Steve Susskind in the Roommates

Steve Susskind in Friday the 13th: Part III

Before Steve Susskind (Friday the 13th: Part III) was the easy-to-love nitwit Harold, he was a pop star in the du-wop trio called the Roommates who had hit records with "Please Love Me Forever" (with Cathy Jean) and "The Glory of Love" in 1961.

Steve Susskind (far left) with The Roommates from www.blogg.org

From Kew Gardens, Queens New York, the Roommates were fifteen year old Steve Susskind and Bob Minsky of Russell Sage Junior High. Susskind originally sang with a local quartet called the Sparklers, but in 1959 he and Minsky became a duo. Later that year they took second place at a Forest Hills High School competition losing to Tom and Jerry who would later become Simon and Garfunkel. 

Deciding to become a group several members came and went until the 1960 members included Steve Susskind (lead), Jack Carlson (first tenor and falsetto), Felix Alvarez (second tenor) and Bob Minsky (bass). The group practiced after school and began writing songs. Realizing the songs weren't good enough they began going through their 45s to find workable material coming up with "One Summer Night" and "The Glory of Love." The group often sang in the lobby of the Forest Hills apartment building where Jody Malis lived. Malis was the record librarian at WMGM radio, which had one of the nation's first top 40 formats. Along with her husband Gene she signed them to a management contract.

Exactly one month from now, January 21st, will mark 8 years since his passing from an automobile accident in Sunland-- not too far from where I am sitting right now. RIP Steve.

from www.saddlebrooktimes.com