By Richard Rinelli
Special to the Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Imagine sitting in front of your big-screen TV, feet propped up, getting ready for the movie to start. The movie you selected for tonight is "Rush Hour," starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. Suddenly, your childhood friend, whom you have known since seventh grade, is right there in front of you on TV. Now, imagine this happening over and over again.
My story is about my friend Tzi Ma, who has starred with many iconic veteran actors. Famous actors whom Tzi Ma has appeared with are Tom Hanks, Keanu Reeves, Michael Caine, Laurence Fishburne, and Morgan Freeman, just to name a few. The list goes on and on.
I can honestly say that "I witnessed a star born!" But, wait a minute, I'm getting way ahead of my story.
Having been born and raised on Staten Island, I attended grammar school at PS 16, Tompkinsville. Out from under the watchful eye of my mother, my world encompassed the PS 16 schoolyard and all the surrounding hills of Tompkinsville.
Graduating from grammar school meant that my world expanded. I now had to take a NYC Transit bus, the S103 (now the bus route is called the S78), to get to my new school, JHS 49 -- now Dreyfus Intermediate School -- in Stapleton.
In the fall of 1965, entering the seventh grade, is when I met my new friend, Tzi Ma. As of the writing of this story, our friendship is approaching the 50-year mark, and we still keep in touch by phone and email.
Yes, Tzi Ma, is Chinese. One of eight children, he was born in Hong Kong, and brought to the United States at an early age. Tzi attended grammar school at PS 14, Stapleton, where he learned to speak English.
There were two Chinese restaurants in Stapleton in 1965, one being Tung Bo, on Canal Street,and the other Republic Gardens, which was on Water Street, just above the 5 & 10 Cent store. The Republic Gardens Restaurant was owned by Tzi Ma's Family, and you had to climb a flight of stairs to get to it. In later years, the restaurant moved around the corner to Beach Street, just across from the Staten Island Savings Bank. Tzi's family still resides on Staten Island.
I met Tzi at JHS 49. We had a few classes together, including music, and our friendship solidified.
A grammar school friend, Paul Margarella, also attended JHS 49. The two of us became friends with Tzi, along with two other new friends from Stapleton, Danny Doris and George Thompson.
The five of us were inseparable. We would go bowling at the Colonial Lanes, on Bay Street, or shoot pool at the Golden Cue, just off Canal Street on Wright Street. Most of the time, the five of us would just hang out and play poker. We all enjoyed our three years at JHS 49, culminating with the school's ninth-grade school play, which was performed at the end of the school year.
All five of us were in the play -- "Hello Dolly." Paul and I just had menial parts, but Tzi, Danny and George had major parts.
Tzi Ma had one of the leading roles, so I went back to my 1968 JHS 49 yearbook to see just how many Chinese students were in the entire ninth-grade class. There were only three.
The point I am trying to convey is that an emigrant from China, who upon his arrival didn't speak English, was shy, quiet and introverted, was now singing and dancing to "Hello Dolly."
I remember watching the rehearsals from behind the curtains and the actual performances of the play. It was Tzi Ma who really stuck in my mind. He brought to the stage a personality that remained vivid in my memory. Tzi shined in front of an audience, he loved the sound of the applause. The aura emitting from the character he portrayed was unforgettable.
At this early juncture, already there were signs of eminence, distinction, and fame. I had just witnessed a star being born and my realization would be proved, just a few years later.
Tzi Ma's filmography includes many movies and TV sitcoms. His TV credits include guest appearances on "MacGyver," "Walker, Texas Ranger," "Law & Order," "ER," "Boomtown," "Commander in Chief," "Chicago Hope," "The Unit," "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "L.A. Law," "NYPD Blue," "Millennium," "Fringe," "Cold Case," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "Hawaii Five-O," "Lie To Me," "The Cosby Show," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."
I can't list all the movies and TV shows that Tzi has appeared in -- if interested you can check out his web page, TZIMA.com, or just "google" Tzi Ma. Many of you have probably seen Tzi Ma countless times on TV or in the movies, you just didn't realize he was from Stapleton.
From "Hello Dolly" to currently appearing in the next three episodes of the hit show "24" -- not bad for a kid from Stapleton. Yes, in 1968, I witnessed a star being born, my friend, Tzi Ma.