Fabian (entertainer)
| Fabian Forte | |
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Fabian in 1959
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| Born |
Fabiano Anthony Forte February 6, 1943 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Fabian |
| Occupation | Singer, actor |
| Years active | 1959–present |
| Spouse(s) | Kathleen Regan (m.1966–1979) Kate Forte (m.1980–1990) Andrea Patrick (m.1998) |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | fabianforte |
Fabiano Anthony Forte (born February 6, 1943), professionally known as Fabian, is an American singer and actor.
Forte rose to national prominence after performing several times on American Bandstand. He became a teen idol of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Eleven of his songs reached the Billboard Hot 100 listing.
Fabian Forte is the son of Josephine and Dominic Forte; his father was a Philadelphia police officer. He is the oldest of three brothers.
Forte was discovered in 1957 by Bob Marcucci and Peter DeAngelis, owners of Chancellor Records. At the time, record producers were looking to the South Philadelphia neighborhoods in search of teenage talents with good looks.
Marcucci was a friend of Fabian's next door neighbor. One day, Fabian's father had a heart attack, and, while he was being taken away in an ambulance, Marcucci spotted Fabian. Fabian later recalled, "He kept staring at me and looking at me. I had a crew cut, but this was the day of Rick Nelson and Elvis. He comes up and says to me, 'So if you're ever interested in the rock and roll business... and hands me his card. I looked at the guy like he was out of his mind. I told him, "leave me alone. I'm worried about my dad'."
When Fabian's father returned from hospital he was unable to work, so when Marcucci persisted, Fabian and his family were amenable and he agreed to record a single. Frankie Avalon, also of South Philadelphia, suggested Forte as a possibility. "They gave me a pompadour and some clothes and those goddamned white bucks", recalled Fabian, "and out I went." "He was the right look and right for what we were going for", wrote Marcucci later.
Fabian was given an allowance from the record company of $30 a week. He also kept working part-time at a pharmacy as well as studying at South Philadelphia High School, while practicing his singing. Fabian later said "I didn't know what I was doing, but I knew my goal, to try to make extra money. That meant a lot to our family. I rehearsed and rehearsed, and I really felt like a fish out of water. And we made a record. And it was horrible. Yet it got on [the legendary Philadelphia rhythm and blues radio program] Georgie Woods. For some reason, Georgie Woods played it."
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