Obituaries : Florence E. Zingaro; Entertainer

Florence E. Zingaro, who entertained vaudeville audiences across the United States and Europe with her daredevil cycling act during the 1930s and ‘40s, has died. She was 100.

A longtime Canoga Park resident, Miss Zingaro died Dec. 29 at Northridge Hospital Medical Center of heart failure, said her daughter, Winona Oliver.

Born March 22, 1894, in England, she joined a troupe of German acrobats at 17 and toured Europe for several years, performing daring feats with a bicycle.

“I used to hang by my teeth and go round and round,” she told The Times in 1986.

During the 1930s, Miss Zingaro performed with her husband and three children as “The Diacoffs” on world tours that included stops in Ireland, South Africa and Paris.

When her husband died in 1938 and her son left to join England’s Royal Air Force, she formed a new Diacoff act with Winona and her adopted daughter, Nestor. Billed as “Vaudeville’s Greatest Cycle Act,” the trio played London’s Palladium five times during World War II.

In 1945, Miss Zingaro brought the act to the United States, where the trio performed in 42 states and at such venues as Radio City Music Hall.

“I drove this big 28-seater bus with my two girls, my baggage and my costumes,” she once recalled. “I’d get into town, do the act and then drive 400 miles through the night to the next place. It was a tough life, but I’d do it all over again.”

The Diacoffs gave their last performance in 1952 at the Rose Bowl.

During the 1980s, Miss Zingaro volunteered at Limerick School in Canoga Park, where she became known affectionately as “Grandma Dodo.”

Her association with the elementary school began in 1959 when she enrolled her eldest granddaughter in kindergarten. It wasn’t until 1981, however, when she enrolled her eldest great -granddaughter that the octogenarian found a second career as a volunteer teacher’s aide. According to her daughter, she remained with the school until about five years ago.

In addition to her daughter Winona, Miss Zingaro is survived by a son, Kelvyn Shelton of Hilo, Hawaii; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Services were held Dec. 31 under the direction of Bastian & Perrott Mortuary in Northridge. Miss Zingaro was interred at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth the same day.