Bogie ’n’ Bacall. Tracy ’n’ Hepburn. Smoki ’n’ Dick. That his wife’s name came first in their pairing was indicative not only of how much of a gentleman Dick Concannon was, but also how high he held her in his esteem.

The bushy-eyebrowed, unflappable foil to his force-of-nature wife, Smoki Bacon, Dick Concannon was a man thoroughly at ease with the fact that her name preceded—and sometimes eclipsed—his own. He was always the first person to describe his other half’s manifold and impressive accomplishments, while downplaying his own.

Those accomplishments—from business to TV—were too many to list here, nor is it necessary to describe his impeccable manners, but as his wife was always quick to point out, he was the cleverest, wittiest, most charming of men. Theirs was a love affair built on intellectual curiosity, joie de vivre and mutual respect, and whether attending a party or hosting it, Dick was the kind of person who took everyone into account, from the guest of honor to the catering staff. Cerebral yet funny, 0ld-school yet progressive, he was the type of person most of us can only strive to be.

And regardless of the billing, he was never second fiddle—always first violinist. But more importantly, he knew how to enjoy the music. ◆

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