By DEBORA SHAULIS

By DEBORA SHAULIS
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
This city isn't just an upcoming stop for actor Dick Van Patten, who's co-starring in a new tour of Neil Simon's play "The Sunshine Boys." It's bringing back some Golden Gloves memories for him. "I was a fan of Tony Janiro," the boxer, Van Patten said via telephone from a hotel in South Carolina. Janiro, who attended St. Columba and Ursuline High schools, was a Youngstown Golden Gloves division winner in 1941 and 1942 before turning pro, according to Vindicator files. He fought against Rocky Graziano, Jake Lamotta and Johnny Greco, among others.
Janiro tallied 125 professional fights. Of those, 12 were losses and two were draws.
He was a "big, big name" in his day, Van Patten recalled enthusiastically. Van Patten also said he's friend of Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, another famous former Youngstown boxer who now acts and makes independent movies.
"He has a lot of heart," Van Patten said of Mancini.
Battling characters: Van Patten does some sparring of his own with co-star Frank Gorshin in "The Sunshine Boys."
The title characters, a k a Lewis and Clark, were cantankerous partners in a vaudeville act. They worked together for 43 years but haven't spoken in the 11 years since they retired. They are asked to set aside their petty arguments to make one last joint television appearance.
These types of relationships aren't confined to the show-business world, said Gorshin, who plays aggressive Willie Clark to Van Patten's more timid Al Lewis. "You can identify with these kinds of relationships. You see it in your own parents ...
"Basically it comes out of a love for each other. There's a rivalry when you get so familiar with someone. Things about the other person upset you. It's funny, when you're not part of it."
It seems all of the famous comedy teams broke up after some time. Van Patten mentions Laurel and Hardy, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
"Carney and Gleason," Gorshin added.
Even sister acts dissolved, Van Patten said: "It's hard to work together and live that close together."
Background: Simon's play opened on Broadway in 1972 and was made into a movie, starring Walter Matthau and George Burns, in 1975. Tony Randall and Jack Klugman starred in the most recent Broadway revival, in 1997.
Van Patten, who played patriarch Tom Bradford on the ABC series "Eight Is Enough," likes Simon's work on "The Sunshine Boys." It's "nice, clean, good wit," he said.
Gorshin, a Pittsburgh native who played The Riddler on the "Batman" TV show, appeared in a production of Simon's "Prisoner of Second Avenue" in Florida a few years ago. "I was so fascinated with the laughs night after night," he said. "I would change line readings ... You can't hurt Neil Simon."
"The Sunshine Boys" will be on tour through at least March. After that, Gorshin said he'll resume work on his one-man tribute show to George Burns, which he hopes will reach Broadway.
Van Patten was to leave the tour briefly this week to tape his appearance on the syndicated TV game show "Hollywood Squares."
By DEBORA SHAULIS
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
YOUNGSTOWN -- This city isn't just an upcoming stop for actor Dick Van Patten, who's co-starring in a new tour of Neil Simon's play "The Sunshine Boys."
It's bringing back some Golden Gloves memories for him.
"I was a fan of Tony Janiro," the boxer, Van Patten said via telephone from a hotel in South Carolina.
Janiro, who attended St. Columba and Ursuline High schools, was a Youngstown Golden Gloves division winner in 1941 and 1942 before turning pro, according to Vindicator files. He fought against Rocky Graziano, Jake Lamotta and Johnny Greco, among others.
Janiro tallied 125 professional fights. Of those, 12 were losses and two were draws.
He was a "big, big name" in his day, Van Patten recalled enthusiastically. Van Patten also said he's friend of Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, another famous former Youngstown boxer who now acts and makes independent movies.
"He has a lot of heart," Van Patten said of Mancini.
Battling characters: Van Patten does some sparring of his own with co-star Frank Gorshin in "The Sunshine Boys."
The title characters, a k a Lewis and Clark, were cantankerous partners in a vaudeville act. They worked together for 43 years but haven't spoken in the 11 years since they retired. They are asked to set aside their petty arguments to make one last joint television appearance.
These types of relationships aren't confined to the show-business world, said Gorshin, who plays aggressive Willie Clark to Van Patten's more timid Al Lewis. "You can identify with these kinds of relationships. You see it in your own parents ...
"Basically it comes out of a love for each other. There's a rivalry when you get so familiar with someone. Things about the other person upset you. It's funny, when you're not part of it."
It seems all of the famous comedy teams broke up after some time. Van Patten mentions Laurel and Hardy, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
"Carney and Gleason," Gorshin added.
Even sister acts dissolved, Van Patten said: "It's hard to work together and live that close together."
Background: Simon's play opened on Broadway in 1972 and was made into a movie, starring Walter Matthau and George Burns, in 1975. Tony Randall and Jack Klugman starred in the most recent Broadway revival, in 1997.
Van Patten, who played patriarch Tom Bradford on the ABC series "Eight Is Enough," likes Simon's work on "The Sunshine Boys." It's "nice, clean, good wit," he said.
Gorshin, a Pittsburgh native who played The Riddler on the "Batman" TV show, appeared in a production of Simon's "Prisoner of Second Avenue" in Florida a few years ago. "I was so fascinated with the laughs night after night," he said. "I would change line readings ... You can't hurt Neil Simon."
"The Sunshine Boys" will be on tour through at least March. After that, Gorshin said he'll resume work on his one-man tribute show to George Burns, which he hopes will reach Broadway.
Van Patten was to leave the tour briefly this week to tape his appearance on the syndicated TV game show "Hollywood Squares."
This city isn't just an upcoming stop for actor Dick Van Patten, who's co-starring in a new tour of Neil Simon's play "The Sunshine Boys."
It's bringing back some Golden Gloves memories for him.
"I was a fan of Tony Janiro," the boxer, Van Patten said via telephone from a hotel in South Carolina.
Janiro, who attended St. Columba and Ursuline High schools, was a Youngstown Golden Gloves division winner in 1941 and 1942 before turning pro, according to Vindicator files. He fought against Rocky Graziano, Jake Lamotta and Johnny Greco, among others.
Janiro tallied 125 professional fights. Of those, 12 were losses and two were draws.
He was a "big, big name" in his day, Van Patten recalled enthusiastically. Van Patten also said he's friend of Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, another famous former Youngstown boxer who now acts and makes independent movies.
"He has a lot of heart," Van Patten said of Mancini.
Battling characters: Van Patten does some sparring of his own with co-star Frank Gorshin in "The Sunshine Boys."
The title characters, a k a Lewis and Clark, were cantankerous partners in a vaudeville act. They worked together for 43 years but haven't spoken in the 11 years since they retired. They are asked to set aside their petty arguments to make one last joint television appearance.
These types of relationships aren't confined to the show-business world, said Gorshin, who plays aggressive Willie Clark to Van Patten's more timid Al Lewis. "You can identify with these kinds of relationships. You see it in your own parents ...
"Basically it comes out of a love for each other. There's a rivalry when you get so familiar with someone. Things about the other person upset you. It's funny, when you're not part of it."
It seems all of the famous comedy teams broke up after some time. Van Patten mentions Laurel and Hardy, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
"Carney and Gleason," Gorshin added.
Even sister acts dissolved, Van Patten said: "It's hard to work together and live that close together."
Background: Simon's play opened on Broadway in 1972 and was made into a movie, starring Walter Matthau and George Burns, in 1975. Tony Randall and Jack Klugman starred in the most recent Broadway revival, in 1997.
Van Patten, who played patriarch Tom Bradford on the ABC series "Eight Is Enough," likes Simon's work on "The Sunshine Boys." It's "nice, clean, good wit," he said.
Gorshin, a Pittsburgh native who played The Riddler on the "Batman" TV show, appeared in a production of Simon's "Prisoner of Second Avenue" in Florida a few years ago. "I was so fascinated with the laughs night after night," he said. "I would change line readings ... You can't hurt Neil Simon."
"The Sunshine Boys" will be on tour through at least March. After that, Gorshin said he'll resume work on his one-man tribute show to George Burns, which he hopes will reach Broadway.
Van Patten was to leave the tour briefly this week to tape his appearance on the syndicated TV game