Fond Memories

Family Worked at Park

I saw the VHS and was amazed at the amount of information pertaining to people involved with PAP since 1910 that I was part of and my family VERY involved financially and in operation agreements with the Schenck Brothers that ran from 1910 until 1935 on a hand shake over the years. I have photographs of our stands and can name the rides that were operated my Uncle those years.  The Ferris Wheel,, The Old Mill, the Merry-Go-round, Dodgem Cars, the Airplane.
All games of chance and the skill games were part and parcel of Richard M. Brenner and family. The Mazzocchi's operated the Penny Arcade and were a prominent family in the amusement business both in PAP and in Mass.

When the Rosenthals bought the Park Richard Brenner had a disagreement with them and removed his interests and went elsewhere.  Former young men that were trained by RB  and had  worked for him a number of seasons remained in the park as employees and moved up along the path. Joe Renaldi, Sam the electrician.  Harry Frankel (whose  father had money loaned Harry and Joe Wiseman enough to become operators  rented all the skill games.  Jimmy Corcoran was also an employee and he obtained the grocery concession.  Sadie Harris was a come lately and had the record and record player stand. Pat Bergamo and  Gary had the luncheonette, Myra and Paul Coppell had the ham stand. My mother Helen Brenner Cuny made her peace with Irving and Jack and returned to the park on her own with three  stands. Was one of the top operators in the amusement business.  After the fire in the 40's she paid for the rebuilding of her stands and was in the park until 1951-2. The radio stand (exclusive) and the doll stand exclusive and another  gift stand. The mouse game (Later the cigarette wheel but still called by it's original name and two stands  (One other cigarette wheel and a gift stand) were managed by Mannett Dobson for years.  Can't recall the name of the guy in Fort Lee that had a lot of Political clout and Irving had to make room for him. Nice guy.  Chief Borrell had  candy land and the one beer stand near the Cyclone plus all other food stands that sold hot dogs and lemonade.  There was a small one by the pool entrance and a big one by the pool where they also had chowder and light foods (sit-down), there was one near Kiddieland the main one on the midway by us . Roast Beef John's Stand was across the way from the beer stand.. Joe Ciccatelli managed the bar by the NY gate back to back with the pool.  He also managed the locker rooms later on. The Waffle and Custard stands  I'm not sure may be Borrell but I doubt it. The Restaurant was a private operation and the pool side food stand were also Borrells operation. Jack and Irving kept the Roller Coasters, the pool, and the free shows and fire works and of course the bar. The miniature Golf course was also a renter.  The Shoot da Shoot was a boat ride I think my uncle gave that one up.  He kept the old Mill.  The auto track was another leaser.  As was the Fortune Teller .
 
All these people were the glue that held that park together. Add the many many locals who got a few bucks during the depression while the neighboring residents moaned and groaned to get rid of the park. 

My mother gave birth to me on June 2 1922 and was back at work in two weeks.  I grew up playing in wooden cases filled with straw from Japan that had held the hundreds of pieces of china that were prizes. 

After I married we took over my mothers share in the park when she decided to retire.  We operated for 11 years and as the park was plagued more and more with unsavory visitors we decided we had  enough and sold out and moved on. Shortly there after Irving gave up his Kingdom and sold.
 
The hours we put in never phased any of us.  All the information described was both   prior as well as after  the fire in the 40's. We all  worked hard and we had plenty of fun plus making a very comfortable living. Everyone in the park was known and we were like a big family. Bitter competitors and yet if one was in need we all jumped in to give a hand. 
 
After a hard days work the few r of us in with the office   would change in the back of our stands put on our bathing suits after the park closed at night  and make a run for the pool that was half full by that time and take a welcome COOLING dip. Our stands would register over 100 due to the many lights and our stands in particular since we had show cases with mirrors and lamps on the shelves. 

The Park was more than a business and entertainment complex it was a tight knit group that worked as a team to help make this one of the finest amusement resorts in the world. Movie stars were customers, millionaires came in the spring in their chauffeur driven limo's and brought their children for the early spring visit. The Ambassador to Bangkok and his family were our regular customers every week.  We became friends and were invited to their home in the winter.  We had regular customers that came every year and played at our radio stand. We made additional friends and were invited to their children's weddings.  One in particular had their reception on the roof of the St. Moritz Hotel in New York one of the most beautiful affairs to remember. In the winter, a group of  concessionaires partied together, played cards, went out to dinner and prepared for the next season starting February 1st.
 
I'm in my 80's and would like to get all this stuff on records. If you reply to me and are interested I will have copies of photographs made and forward them to you for your archives. It would a more inside look at those that made the wheels turn and the operation turn into a beautiful running machine all linked together as one.  Also a small dedication to their  careers in a business that was not looked upon with much respect.  These were all people from very different walks and ways that seemed to mesh.  They deserve a hand of applause. Perhaps they can hear it in that big park in the sky.
 
Thank you for reading this.
 
Norma M. Santanello