Two men with ties to the area — singer/variety show host Al Alberts and Mayor Michael Nutter’s father — died last week.

One of the many talented singers to grow up locally, Al Alberts formed The Four Aces in the 1940s and, decades later, helped jump-start the careers of gifted kids throughout the area.

Formerly of the 1800 block of Chadwick Street, Mr. Alberts, who was born in Chester Aug. 10, 1922, as Al Albertini, died at the age of 87 of kidney failure in his Arcadia, Fla., home Nov. 27, according to published reports.

Mr. Alberts, who had played the piano since he was 9, began performing on the ’30s radio show, “Horn and Hardart Children’s Hour” while attending South Philadelphia High School, 2101 S. Broad St.

He soon became the lead singer of The Four Aces, which formed under Mr. Alberts and tenor saxophonist Dave Mahoney. The two met in the Navy during World War II. After Mr. Alberts graduated from Temple University, trumpet player Lou Silvestri and drummer Rosario Voccaro rounded out the quartet.

When the four could not find a label to pick up their debut single, “(It’s No) Sin,” Mr. Alberts pushed back his wedding to future wife Stella Zippi, formerly of 15th and Porter streets, and invested in his own label, Victoria Records, in ’51. The single sold more than a million copies and the group signed with Decca. The hits soon followed, with “Three Coins in a Fountain” going No. 1 in ’54 followed by “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing” the following year. The movie theme songs won the group back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Original Song.

“When [fame] happens to you, you are working so hard,” Mr. Alberts told the Review in ’98. “I don’t remember taking time to enjoy it.”

Mr. Alberts left the group in ’56 for a solo career and, 45 years later, was inducted with the Aces into the Sharon, Pa.-based Vocal Group Hall of Fame, joining past inductees The Beatles, Sly & The Family Stone and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

After his departure from the band, he went on to create a variety show in ’68 in order to stay close to home. When the one-hour show debuted he became known to locals as “Uncle Al,” the host and executive producer of the “Al Alberts Showcase,” which helped launch the careers of Andrea McCardle, who played the title role in “Annie” on Broadway in ’77, Sister Sledge, and R&B singer/songwriter Teddy Pendergrass. Broadcast on WPVI-TV, the network gave the show 13 weeks to become a hit; it stayed on the air for 32 years until Mr. Alberts’ retirement in 2000.

Alberts is survived by his wife; sons Al Jr. and Chris; and grandson Jeffery.

South Philadelphia also lost another son when Basil D. Nutter Jr., Mayor Michael Nutter’s father who was formerly from 22nd and Montrose streets, died of natural causes Thanksgiving Eve, according to a statement from the Mayor’s Office. He was 76.

“On behalf of my family I would like to convey our deepest gratitude for the many expressions of condolence and concern that we have received from members of the public,” the mayor said in a statement. “To know that the thoughts and prayers of so many Philadelphians are with us is of great comfort at this difficult time.

“My father was a great inspiration to us and we will miss him dearly. We are taking this time to remember and give thanks for the countless good times that we spent with him.”

In addition to Mayor Nutter, Mr. Nutter is survived by daughter Renee; three sisters; and former wife Catalina Bargas.

The family requests cards and letters of condolences be sent to the Mayor’s Office, Room 215 at City Hall.