USF Presents “Tony Pizzo’s Tampa”. History Buffs Rejoice.
Tony Pizzo, a self taught Tampa native and historian brought viewers to the streets of Ybor City and surrounding areas to show off his city. Photo: Screen grab from Tony Pizzo's Tampa , episode 3.
The USF Library Special Collections department brought together a panel of experts to show and discuss “Tony Pizzo’s Tampa,” a recently digitized video series, which had Tampa history buffs geeking out a little. The presentation took place at the restored J.C. Newman Cigar Factory in Ybor City. Pizzo was a businessman and a self-appointed historian interested in preserving the Italian and Cuban heritage, particularly in his home neighborhood in Ybor City. Following an interview, a reporter published that Pizzo would write a book so Tony then felt compelled to do so. He wrote two books on Tampa history and, after that, in his words, was labeled an expert.
Tony Pizzo was joined on set by Joyce Hartman, who co-authored and produced the ten-part series. Photo: Screen grab from Tony Pizzo's Tampa , episode 3.
In 1979, WUSF Television produced a ten-part series of half-hour segments titled “Tony Pizzo’s Tampa, with Joyce Hartman.” The content covers Tampa's inception from the Spanish Conquistadors to the modern (1979) city and surroundings. The video quality of the segments is deliciously bad, reminiscent of the latter 20th-century technology aged 45 years. However, the information, sights, buildings, Pizzo’s wonderful Spanish-Southern mixed accented narration, and the guests featured in the series are worth watching.
Moderator Andrew Huse from the USF Special Collections hosts (left to right) Paul Pizzo, Dr. Gary Mormino, history professor, and Dr. Anthony Pizzo Jr. in discussions about the work of Tony Pizzo Sr. Mormino was a guest on the show with Pizzo.
The panel reveals some funny tidbits and favorite memories as they discuss the series.
The event was moderated by author and USF Special Collections librarian Andrew Huse, who began with a selection of excerpts from the series. In one, César Romero Jr., an American actor most noted for his role as The Joker in the TV Series Batman, reveals that he was Cuban activist Jose Marti’s grandson. In another, musician and Tampa native Nat Adderly describes how Tampa’s multiculturalism inspired his music as he became a jazz great. Butterfly McQueen, another Tampa native who starred as “Prissy” in the film Gone With The Wind, describes how her time in Beulah Baptist Church- still on Nebraska Ave- influenced her life and career.
A panel of experts, including two of Pizzo’s sons, Dr. Anthony Pizzo Jr. and Paul Pizzo, and Dr. Gary Mormino, history professor, and Pizzo co-author who co-founded the Florida Studies graduate program at USF, discussed their lives and times with the senior Pizzo. Mormino was featured in one of the clips, and the crowd (along with his wife Lynne Wheeler Mormino) chuckled when his 40-years-younger self appeared on the screen.
Actor César Romero Jr., grandson of Cuban activist Jose Marti, describes the Cuban struggle and Tampa's part in the revolt. Photo: Screen grab from episode 6
History buffs listen to the expert panel at the J.C. Newman Cigar Factory describe the Pizzo series and their memories of the self-appointed historian
The collection has been digitized and is now available to the public on the USF Digital Commons website. It is a must-see for everyone interested in Tampa or Ybor City history. For history buffs, it will be the best binge-watch all year!
Here’s the link to the collection https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/pizzo_tampa_series/