Is there anyone else in the Sun Lakes Italian American Club that can say they have relatives that were famous in Hollywood? Well, come say hello to Paula Zoccoli and she will tell you tales of Old Hollywood, where her family knew and worked with some famous stars in the silent movie era.

Her mother, a beauty queen, whose stage name was Mabel Perkins, was crowned “Miss Olympics” in the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and was an actress with MGM studios. Her cousin, 2x removed, was Bob Vignola, who directed Marion Davies, Jean Harlow, and Clark Gable and was a neighbor and friend of Rudolph Valentino.

If you search Trivigno, Italy, on Wikipedia, you will find, ’It is the birthplace of the silent film actor and director Robert G. Vignola.”

Paula is also related to the actress Carol Lawrence, who was married to Robert Goulet, and Rita Lynn, her Godmother, known for the film, “A Bell for Adano.”

Paula was born in Hollywood, California. Her Grandmother, Celestine DeGrazia’s Italian family is from Trivigno, Italy, in the Province of Potenza, region of Basilicata, while her Grandfather, Vincenzo Randazzo’s family immigrated from Palermo, Italy.

Paula has two sons, eight grandsons, and one great granddaughter, the first girl in her family who is definitely the princess.

After graduating from San Jose Junior College, Paula worked in the dental profession, ultimately owning her own business in Dental Management.

She has lived in Savannah, GA, and San Jose, CA. Her hobbies are cooking, playing Mexican Train, traveling, spending time with her friends, going to plays and concerts and genealogy. Her two friendly, rescued Golden Retrievers keep her company and are great companions.

Paula has many friends and loves to cook for her family, making her own bread, pizza and pasta, and credits her mother in law for teaching her how to cook. Her home is always open to friends and family for lively games, conversation and food.

She enjoys the Sun Lakes Italian Club but would like a mystery solved. There is one other member who has family from Trivigno, Italy, and Paula would like to find out who they are. As she says, “We may be cousins.”