My First, My Last, My Everything

Mrs4444 at Half-Past Kissin' Time just blogged about her favorite teen idol. This got me thinking about my own childhood crushes.

My first one was Bobby Sherman. Bobby was a singer and actor who graced the cover of several teen magazines including Tiger Beat. It was the 1968 television show Here Come The Brides that got me hooked on “The Sherman.” The show featured the Bolt brothers and other lumberjacks in Seattle looking for love. David Soul, who later starred in Starsky & Hutch, played one of his brothers. Come on, what six year old little girl doesn't love hunky lumberjacks?
After several appearances on the show Emergency, Bobby Sherman found a calling in paramedic and first aid work. He even started a volunteer EMT foundation. Later he became a deputy sheriff in San Bernardino County.

Bobby Sherman singing Seattle

 

My second crush came from a 1971 television series, Alias Smith and Jones. Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry were outlaws, train and bank robbers, offered amnesty if they could stay out of trouble for one year. It starred Ben Murphy and Pete Duel.
Duel had previously appeared on numerous TV shows including Gidget and Love On A Rooftop. At the height of his popularity, Pete Duel fatally shot himself while drinking at home. He was replaced by actor Jon Roger Davis (Dark Shadows), who narrated the show. (At one time, Davis was married to Jaclyn Smith). 
Ben Murphy has appeared in too many shows to list here. Maybe you remember him in Gemini Man? He played a secret agent that could make himself invisible. (MST3000 alert - watch Riding with Death) Looks like these days, Murphy spends his time playing tennis. Honestly, I thought all these guys were quite handsome.

Oh wait, here‘s a surprise. My third crush comes from a television show too. This time it’s from the soap opera, The Young & The Restless. Starting in 1976, John McCook played Lance Prentiss, love interest of two of the Brooks sisters, Lorie and Leslie. John also sings and has done a lot of theater work. He has been married since 1980 to actress Laurette Spang, (who played Cassiopeia on the original series Battlestar Galactica). It wasn’t until this past year that I realized that “my Lance” was the same actor who could be seen all these years playing Eric Forrester on the soap The Bold & The Beautiful.

10 Questions with John McCook

I’ve blogged about my next crush before, but I never realized that he is also my last crush (on a celebrity). How many time have I told you how much I loved me some Patrick Swayze? Ever since he played the role of Orry Main in the 1985 miniseries North and South, I’ve had a thang for "The Swayze." I wanted to be his Madeline. (Madeline was played by the lovely Lesley-Anne Down, who now stars opposite John McCook on The Bold & The Beautiful)
I also liked The Swayze in Red Dawn, Road House, Ghost, City of Joy, etc. And of course, I've already talked about my obsession with Dirty Dancing.
I don’t know if you watched his recent interview with Barbara Walters. It was heart breaking listening to him talk about his battle with cancer. He came across as very open and honest. I couldn't help but shed a tear.

Hubby (my everything) and I have really enjoyed watching his new series on A&E, The Beast. The cinematography of the show absolutely blows me away. It’s very dark and mysterious and the show is very intelligently written. So much so that when I missed a scene recently, I had to pause and have Hubby bring me up to speed. After this past weeks episode, Hubby and I had the following exchange:
OS: Are you loving some Patrick Swayze now as much as I do?
Hubby: No.
OS: Come on, don’t you have just a little man crush on him?
Hubby: Umm, NO!
OS: But he’s such a good actor...

 

Comments

[nola]

Don't make me start an argument. Even at 50 years old, I'll argue that DAVID CASSIDY was the ULTIMATE teen idol! I would say that Bobby Sherman tied for second place with Donny Osmond!
Oh, don't forget Barnabas Collins (Dark Shadows ~ hot for an "old guy"); Tony Orlando with the great hair and platform shoes; and bless him, Freddie Prinze, gone too soon, but not forgotten. Then, OF COURSE, there is the eternal heartthrob CARLOS SANTANA ~ had the hots for him from the age of 16 and it hasn't cooled off yet!
I can't believe I've got the time to sit here and think up hearthrobs from 40 years ago; I gotta go do something productive.

[MamaKoch]

Boy...you two make me feel old! I'll be singing "I think I love you"...from the partridge family all day now!

What about Little Joe Cartwright?

[CurtissAnn]

Thank you for the walk down memory lane. I could not remember on my own, but as I saw your images and read the info, I remembered how much I loved those early shows, too. You know, there was a time that me and my s-i-l wrote letters back and forth detailing the happenings on TY&TR.

Amazing info about Sherman, thanks.

[CurtissAnn]

Ohmygosh, just read the comment mentioning Little Joe Carwright! Yes! Yes! He was my main heart-throb. Which suddenly explains how I came to ride horse and write about cowboys. :)

[Staci]

I had a secret crush on Epstein from Welcome Back Kotter. I know, I know.