The SQUEE! edition. Bobby Sherman – of Shindig! and Here Come the Brides – is very ill. I was sorry to hear this because there was a time when his visage graced my bedroom door, my school folders and the inside of my locker. His white teeth, shiny hair and blue eyes were just so dreamy. The fact that he could neither sing nor act didn't diminish my adoration.
He was a teen idol much loved by my classmates and me. Girls between 10 and 14 are highly susceptible to such crushes. The objects of our affection were always like Bobby – cute, cuddly and completely non-threatening.
Looking at covers of 16 Magazine and traveling the corridors of my heart, here are 13 of the popular teen idols of the late 60s and early 70s.
NOTE: I didn't include Michael Jackson, although pinups of J5-era Michael made their way to our lockers, too. It's just that Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and Elvis Presley had talent, longevity and cultural impact that transcend the moniker of "teen idol."
1. David Cassidy. Keith Partridge of The Partridge Family fame. He actually sang quite well. My kid sister would similarly sigh and squeal over his half-brother Shaun.
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2. Donny Osmond. The pick of the Osmond litter. This was before the Donny & Marie TV show. We loved him when he was singing "One Bad Apple."
3. Barry Williams. Greg Brady of The Brady Bunch.
4. Jack Wild. The only Oscar nominee on the list. He was honored for his portrayal of The Artful Dodger in Oliver! But mostly we loved him on HR Puffnstuff.
5. Michael Cole. Pete Cochran on The Mod Squad.
6. Randolph Mantooth. Yes, that was really his name. (We called him "Randy.") He was one of the paramedics on Emergency!
7. The Cowsills. They were the real-life singing family who inspired The Partridge Family. The two younger brothers became heartthrobs. They weren't twins, but I couldn't tell them apart. Their songs still make me happy, though. Here's a link to their biggest hit: "The Rain, The Park and Other Things."
8. Ben Murphy. He was one of the stars – the blond one on the left – of the TV Western Alias Smith and Jones. It was a shameless rip-off of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but we didn't know that because we were too young to see that movie.
9. Christopher Connelly. He played the younger brother on Peyton Place. He was the perennial underdog, and I loved his raspy voice.
10. Jonathan Frid. Barnabas on Dark Shadows. Yes, he was a vampire, but he was deeply misunderstood.
11. Mark Lindsay. Originally the lead singer of Paul Revere & the Raiders, he went on to be a hitmaker on his own. When I listen to him now, I realize he had a very good voice. But in real time, I loved his tights and ponytail (which he referred to as a "queue.")
12. Mitch Vogel. He was on Bonanza. I personally didn't care for him because of the freckles, but I had classmates who were into that kind of thing.
13. Richard Hatch. Phil Brent, the hunk of Pine Valley High, on All My Children. He was the first fella to break Erica Kane's heart.
Gotta go. My pulse is racing out of control!
Please join us for THURSDAY THIRTEEN. Click here to play along, and to see other interesting compilations of 13 things.
