Known by Ted and by family as Teddy. Teddy’s name at birth was Salvatore.

Loving and beloved husband of Mae (Mary C. nee Cullen), refer to memorial 104085460.

Cherished father of Jeanine, Matthew (Mattie) and Theodore (Teddy Jr.). Very fond uncle of the five Cullen boys during their childhood days in Sunnyside, Queens before the passing on of their parents (1962 and 1964) and Uncle Teddy. Their father and Uncle Teddy passed on just about 6 months apart.

Born with the surname Napoli, he is the dear son of Mathew (Matio, b. 1890+/-1) and Jennie (b. 1891+/-1) and oldest brother of Andy, Margaret, Marty and Josephine.

Both parents were from Sicily. His dad arrived at the Port of New York City by himself at the age of 14 on October 22nd, 1904. Upon arrival, he was headed to his cousin Francesco Napoli who was residing at 747 Gates Ave. (c. 8 blocks south of Myrtle Ave. 1 block west of Bedford Ave.), in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, NY.

His mom arrived in 1904 (possibly it was 1907). His mom’s family was from Palermo, situated toward the western portion of the northern east-west running coastline, while his dad was from Agrigento, a plateau, once an ancient Greek city almost in the middle of the southern NW-SE running coastline. They both became naturalized citizens in 1910. They married in 1913 when Matthew (Matio) was 23 and Jennie 22.

At the very start of the 1920s, his family consisted of mom 32, dad 32, Teddy being a 6-year-old boy, 3-year-old baby brother Andrew and 10-month-old infant baby sister Margaret. His dad was earning a living as a sign painter. Their address was 194 Ellery Street, which is between the avenues of Tompkins, to the west, and Throop, to the east, in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. This location is just a couple of blocks south of Flushing Avenue and a few blocks north of Myrtle Avenue. It’s bounded by East Williamsburg to the northwest and Bedford Stuyvesant to the southeast. Ridgewood, Queens bounds it on the north. Residing at the same address, who I believe was his uncle, were Salvatore, his wife (Margaret?), three sons: George 22, Salvatore 18 & Phillipo 13 (probably named after his Uncle Phil) and daughter Josephine 10.

On June 2, 1921, the family expanded when his mom Jennie gave birth to their baby brother Mathew Jr. (Mortie, later called Marty – see below).

By April of 1930 the family had grown to be comprised of his dad and mom ages 40 and 39, Teddy 16, Andrew "Andy" 13, Margaret “Margie” 11, Mathew Jr. 8 (identified as Mortie in 1940) and Josephine 6. The home of the Napoleon family at this time was 149 Bay 47th St., in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn (Kings County) of New York City. At the time their house was valued at $2,000!!

This was at the time that construction of the “Belt Parkway was proposed by Robert Moses – New York City’s Master Builder of his time. The family’s residence was just west of Cropsey Avenue (2 blocks west of where the Belt Parkway runs along the shoreline of Calvert Vaux Park), bounded by Stillwell Avenue to the east. Young Teddy had a job as an office “errand boy”. Although you don’t hear this “job title” any more, it was a common occupation for teens and young men at the time. It was a first rung up the ladder of life’s occupations. They were the precursors of today’s bike messengers that zigzag in and out of the very busy and crowded vehicular and pedestrian traffic of the streets of Manhattan. At the same time, besides doing little gigs on the side, Teddy was teaching his younger brother Marty to play the piano, who was also doing duets with his brother Andy.

As to Teddy’s musical education, he had already been taken under the wing of a teacher associated with the Juilliard School of Music; this was not much after its merger with the Institute for Music Art and was sited up by Columbia University.

A few years later, in the early thirties, Teddy hooked-up as the pianist in a band with trumpeter Lee Castle, who in later years would lead the Tommy (and Jimmy) Dorsey band. Subsequently, Teddy joined up with trumpeter Tommy “Red” Tompkins and his orchestra whose sound is typified in movies of the 1930s. I’m not sure if he was the pianist in their recording of Deep Shadows in February of 1937, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vB5ugq17Do.

When at home the boys always performed music together, often joined by a close buddy of Andy’s, who they knew as Antonio Benedetto, singing along with them. This buddy later went on to become a jazz singer having changed his name Tony Bennett. Over the years he remained a particularly close friend of Andy’s. In fact, he was the last one to leave at his wake.

Moving forward in time to April of 1940, we find the Matio and Jennie Napoli family at the same address and consisting of Andrew 23, Margaret 21, Mortie (aka Marty) 18 and Josephine 16. Matio is now a house painter, while Andy and Marty are reported as musicians.

It is interesting to note the Census Enumerators over these past decades and the recording of Teddy’s dad’s name as it somewhat reflects the melting pot of New York City, particularly Brooklyn. In 1920 the enumerator Julius Segal spelt it as Matthew (2 “t”s), in 1930 John McClellan spelt it as Mathew (1 “t’) and in 1940, Santo Taglianinni (sp) spelt it as Matio. Usually the English form is Matthew, the Spanish is Mateo, in Portuguese its Mateus, and in Italian its Matteo. Possibly, given the internationality of Sicily over the centuries, its form is Matio or maybe it is lingua franca. Sicily was once a Norman kingdom from the early 1100s to the early 1800s; even today it’s semi-autonomous. Of course, the forename roots to a most reverenced apostle who was also one of the four Evangelists.

On February 15th, 1937, in Manhattan, jazz pianist Salvatore Napoli filed for and received a license to marry Mary Cecelia “Mae” Cullen. (09/02/1914 - 02/08/1975), marriage license No. 3346. They were married 44 days later (half of a piano keyboard) on Thursday, April 1st, 1937. He was 23 and she 22 years-of-age. This was before his name change.

So where was Teddy in 1940? We find Teddy already married for a few years to Mary C. "Mae" Cullen and starting a family of their own. Rounding out the young couple's family at this time was baby Jeanine born back on February 18th, 1938. A one-year wedding anniversary gift.

In 1940, they were residing at 2837 Harway Avenue (around the corner from Bay 59th Street), in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn bordered by Bensonhurst to the west, Parkville to the north, Coney Island to the south, and bounded by Sheepshead Bay and Mildwood to the east.

In September of 1940, Mae would give birth to Matthew Francis "Mattie". Named after his paternal and maternal grandfathers. Later on, in his youth he would take the Confirmation name James after Mae’s brother, James “Sonny” Cullen, his Godfather (see memorial 102007933). Just over seven years later, Mae would give birth to Theodore G. “Teddy Jr.”, I believe the “G.” is for Teddy Sr.’s cousin George.

Teddy is part of a greater family that is a veritable cornucopia of musical talent and an essential part of the fabric that is American Jazz. You’ll recall that foregoing Teddy’s family was addressed at the very start of the 1920s, when Teddy was just six years old. So what were some of the things Teddy did in his childhood?

His son Mattie recounts hearing that Teddy, at a very, very, early age got a job in a movie theater where he played to some of the silent films. This was probably around the mid-twenties because by release of a famous movie in 1927, silent films quickly faded out in favor of “talkies”. So, Teddy had to be all of around 10 years of age. The famous 1927 movie? Prophetically, “The Jazz Singer”.

Toward the turn of the decade, say around 1928-1929, before the stock market crash of October 1929, Mattie was told about the incident where his dad Teddy at this time, when about 14, snuck out of the house and went to Coney Island and sat in with a band. Mattie’s paternal Grandmother, who he describes as kind of a stoic anti-alcohol, smoke, bars and clubs, during this time of Prohibition in the U.S., happened to be walking on the boardwalk with her sister, spotted his dad thru the window of the "saloon", went in, pulled him out by his ear and grounded him. When he got home, needless to say, his brother Marty, who was about 7, and Andy, maybe 11, asked him what would be expected of boys this age (or any age for that matter): "what it was like" and “tell us all about it”.

As a young child in Sunnyside, Queens, I remember his son, my older cousin, Mattie playing the guitar. He was like the Ricky Nelson of our family (coincidentally, there are Nelson’s on his mother’s side of the family). In looking back, this should have been no surprise as his grandmother, grandfather (banjo player also), great grandfather, great-great-grandfather and great-great-great-grandfather were all guitarists. One has to wonder if the family goes back to playing the lute in ancient times for the sirens of the Mediterranean!! Possibly they formed a group called “The Macedonians” (?) touring the Mediterranean.

I remember being around the age of 8 or 9 years-old, outside of our father’s bar & grill at 43-22 Greenpoint Avenue, showing off an album cover with a picture of “Uncle Phil”, on the left side when viewing, with head tilted back blowing a really shiny trumpet. If I recall correctly he was wearing a white dinner tuxedo jacket, black pants and possibly a red bow-tie. In looking back on this, knowing what I now know, I guess it may have been an “Original Memphis Five” band album. All I knew at the time was that it was Uncle Teddy’s “Uncle Phil”. That’s all that matter!! As an aside this was just a few blocks away from where the jazz great “Bix” Beiderbecke passed away on August 6th, 1931 (43-30 46th Street, Sunnyside, Queens, NYC).

Teddy’s cousins, the children of Uncle Sal identified above in the 1920s, were also very talented musicians. His cousin George a sax player with pianist and band leader Vincent Lopez; his cousin Teddy was a drummer for the band leader and pianist Eddy Duchin who passed on from AML (acute myelogenous leukemia); and his cousin Joe a sax teacher and studio player for radio.

Teddy’s brother Marty, more currently the best known of the family, is still a famous jazz pianist who, as of 2013, lives at a senior living residence on Long Island’s north shore. Among many other famous musicians, Marty was a member of (“Satchmo”, “Pops”) Louis Armstrong’s All Stars. He also had a stint with the Chico Marx orchestra, with whom Mel Tormé started out.

Teddy himself was the pianist with Gene Krupa for a period that spanned decades. Teddy was also associated with the Jazz Trio with Charlie Ventura, who Marty also played with at one time. You can hear a clip of Teddy with Gene Krupa and Charlie Ventura forming the Gene Krupa Trio performing back in 1946 at the Philharmonic Auditorium out in L.A. at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVtlD4n-iAU, which also shows a picture of Teddy at the piano.

Here’s a cut of Stardust just before start of spring 1952: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_Kzz8dj3co, note that their name was The Jazz Trio as displayed on Gene’s base drum. You can catch Teddy with Gene and Charlie performing Stompin’ at the Savoy later in 1952 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wq0wVB2kEs, which starts out with Gene Krupa doing band intros. Coincidentally, the Savoy up at 140th and Lenox was not far from Rice H.S., where I attended and my brother Jimmy graduated from.

Here’s Teddy with Gene featuring Eddie Shu where the trio performs Dark Eyes on the George Jessel Show in 1954: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmquJwttrSk. However, because I find it a slicker style, I prefer the trio’s earlier cut, with Charlie Ventura on tenor sax, done back on March 8th, 1945 in Hollywood, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KiQN3GMHuc.

For those melancholy moments, say driving through Manhattan on a rainy night of little traffic with the road glistening off the black pavement from the street lights and neon signs, how about listening to September Song with Gene Krupa on drums, Teddy on piano and Eddie Shu doing the harmonics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cADoWTCJFwA. Or for something with boogie, getting out of the City, how about a Harmonica Boogie by the same trio at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EyV8HTOnN4. Before this becomes a never ending paragraph, let’s get back to Teddy as a family member.

His sisters Margaret (Margie) and Josephine were singers, like their mom, as was their niece, Teddy’s Jeanine, who also played piano. Brother Andy, like his cousin Teddy, was a drummer, as was Teddy’s Teddy Jr.

I recall when Uncle Teddy and Aunt Mae were to move down to Florida. I think the year was 1959 and he was going down to Uncle Phil’s night club. There was heightened excitement and yet a certain overcast of sadness due to the separation. In looking back, it was like surrealistic cognitive dissonance in my youthful mind. Boy, it was a big thing at the time. A very big thing as Florida seemed so far away at the time and it was Uncle Teddy and Aunt Mae going there.

As mentioned within Mae Cullen Napoleon’s memorial (#104085460) I remember when Aunt Mae “came up” and there was renewed excitement at home (I cover this within her memorial). Shortly after, around this time or sometime after, I remember going over to Aunt Mae’s by myself one morning, for no reason I recall, I think simply to go over there. I recall going up a flight of stairs, then a landing as is common, then another flight of stairs to that floor’s apartments. Their apartment was right there at the right. Aunt Mae let me in, there was a small foyer, and I think there was a narrow kitchen just off to the right and ahead was the living room. Here was Uncle Teddy in a light blue bathrobe, with his lightish brown wavy hair at the piano placed by the common wall. Now in my mind’s eye I remember seeing a cut-glass like ash tray, about two inches high by c. 4 inches in diameter, with butts in it, atop the piano to the right. When I recited this memory to my brother Jimmy he informed me that Uncle Teddy didn’t smoke but got lung cancer from the night club atmosphere. I still don’t know why I have this ash tray pictured within this memory. Maybe just a memory quirk or something subliminal, but the memory itself is very real.

Our families experienced numerous family deaths (parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles) starting c. 1959 and ending in 1964, with surviving family members becoming scattered and losing ties with each other. This cluster of misfortunate deaths concluded with the passing of Uncle Teddy in July and our dad in December of 1964.

Aunt Mae joined her family in Heaven on February 8th, 1975, out of Florida. Jeanine passed on January 31st, 2000 (see memorial 104896486) out of Vegas and Teddy Jr. July 17th, 1978 (see memorial 115027152) from Colorado. The five Cullen boys lost their first brother Larry, the second oldest, Thanksgiving weekend of 2012 (see memorial 101656836) in Flushing, Queens, NY.

Teddy’s oldest son, Matthew, attended the University of Miami and went on to become a graphic designer with his own business Napoleon & Co., I’m sure his paternal grandfather looks down upon him favorably in this regard. In May of 2013 Mattie celebrated his 50th Wedding anniversary with, in his words, his “darling wife and best friend Yolanda”. They are residing in New Hampshire. They have three daughters and seven grandchildren.

While their spirits have now passed on to a greater plane, hopefully these memories memorialized herein will be passed on and shared with our combined blood lines in the here and now so that they have an insight to understanding their family.

Teddy is interred with Uncle Sal, and his cousins Mathew and Theodore (Sal Jr.) in a grave site owned by uncle Sal. All of Teddy’s family members are dancing around in heaven while he smooths over those 88s with Krupa on drums while they “Sing, Sing, Sing” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDEubFBEXdU. Swing baby, swing!!!