Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
04:07 Rey Mambo's Early Life and Career
05:46 High School Memories and Achievements
08:21 The Birth of Rey Mambo
09:01 Acting and Comedy Career
13:56 The Legacy of Latin Music in Miami Beach
20:23 Personal Reflections and Anecdotes
27:32 Meeting Tony Bennett
28:16 Josephine Baker's Impact
30:18 Memories of Miami Beach Hotels
33:36 Latin Bands and Hotel Gigs
36:10 Hollywood Encounters
46:17 Comedy and the Playboy Club
51:00 Reflecting on a Storied Career
53:00 Closing Remarks and Gratitude
About the Speaker:
99 years young Rey Baumel was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York’s world famous Coney Island. He came to Miami Beach with his parents in 1938 and fell in love with all things Latin: food, music, girls. By the age of 15 he could read, write and speak fluently in Spanish. At age 16, he received the American Legion Art Award Medal for his Miami Beach Senior High murals, featured in a story by Miami Herald Arts Editor Doris Reno.
During World War II, Rey was a member of the Army War Department Show Orchestra, The Khaki Kaballeros. After his discharge from the Army, he was a percussionist in the Ft. Wayne Philharmonic with his older brother assistant conductor and violinist Herbert who later was the original Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway.
As a bandleader, Rey Mambo with his Latin band featuring singer Lynita, his wife of 59 years, opened major Miami Beach nightclubs and hotels in the 1950’s. Other achievements include: percussion accompanist to renowned International Star Josephine Baker at famed Miami Beach night club, Copa City; stand-up comedian touring the Playboy Club Circuit; TV, Film Actor on the Jackie Gleason Show, cameo roles in Sinatra films Tony Rome and Lady in Cement (where he created his own role), Goodbye, Columbus with Jack Klugman, Flipper, Gentle Ben, numerous Spanish TV interviews and dubbed the voice for Mexican movie Superstar Cantinflas.
He served as President of Screen Actors Guild, Florida Branch. He was a humorous conference speaker for 35 years as “Rey Baumel, The Genuine Authentic Fake!” appearing before Fortune’s Top 100 Companies, speaking to over a million people and was featured on the front page of The Wall St. Journal. Rey Baumel was featured in the World Premiere of THE MAMBONIKS documentary at the 2019 Miami Film Festival.