Johnny Roventini; Bellboy Called for Philip Morris in Ads. (Obituaries)(Part A)(Obituary) Myrna Oliver.

Full Text: COPYRIGHT 1998 The Times Mirror Company

Johnny Roventini, the diminutive bellboy known by generations for his advertising slogan, "Cal-l-l-l for-r-r Phil-lip Mor-ray-iisss," has died. He was 88.

Roventini, who stood 4 feet tall, died Monday in Suffern, N.Y.

From 1933 to 1974, when he retired to sail and golf, Roventini, or "little Johnny," was a living trademark for Philip Morris cigarettes. He appeared throughout the country in person, on billboards, in magazines and on radio and television dressed in his signature red usher's jacket, striped trousers, black pillbox hat and white gloves.

He made his famous call more than 1 million times, intoning it officially for the last time in 1974 to open the company's operations center in Richmond, Va.

Johnny's well-known uniform, inspired by a 1919 poster of a bellboy, is now in the American Ad Museum in Portland, Ore. The stand-up collar of the jacket became a fashion classic that endures today, known in design circles as a "Johnny collar."

Born to Italian immigrant parents, Roventini got a job as a bellboy at the Hotel New Yorker and earned minor fame when the hotel put his picture on postcards. He was identified as "the smallest bellboy in the world."

When advertising agency president Milton Biow came up with the idea of having his cigarette paged as if it were a man, he stopped by New York's Commodore Hotel and asked for the best bellhop in town. He was sent to the Hotel New Yorker and spied Johnny.

Biow gave him a dollar and told the naive youth to page Mr. Philip Morris.

"I went around the lobby yelling my head off, but Philip Morris didn't answer my call," Roventini would tell people for years afterward.

It was 1932 at the onset of the Depression, and Biow offered the bellboy $100 a commercial.

"I have to ask my mother," said Roventini, who was then 22 years old.

Adeline Roventini said fine. Roventini made his radio debut accompanied by "On the Trail" from Ferde Grofe's "Grand Canyon Suite." The music, like the uniform, became linked to the living trademark.

For $20,000 a year, Johnny promised never to appear in public without a bodyguard and never to ride the subway during rush hour. When his salary rose to $50,000, Philip Morris insured Johnny's voice, with its perfect B-flat call, for that amount.

By the 1950s, Philip Morris began replacing Johnny in its advertising with dancing cigarette packages.

Roventini tried to enlist in the Coast Guard Auxiliary during World War II, but was rejected when he couldn't see over the recruiting table. He was given a special draft classification of 1/2A.

Roventini lived with his mother until her death, and never married.

Death report puts "Johnny' on the spot. (FLORIDA/METRO)

Full Text: COPYRIGHT 1998 The Tampa Tribune

TEMPLE TERRACE - The death of a famous ad pitchman leads to utter confusion for the friends of an area winter resident.

News accounts this week reported the death of Johnny Roventini, the diminutive page famous in American advertising for shouting "Call for Philip Morris." But that was only half the story.

The other half is Albert Altieri, an octogenarian who winters in Tampa and is still alive and kicking.

Altieri shared with Roventini a piece of Americana - the role of "Johnny," the tobacco company's trademark ambassador famous throughout the 1940s and '50s. And when the news broke that Johnny had died, Altieri's phone started ringing off the hook.

"I got calls from all over the country, believe me," Altieri said Friday. "I was on that telephone the other morning for five hours - five straight hours - plus my answering machine was loaded with calls."

One of those calls came from Roger Rains, a good friend of Altieri's for about 15 years.

"I got a call from someone out of state who called to say they were very sorry that I had lost my friend," Rains said. "I was stunned."

Rains, of Tampa, called Altieri and was pleased to learn that, as Mark Twain once said of himself, reports of Altieri's death had been greatly exaggerated.

A Bridgeport, Conn., native, Altieri, who stands 4 foot 10 inches, said he was discovered at age 19 by Philip Morris in 1935, two years after Roventini was hired. "Philip Morris discovered him, then they discovered me because we looked so much alike."

The two did radio, and eventually television, broadcasts, as well as promotional events. Besides their looks, "our voices were similar, our backgrounds are similar - Italian immigrant parents."

Altieri, who turns 83 next week, said there was actually a third "Johnny," but he held the job only briefly, during World War II when demand for appearances was high for USO shows.

During his heyday as a Philip Morris pitchman, Altieri said, he traveled the world, rode in parades, and met countless movie stars and even a few presidents. One of his page uniforms has been on exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution.

Altieri worked 47 years for Philip Morris, retiring in 1982. He has wintered in Tampa 17 years.

Friends were relieved to learn he's still alive, but Altieri was saddened to learn of Roventini's death. "The man was a very dear friend of mine, and I mourn him."

Obituaries. (METRO)(Obituary)

Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2002 The Tampa Tribune

ALTIERI, Albert F., age 86, of Tampa, passed away Jan. 13, 2002. Born in Bridgeport, Conn., of immigrant parents. Following his grad- uation from high school he became a Page Boy, like his close friend Johnny Roventini, who was hired as the first Philip Morris spokesperson. Altieri also worked as, a bell boy in a hotel where Philip Morris, executives discovered him and offered him a job as Johnny. The early 1930's were difficult years because they represented the height of depression in the Northeast. The famous "Call for Philip Morris" and the "Johnny" advertising campaign was adjudged the most famous commercial of the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's. In 1935 "little Johnny" weighed a heavy 42 pounds and his height was 3' 7" tall. Johnny traveled extensively throughout the United States as Philip Morris Good Will Ambassador and its living trademark, meeting mayors, governors, senators and also being invited to the White House in Washington. On his extensive travels, his younger brother Ralph served as his chauffeur and traveling companion. The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives conferred on him the Title "Honorary Page Boy". He was also appointed as Honorary Page Boy for most of the State Legislatures throughout the country. His services were rendered also for many worthy causes throughout the country. After the war ended, Johnny traveled to Europe, (Western Germany, France and England) presenting a V.I.P. show to the members of the Armed Forces; this in behalf of the U.S.O. During the war, Johnny joined "The Cavalcade of Stars" for the U.S. Bond effort. He was also made an Honorary Army- Navy Air Force Recruiter by the President. In 1960, Albert returned from his travels and stIll remained with Philip Norris, working in sales promotion and also with special events. He finally retired in 1982 after 47 years of continuous and faithful service, decided to spend his retire- ment in Tampa whereupon he met the Directors and Officers of the Italian Invitational Golf Tournament. He was invited to become "A Honorary Director". The Directors and all of those who are involved in this Gold Tournament have readily become an extension of his family. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society, 2021 E. Busch Blvd. Tampa, FL 33602 in his memory. Mr. Altieri was preceded in death by his beloved sister, Mary DeLuca; and is survived by his brothers, Ralph and Carmine Altieri and his loving nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the chapel of Gonzalez Funeral Home. Interment will follow on Saturday in St. Michael Cemetery, Stratford, Conn. The family will receive friends this evening, Wednesday, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the chapel of

GONZALEZ FUNERAL HOME

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