, 2008

Jimmy Mello was my friend.  We met on his very first night in NYC, back in
1971, when he was just 17 years old.  We became fast friends, and remained
so until his death.

He was born in the middle class Portuguese suburb of East Taunton,
Massachusetts on May 16th, 1954.  He was the youngest of 4 siblings, brother
Craig and two sisters, Louise and Lucy.  Jimmy knew he was Gay from a very
early age, and ‘came out’ to his parents Fred and Lucy before he entered
High School.  His entire family embraced his announcement wholeheartedly.

After graduating, he briefly directed community theater in Taunton and
Boston, including productions of “Blithe Spirit” and “The Apple Tree”.
There he met his mentor, Tubby Boots, an outrageous nightclub comic who
encouraged him to move to New York City to pursue his dream of working in
professional theater.

Tubby invited Jimmy on a weekend trip to NYC, and on that Friday evening,
attended the Village theater I was performing at.  They were brought
backstage by Gay personality George Sardi, who had previously given me
frequent mentions in his magazine columns, and who introduced me to Jimmy.

Jimmy soon joined the cast of the long-running revue “Boys! Boys! Boys!” at
Dramatis Personae on 14th Street, enjoying popularity as one of the newest
fresh-faced go-go boys.  In short time, he became known for his seductive
striptease, finishing in top hat, bow tie and bulging g-string,  known only
by his adopted stage name of “Jimmy Cricket”.

Shortly afterward, he and I joined the cast of an all-male burlesque revue
headed by Jack the Stripper at the midtown Gaiety Theatre.  Once the revue
folded, Jimmy stayed on to manage the Gaiety, and subsequently produced
shows of a professional caliber.  It was there he met Iowan native, Randy
Myers, and they became lovers.  Together, they appeared in a singing-dancing
strip act, “M & M”, so-named by using the first initials from their last
names.  (Randy was older brother to Terryl “TJ” Myers, (D. Aug. 28, ‘90), of
the a cappella group “The Flirtations”.)

In the summer of 1976, together with Randy and Argentinian choreographer
Pedro ‘Peter Shadow’ Sambra (D: Feb. 9 ‘96), Michel Blaze and myself, Jimmy
formed another all-male musical comedy revue, “The Heatwave Company”, which
performed at The Big Top Cinema on Broadway at 50th Street, as well as
touring many venues in the tri-state area.  Soon, the cast developed an
original gay comic soap opera, “Mary Marvin, Mary Marvin” (‘77-78).

Once “Heatwave” had folded after a few successful seasons, Jimmy and Randy
joined Le Clique, a mainstream entertainment troupe that specialized in Bar
Mitzvahs and corporate events throughout the U.S.  Jimmy and Randy
eventually rose from the ranks of performers to become company lighting
designer and road manager, respectively, positions they held until the end
of their lives.

A reluctant performer, Jimmy’s main interest was always the technical side
of production, principally directing.  Jimmy soon began working in that
capacity for local cable TV channels.  There he started a show called “Gay
Horizons” (‘83-84), quickly following that with directing  the
ground-breaking “Gay Morning America” (‘86-89), produced by George Sardi.

All through this time, Jimmy and I maintained our friendship and
professional performing relationship in all the above-mentioned venues.

Jimmy’s last public appearance was less than a month before he died.  In
August of ‘92. He attended a barbeque housewarming party at my home in New
Jersey.  Very frail, but still having energy to socialize with a few close
friends over food, gossip, a few beers and his ever-present cigarettes.  He
had survived Randy (D. Feb 5, ‘91), by more than a year, dying at home early
on the morning of September 17th, 1992.  He was just 38.  Both were
cremated.

If you ever saw Jimmy or knew him & wish to share your memories of him please
contact us at THE ARCHIVE