Teen Life- January 1971 (typed by Carol R.)

Eight Days He'll Never Forget

Bobby Sherman's had many wonderful moments in his life - more than he can count. Hardly a day goes by that something special doesn't happen for him - whether it's a call from a friend, a letter from a fan or a kiss from a girl he cares for.

But now and then something extraordinary happens to Bobby - something he knows he'll remember forever. We're going to tell you about eight days that stand out in Bobby's life. He'll never forget them - and when you find out about them, neither will you!

A "FATTENING" EXPERIENCE - One of Bobby's earliest and most favorite memories is of one of his first birthday parties. Actually, though, he doesn't remember it very clearly because he was so young. In fact, he isn't even sure how old he was - or how many candles there were on the cake.

"There weren't very many, though," he says. "And I blew them all out - with a little help from Mom, that is, I was very proud of that!"

Bobby guesses that he might have been anywhere from three to five on that birthday. About ten of his friends were invited, both boys and girls. They played games outside, mainly hide-and-seek and circle games. It was a hot sunny day (though that kind of weather's not unusual on Bobby's birthday which is in July).

"I think we must have had hot dogs or something to eat first," says Bobby, "because I remember there was a lot of uneaten cake and ice cream left afterwards."

Bobby had a great time opening all his presents, but the moment he remembers best was when everyone sang "Happy Birthday," and his mother lit the candles.

"The flames from the candles were so beautiful that I almost wanted to cry," says Bobby. "And I was sure the wish I made would come true."

And did it? "I don't know," Bobby smiles. "I don't really remember what it was."

YOU'RE A BIG BOY NOW - Another big moment in Bobby's life was his first day of school. He remembers looking forward to it, especially to meeting all the other kids, but also being a little bit scared. But when he got there, it was fine. The school seemed so big, and there was so much to see in it. And he even liked his teacher!

ENTER - THE LADY-KILLER - A few years later came another big event in Bobby's life - his first date. Although it might have seemed a very casual date to the girl he asked, Bobby'd actually been planning carefully for a whole week just how to ask her.

"It was amazing that I ever did ask her," Bobby says, "but I did." He invited her to have a Coke after school, and then he escorted her home.

"It was a classic first date," Bobby admits. "We did have a good time, but we were both sort of relieved when it was over."

A NEW LIFE - A Fourth of July party at Sal Mineo's beach house would have been thrilling for Bobby anyhow, but as it turned out, that day marked the start of his show business career. It was a day that literally changed Bobby's life.

The Peppermint West Band was performing at the party and Bobby sang with them for a few numbers. Not only did his fantastic voice impress Sal and his guests, but people from all over the beach climbed up on the walls to listen.

After the party, Sal persuaded Bobby to try his hand at recording, and at his suggestion Bobby went to New York where he cut his first record. On his return to the West Coast, he tried out for "Shindig" and was accepted. His career had begun!

THE MAILMAN COMES - Soon after came one of Bobby's most cherished moments - the day he got his very first fan letter.

"It's one thing I'd never really imagined would happen to me - getting fan letters," Bobby remembers. "It was so thrilling to know that the kids who watched 'Shindig' cared so much. I found out then that one of the most rewarding things about a show business career is having fans who follow your work and tell you what they think about it. Fans have always been an important part of my career - and they always will be, I hope."

Those first few fan letters were followed by hundreds of others, too many to count. When Bobby was on "Shindig" he was getting about 500 fan letters a week. And when he was on "Brides," the number soared even higher. (Of course, it's humanly impossible for Bobby to answer all his mail personally - if he did, he'd never have time to do anything else - but he does try to answer as many letters as he can.)

A SECOND BREAK - When "Shindig" went off the air in the winter of 1966, Bobby continued making personal appearances for several months. But then came a year of struggle, writing songs that weren't successful and looking for work with no real acting experience. Finally, Bobby made a guest star appearance on "The Monkees," and followed it with spots on other shows.

Then, in the winter of 1968, he had the opportunity to test for the part of Jeremy Bolt in "Here Come the Brides." Bobby wanted the part very badly, but after the test he wasn't sure how he'd done, and whether or not the producers of the show would want him.

Right after the test, Bobby went to New York City on business, but was called back to Los Angeles. As he was getting off his plane at the Los Angeles airport, he was met by several smiling faces. "Welcome Jeremy," someone said. That day marked another big step in his career.

SO LONG FOR A WHILE - Two years - and many, many wonderful times later - the "Brides" cast worked together for the last time. The series had been on the air since the fall of 1968, but recently there had been rumors going around that it was to be cancelled.

Although Bobby and the others didn't know for sure what was going to happen, that last day of shooting in the spring of 1970 was especially poignant for them because they knew they might not be working together again. And that sad, sweet day lives in Bobby's memory as the end of a wonderful period in his career.

THE BIG TEST - But even though "Brides" was cancelled, Bobby still had plenty to keep him busy. His days were filled with recording sessions, concerts and personal appearances. He seemed to be just as popular as ever, and the fan mail kept pouring in. Still, now and then, a doubt would cross his mind. Would his "Shindig" experience repeat itself? Would he find himself just another ex-star in a few months?

But one night last June all Bobby's doubt vanished completely. As he stood on the stage at the Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles, his fans greeted him with overwhelming applause and cheers. And after each song, they let him know he was still their number one favorite star.

By the end of the concert, Bobby was sure his fans would stick with him. And that night will always be dear to him, because it was then he realized just how much he means to his fans - every bit as much as they mean to him!