Flip - December 1972

A Flip Contest Winner Meets Bobby!

Last Christmas in Tempe, Arizona, was just another discouraging day for fifteen-year-old Starla Thalman. On her thirteenth birthday, she had contracted polio, and later was bedridden with a serious kidney infection. Starla was a good student in school, but had to stay out all year to get well.

And then Starla entered and won Flip's Bobby Sherman "Together" contest and knew it was her best Christmas present ever! "For three years I've loved Bobby, and just knowing I was finally gonna meet him gave me hope again."

Starla's condition improved immediately, and in no time she was out and around, shopping for the most beautiful dress she could find so she'd look nice for Bobby. But when Getting Together was cancelled, Starla didn't know when she would get to meet Bobby. The lovely purple and lace dress hung in her closet, unworn.

But seven months later, Starla got a call from Flip which put her and her mother on a plane heading for Hollywood, California. Bobby was filming The Sonny and Cher Show and Starla would be there to watch!!

GOING TO MEET BOBBY - After freshening up a bit at the hotel, Starla and Mrs. Thalman rushed to CBS to catch the last half of dress rehearsal, before the final taping that evening. They sat in the empty seats - seats which in a matter of hours would be filled to capacity with Bobby Sherman and Sonny and Cher fans.

Starla had fun watching the rehearsal, because everyone was goofing around. (They could - just as long as everyone had it down pat for the filming!) All sorts of funny little quips were passed back and forth between Bobby and fellow guest star Chad Everett.

BOBBY SMILED AT STARLA - When the rehearsal was over, Bobby made his way over to Starla. He smiled his big, friendly smile and squeezed her hand affectionately. "So finally we meet!" he said. Starla's eyes lit up, and she was thrilled to find she could talk to Bobby just like any other person. She told him how long she'd been waiting to wear her new dress. Bobby looked at it. "It's beautiful!" he said, and gave her a big hug.

Then Bobby took Starla outside and they talked some more while Flip's photographer was busy clicking away.

"How long HAS it been since we were supposed to meet?" asked Bobby. "Seven months?! That's much too long!"

Starla told Bobby that even though he didn't know it, he had helped her get well. "You don't have any idea how much you help me, Starla," Bobby smiled.

"You're full of magic and I don't think you have a thing to worry about. Just keep smiling that beautiful smile of yours!"

Just then Rob Reiner, from All in the Family, came by to say hello. So did Caroll O'Connor, and Carol Burnett, who was filming in the stage next door. And Sonny Bono was bobbing around with a huge pillow for a stomach in a very funny-looking costume.

That evening, Starla had dinner at the famous Farmers' Market, which is next door to CBS, and then it was back to Stage 31 for the taping of the entire show.

The audience chattered noisily, while Starla stood backstage, watching from the wings, where each star could give her a friendly kiss before going on, and a warm hug going off.

BOBBY'S AUTOGRAPH - When the show was over, Bobby spent as much time as he could with Starla before she had to leave. Then he signed her autograph book, "To Starla: I know we'll see each other again soon. Love, Bobby." And he kissed her again. Starla seemed to glow all over.

Was Bobby very different from what Starla expected? "Not really," she said. "In fact, now that I've met him, I think he's even nicer than I thought. He's such a wonderfully warm person. And he's very gentle, too. He's more handsome than his pictures show. And I like his mustache!"