Meet John and Rudy Falco. The original Asbury Park family story.

We were super excited to finally meet Rudy and John Falco. They have been one of the first people we have reached out to about obtaining their family film footage from 1930-1950s featuring in the background Asbury Park’s most famous landmarks. Something you don’t just find anywhere. We knew it was exceptional the first time we saw it. And Falco family is a rare find. You hardly meet people like this anymore. Warm, genuine, friendly and they come with a history, a real history. They are the originals of Asbury Park. We consider ourselves super lucky!

The interview was set at the Asbury Ocean Beach Inn, courtesy of current innkeepers Kate and Joe. Couple of hours at the hotel, paired with an extended day trip to Asbury Park and the beach, allowed us to more fully embrace the experience of this special guesthouse. It is the place to understand history of Asbury Park and worth a journey in itself. We were transfixed with its remarkable, beautiful design, stain glass windows, incredible details everywhere, gorgeously decorated, and let’s not forget about the above and beyond hospitality we have received. Asbury Ocean Beach Inn was originally built in 1890s and it truly is a part of the Asbury Park history. John Falco remembers the times when most of the houses in Asbury Park looked like Asbury Ocean Beach Inn before majority of them became sectioned off into multi-family homes or went uncared for.

Rudy and John love Asbury Park and everything about its history, even the unhappiest moments, including the time when the town was crumpling with dilapidated and abandoned buildings. The history is what makes this city honest and unique. After all, one does not need to abandon the lessons of the past in order to live in the present. Asbury Park is back up again and not everything in the past bears repeating. They don’t seem to be the type of people that believe in a version of Asbury Park that exists largely in the form of nostalgia they are hopeful and excited for the future of this town.

Falco’s family goes back all the way to 1800s when Bradley bought the land and started his Christian resort. They originally came from Naples, Italy and sought out the better living conditions and ample employment opportunities offered along the Jersey Shore. In Asbury Park, along with other Italian immigrants they settled in the area behind the train station, which quickly became known as “Little Italy.”

After a sit-down part of the interview we decided to take a walk to John’s old house on Fourth Avenue, eventually sold to the Little family some twenty years ago. This is where he was born and was raised. John tells us his neighborhood was very diverse and people on the street came from a wide spectrum of political, economic, religious, and social backgrounds but mostly everyone got along. At the same time it was a lively, active community and John has many stories to tell. He points at the tree he crushed his bike at. Rudy remembers a lost baseball card on his grandma’s porch, two houses down from where we stand.

While immersed in these nostalgic memories just outside Falco’s childhood house, a man saw us filming and asked what we were doing outside of his property. This man turned out to be Mr. Little himself. He was really happy to see John Falco and his son again, there followed a long and pleasant conversation. This new and unexpected twist in our astounding production day brought with it a real emotion – and this reunion allowed us to document absolutely one of the best cinematic, human and real experiences in our film thus far.

As we left the town that evening we looked at it with another and fresh perspective. There it stood, once again not trying to really prove anything but simply living in the “here and now.” And we thought to ourselves, it is going to be a great summer for Asbury Park.

Thank you John and Rudy Falco, this project wouldn’t have been possible without your participation, contribution and this unforgettable interview. And yes a simple thank you will never be enough for the unbelievable support that we have received from you. Nonetheless, thank you again.

For more information about the amazing Asbury Ocean Beach Inn please visit their website at http://www.asburyoceanbeachinn.com.

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