Cool People for the Week of 5/11-5/18 2008…

WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT that Miss Danielle Stanulis (left, with sister Ashlee) WAS NOT INJURED in a serious accident last week in Toms River.

Shirley and Molly Miller are mother and grandmother to Danielle and Ashlee Stanulis, as well as Kim Samarelli.

Billy Rumbolo and James Samarelli, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Walter Grenci, and Communion Boy Dominick Grenci.

Joe Paola, Jr. from the Ocean County Fire Marshall’s Office, at the scene of a recent structure fire in Lakewood.

SEEN AT HEMINGWAY’S: The Patterson family of Kearney Avenue, and…

Jim Smith and Kevin Stewart, and…

Mr and Mrs. Eppy Wachtler, son Chris, and…

Sharon and Richard Halihan, and…

Bill “Murph” White, Mike Loundy, and Lavallette first couple Wally & Joanne LaCicero

LADIE’S MAN Chris “Seme” Semeraro, floor man at Hemingway’s is seen with local beauty and everybody’s favorite camera girl, Maria Meredith.

24 YEARS has passed since the Haunted Castle fire at Six Flags Great Adventure, which killed 8 teenagers on May 11, 1984.

Pete thanks Ed Hoffman…

AS PETE CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY #37 MAY 14TH, he thanks Ed Hoffman, the Seaside Heights Police officer who responded to the call when Pete was accidentally hit by a car in the summer of 1974.

Pete thanks Ed Hoffman: If you like reading the stories on this page, then you might have to in part say thanks to Ed Hoffman. Ed has been in Ocean County law enforcement for decades, and recently spoke of one of his most memorable calls while working as a police officer in Seaside Heights. The call came in the summer of 1974: a three year-old child struck by a motor vehicle. Upon reaching the scene Ed and other volunteers had to lift the car off of the child, only to discover that it was the son of his superior officer, Captain Harry Smith. If you haven’t already figured it out, the child struck by the car was me, Pete Smith. I have always known that this incident happened, but was short on specific details until I recently met up with Ed Hoffman. Ed says the car was a Corvette(at least I went down in style) and that I was completely under the car, but miraculously alert, conscious, and not seriously injured. Ed says I didn’t even cry, but rather took it in great stride, but was soon asking for my mother. It turns out I was quite a little escape artist, notorious for taking off when I thought no one was watching. As the story goes, I had gone around the corner to see one of my numerous neighborhood summer friends, and had tried to cross Blaine Avenue between two parked cars when the incident happened. I have absolutely no memory of the actual accident itself, but I do recall being in the hospital afterwards. Because I would not stay in the bed, the hospital staff put me in a special metal cage so I couldn’t get away. What I remember most was the food: the nurses fed me toast and jam, my father brought me an enormous Hershey bar, and took me to Burger King on the way home. I also remember that when I did go home, it was like an inescapable prison, so there would be no chance of a repeat incident. 34 years have passed since the accident, as of May 14th, I will be 37 years old. Coincidentally, through my job at Seaside Heights Public Relations, this month I will be helping host 101 Safe Days of Summer along with the Ocean County Department of Traffic Safety, promoting among other topics, pedestrian safety.

IT WASN’T PETE’S TIME in 1974, when he narrowly escaped serious injury or worse, being hit and pinned underneath a Corvette on Blaine Avenue.

Pete visits One Life To Live set…

THE LOBBY OF ONE LIFE TO LIVE STUDIOS in New York is as far as our cameras were allowed to go. It’s all very hush-hush you know, as to not spoil plotlines and cliffhangers.

Pete visits One Life To Live set: A big thanks is in order to One Life To Live senior staff, who made good on their promise to give me a VIP tour of their New York studio. When Production Manager Brian O’Meara and Producer John Tumino came to Seaside Heights to get their filming permit earlier this year, I asked if one day I could come up to their studio and see it for myself. They agreed, and the big day was Tuesday May 6th.
OLTL headquarters is at 56 W. 66th street in Manhattan, near Lincoln Center. Seeing the studio and the elaborate operation that is required to make the show was really fascinating. I learned that OLTL has no permanent sets. The production floor of the daytime drama is akin to a large warehouse. Above the floor is a numbered grid with lights attached. Set elements are trucked in, assembled and removed each day depending on need. Everything is laid out on the grid according to a daily-produced map, and the lighting is adjusted accordingly. The show is filmed using four cameras, while production staff watch monitors in an adjoining room. After the show is filmed, it is scored and edited using AVID software. Each show is 38 minutes of footage with the remainder of the time used for commercials and promos. OLTL is seen on every ABC affiliate in the United States, and on the cable channel SoapNet.
It is obvious to me that the One Life to Live staff is like a close-knit family. Through my experience as local host of their four-day location shoot, I have begun to feel a small part of this family, sort of like a third cousin, once removed. During my time at OLTL studios, I recognized, and was recognized by many of the staff. Among others I saw this day were interns C.J. Ferroni and Beth Armstrong, Bob Bossoir, Director of Photography, and Suzanne Flynn, Senior Producer. Although I didn’t get to talk to them directly, I was in the presence of OLTL’s biggest stars, including Erika Slezak (Viki) and Robin Strasser (Dorian), who have been on the show for most of its 40-year run.
Coincidentally, my visit occurred during the same week that Andrea Evans, who is notorious for her role as femme fatale Tina Lord, returned to One Life To Live studios and filmed her first-ever scenes after an 18-year absence. Some readers may know that when I first met the OLTL staff, I asked what were the chances of the original Tina returning, and they hinted that she might be. A few weeks later, I learned that my favorite character of all-time would be returning to the soap.

God Bless Samantha Samarelli…

COMMUNION GIRL Samantha Samarelli, looking cute on the big day.

God Bless Samantha Samarelli: Miss Samantha Samarelli had her first Holy Communion on Saturday May 3rd. Family and friends gathered at St. Catherine’s Church in Seaside Park to watch the big event. Samantha, 8, was all smiles as she performed the Catholic ritual. Afterwards, family and friends attended a delicious brunch at Hemingway’s. (The quiche was the talk of the party) Samantha is the daughter of Seaside Heights Fire Department Chief James Samarelli and Kimberle Rolle-Samarelli, of the New Jersey Amusement Association.

Communion Girl Samantha Samarelli, brother James and Aunt Danielle Stanulis are seen with kid guests: Logan Boyd, Stephen & Lauren Rumbolo, and Jake Paola.

80’s night…

IT CAME FROM THE 80’s…Vinnie Craparotta III wasn’t even born when this outfit was in style. Vinnie hosted 80’s night at Hemingway’s May 2nd.

Steve and Jenna from Hemingway’s also got into the 80’s theme.