Joe Biundo was born Joseph James Biundo to Giuseppe Biundo and Girolama Pardo in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1908. They had a business at 1139-41 Decatur Street and lived above it.
His father, Giuseppe “Joseph” Biundo, died in September of 1910 when Joe was not quite 2 years old. His mother, Girolama, was pregnant with his sister at the time. Jacomina was born about 2 and a half months later.
As they also had a strawberry farm in Tangipahoa parish near Independence, and Giuseppe “Joseph” Biundo had done business in that area and had made friends there; Girolama, Joe, and Jacomina moved there after his death. Not immediately, but likely within 2 or 3 years.
Around 1915, Girolama remarried John Genovese (also a widower), at which point she and her children moved into town to join his family.
Below is the 1920 census. Joe was listed on line 98. He was 11 years old at the time. His mother had two children with John Genovese by then, listed on the census record as Charles (age 3) and Philicie (age 1 and 1/2). Some older siblings are on there as well from the previous marriage of John Genovese: Martin (age 23), Carleen (age 18), Cecile (age 16), Tony (age 14), and Sam (age 10).
In the photo below of the 1920 6th Grade Class of Independence, Joe Biundo is on the bottom right.
High School
One summer (or possibly longer?), Joe Biundo went up to Detroit and worked with his cousin Ben Maltese who was a fruit merchant up there. That may have been 1924. This picture below was taken around that time.
Detroit was a very exciting place at the time, and he loved the life and the lifestyle there and wanted to stay. According to family stories, it was only the tears and pleadings of his mother in the letters she wrote to him that persuaded him to return to Louisiana.
Detroit in the 1920s
While in Detroit, Joe Biundo’s interest in sports had really been sparked. He was a big fan of famous baseball player Ty Cobb, and I believe he got to see him play while he was there. In addition to baseball, Ty was well known because he was a celebrity spokesman for Coca Cola and had even starred in a silent movie (“Somewhere in Georgia”). 1924 was an exciting season for the Detroit Tigers if that’s when he was there. The Tigers came in third in the American League.
Joe’s mother’s letters did bring him back to Independence, where he brought that love and appreciation for sports back that had been ignited in Detroit. He helped persuade the Independence high school coach into starting a football team. This was significant because it was what led to him later getting a scholarship to Loyola University. He’s in the top left on the photo below.
He played basketball for Independence also, as you can see in the photo below, front row, second from the right.
Loyola University
A coach from Loyola University had come to Independence one day for a high school football game and was impressed by Joe Biundo’s football skills. He mentioned something about offering him a scholarship when he graduated.
As the story goes, they didn’t hear anything more on that, so after he graduated, his mother (Girolama) took a train to New Orleans, showed up directly at Loyola and asked, “Okay, where’s my son’s scholarship?” Or something to that affect. As she didn’t speak much English, we are not sure of her exact words, other than that she was brave enough to take the initiative to jump on the train and make that visit. And her trip was successful. He got that scholarship. He went to Loyola.
His nickname at Loyola was Bingo, as you can see in the writeup below. It says:
Despite his small stature, Biundo is a fine running back and is as cool under fire as a block of ice, a pair of traits that will stand him in good stead in the future. “Bingo” also plays basketball and baseball when the time comes to doff the moleskin. It was “Bingo’s” misfortune to happen along just at a time when Coach Shaughnessy was supplied with an overabundance of pigskin tossers, but his turn will come next fall, and a big showing is expected of him.
As mentioned above, he played basketball at Loyola also. In the photo of the 1927 team below, you can see that he was the team captain. He is the one holding the ball.
Here’s his 1929 yearbook photo.
Below is the 1929 yearbook page with the Upsilon Beta Lambda officers. Joseph Dantone (to the left of Joe Biundo in the photo) was the Grand Duke.
Marriage
Joe Biundo married Ann Dantone {Joe Dantone’s sister, daughter of Giuseppe D’Antoni (Dantone) and Marie Serio of Cefalu}. They lived in Independence above their pharmacy.
You can see more about them here (link coming soon).
Knights of Columbus
Joe was very active in Knights of Columbus and was elected and served as Grand Knight in 1950 and 1951. You can see more about KOC here (link coming soon).
1963 – This is Your Life
On July 4th, 1963 the following newspaper article was published in The Hammond Vindicator:
The life of Joseph J. Biundo, noted pharmacist from Independence was dramatically revealed at the 81st annual convention of the Louisiana State Pharmaceutical Association at the Capitol House Hotel in Baton Rouge.
The skit, a live “take off” of the original TV show, was presented at the President’s banquet, the principal event of the annual meeting. Merlin Wilson, executive secretary of the Association, prepared the skit, and portrayed the famous Ralph Edwards.
Many personalities from the Tangipahoa Parish area, and other parts of the nation, paraded in review to honor Joe Biundo.
The “surprise” act of the show was effected through the employment of special equipment furnished by the Southern Bell Telephone Co. At the height of the awards part of the banquet, Mr. Biundo was summoned by a hotel bell-hop to a “long distance telephone call.” He was escorted to the lobby of the hotel to a telephone connected by remote control to Mr. Wilson, who was emceeing the ceremonies in the Grand Ball Room from whence Mr. Biundo was called. After it was revealed to Mr. Biundo by telephone that he was the “victim” of “This is Your Life,” he was escorted back into the banquet room.
The first to take her place next to Mr. Biundo was his lovely and devoted wife, Anne, who coincidentally, was also elected as president of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Louisiana State Pharmaceutical Association. Next came his 81-year-old mother, Mrs. John Genovese of Independence, whose prolonged embrace brought tears to the eyes of the 300-odd pharmacists and wives viewing the program.
His three children were next introduced: Geraldine, Joe Jr., and Bruce, all of whom, following in their father’s footsteps, have become registered pharmacists.
Next in order came his sister, Felice Genovese, and his brother, Dr. Charles Genovese, both of Independence.
Representing and re-commemorating the various youth, civic, and religious projects and institutions, in which Mr. Biundo has become involved in recent years, were: Dr. Edward J. Ireland, Dean of the College of Pharmacy, Loyola University; Pharmacist Benny Cucchiara of Independence, March of Dimes; William P. O’Brien of New Orleans, Editor of The Louisiana Pharmacist and representing the Knights of Anubis, the Mardi Gras organization of Pharmacists and the only one of its kind in the nation; A. L. Pecoro, president of the Community State Bank of Independence, of which Mr. Biundo is Chairman of the Board; Frank Cardinella, Little League Baseball; Bill Dykes of Montpelier, representing the Rotary Club; Mrs. Louis Broddick of Hammond, Red Cross.
Old friends from various sectors of Louisiana were: Mr. and Mrs. Peter Aiavolasiti, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Glas, and Mr. and Mrs. Sal Graziano, all of New Orleans. Also Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jaubert of Lake Charles. On a previous occasion, Mr. Jaubert presented Mr. Biundo with the State Deputy Award, the highest honor that can be bestowed on a Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus.
Scheduled to appear on the program was Ambassador to the Organization of American States and gubernatorial candidate de Lesseps S. “Chep” Morrison. Mr. Morrison wired from Washington D.C. that pressing business in the nation’s capitol made it impossible for him to be present.
Pharmacist Sal J. D’Angelo, president of the Louisiana State Pharmaceutical Association, presented greetings from the convention.
Personalities from the Town of Independence, who formerly played football and basketball at Independence High School with Mr. Biundo were Mayor Charles Sinagra, J.Y. Ware, and John Garon.
Segments of Mr. and Mrs. Biundo’s wedding party were also present, including Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Stassi, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Cucchiara, and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cucchiara, all of Hammond. Mr. Cucchiara extended congratulations to Mr. Biundo in behalf of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, and his son, Peter Cucchiara, flew 1400 miles by jet from Lexington, Massachusetts to be present for the occasion. Mrs. Cucchiara is Mr. Biundo’s sister.
Also present was Miss Rose Dantone, Hammond grocer, and sister to Mrs. Biundo.
One of the highlights of the program was the introduction of the Mayor of Slidell, Pharmacist Frank Cusimano, a dear friend who Mr. Biundo had not seen in over fifteen years.
Others who were not able to participate in the program, but who sent telegrams and letters of congratulations were: Mrs. Helen Kluchen and Miss Eda Dolhonde, who taught Mr. Biundo at Independence High School; Messrs. Frank Anzalone and Phil Bonfanti, who were attending a Rotary Club Convention in St. Louis, Mo.; Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Hughey of McComb, Miss. Mrs. Hughey is a sister to Mrs. Biundo, and she and Mr. Hughey were attending a Lion’s Club Convention in Miami.
A stirring message was also received from Father Dan della Penta, who is sojourning in Europe in celebration of his twenty-fifth anniversary in the Catholic priesthood. Father della Penta thanked Mr. Biundo for his twenty-odd years of help in forming the Holy Name Society of Mater Dolorosa Church in Independence and the Newman Hall at Southeastern College in Hammond.
Mrs. Biundo, in keeping with the custom established on the famous original TV show, was presented with a charm bracelet manufactured by Leonard Krower & Sons of New Orleans.
Immediately following the show, a champagne party was held in honor of Mr. Biundo and his many friends and relatives who appeared on the show.
At the finale, Mr. Wilson said this of Mr. Biundo, that he was “a good husband, good father, good son, good provider, good citizen, good organizer, good community leader, promoter of youth activities: the Boy Scouts, Newman Club, Little League baseball; a business man, humanitarian, and deeply imbued with the love of God.”
1964: Joe Biundo is Man of Many Interests
On Friday, October 9th, 1964, there was an article in the newspaper Know Your Neighbor: Joe Biundo is Man of Many Interests. It expressed the following:
“Joseph J. Biundo, owner of Biundo Drug Store in Independence, is truly one of Tangipahoa Parishes most interesting and civic-minded citizens.
He and his wife, the former Ann Dantone of Hammond, have recently returned from a six-week tour of Europe. Sailing aboard the Queen Mary from New York City, they docked at Southampton, England. Both Mr. and Mrs. Biundo state that the scenery in places such as Capri, Naples, and Pompeii, is absolutely breath-taking. In Rome they attended a performance of the opera “Aida”. Outstanding feature of their eleven-country tour was an audience with the Pope.
Joe is a very active member of the Catholic Church. He is a past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus Council #2952 and a Past Faithful Navigator Fourth Degree; a past Commander of the Order of the Alhambra; president of the Holy Name Society; past president of the Hammond deanery Society. He is on Bishop Tracey’s newly formed Advisory Committee for the Diocese of Baton Rouge.
In civic life, Mr. Biundo is program chair of the Rotary Club, as well as a member of the Board of Directors and a past president. He is chairman of the Tangipahoa Chapter of the American Red Cross; local chairman of the Boy Scout group and past chairman of the St. Helena Tangipahoa District. This organization recently presented him a twenty-five year service pin. For seven years he has been secretary-treasurer of the Independence Baseball League. (At this point our interview was interrupted by a young man desiring some information on the Pee-Wee football program, in which Mr. Biundo is also very active.) Such a man is well-chosen to be Chairman of the Inter-Civic Council of Independence.
In the field of business, Mr. Biundo operates a very successful drugstore. Our talk was three times interrupted by persons who needed their prescriptions filled at once. Re-from {sic} Loyola in 1929, Joe worked in his native New Orleans for four years, coming back to Independence where he lived during his school years, to manage the drugstore he now owns. He has served as president of the Louisiana State Pharmacy Association, and is an elected member of their executive committee, an honor awarded to him for the past seventeen years. This association honored him with a “This is Your Life” program two years ago. In 1961 he received the Bowl of Hygeia Award for outstanding community service in the field of pharmacy. He served on the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy under Governor Kennon for four years.
For ten years he was president of the Community State Bank. Now he is Chairman of the Board. A man of wide interests, he is keenly concerned with the farm problems in our area. He has worked with the State Farm Association.
Of great pride to Mr. Biundo is the fact that his three children, Joe Jr., Geraldine, and Bruce are all graduate pharmacists. Joe Jr. has continued to become a doctor, and is presently interning at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. Geraldine (Mrs. Melvin Bourgeois) resides n Morgan City where her husband practices medicine. Bruce is a pharmacist in Houston, Texas. The Biundos have five grandchildren.
I asked Mr. Biundo a really silly question: Did he have any hobbies?
“Well,” he replied, “I think I’d like fishing or golf, but up to now I’ve never had time to take up either one.”
I believed him!
1965
April: Joseph Biundo was elected head of the Independence Rotary Club. According to the newspaper articles below, he was “a charter member of the club which was organized in 1938, and served as its first Secretary-Treasurer. He previously served as President of the club in 1945, and for a number of years has served on the Board of Directors and as Program Chairman.”
1968 – Joe Biundo’s candidacy for mayor of Independence was announced.
