GeeGee recommended LPs for this month included Cowsills I Can Fly on MGM; the Fifth Dimension's The Magic Garden on Soul City;Forever Changes by the Loveon Elektra; Dave Clark 5's Everybody Knows on Epic; the Lovin' Spoonful's Everything Playing on Kama Sutra; the Kaleidoscope's Beacon From Mars and Side Trips on Epic; Van Dyke Parks' Song Cycle on Reprise and my own personal fave -- Jerry Moore's Life Is A Constant Journey Home on ESP ... The Who's great new LP on Decca was released under the title The Who Sell Out, and they get the GeeGee Award for the zaniest album covers of the century!
One of the most unlikely 16 Magazine faves of all time has passed away. Jonathan Frid was a classically (RADA and Yale) trained actor who accepted the career-defining role of vampire Barnabas Collins on "Dark Shadows" as a way to finance a move to Hollywood. But the introduction of his character in March of 1967, one year into the 5-year run of the show, set off a frenzy of popularity for the gothic soap opera and for the brooding Barnabas in particular. Frid was on a hit show, and in New York he stayed for several decades.
Gloria Stavers caught on to the show's popularity and began watching it daily so she could write about it in 16. Readers learned more about Collinwood and its inhabitants with the serialized "The Whole True Story of Dark Shadows," and articles like "We're Not Freaks!" introduced the off-camera lives of the cast. Soon color pinups of the distinguished actor were appearing alongside teen stars half his age, and Frid went along with it by gamely participating in 16's standard articles such as "My Hates & Loves." He and his equally popular co-star David Selby were frequent visitors to 16's offices.
After the series ended in 1971, Frid returned to the theater. But even decades later, his popularity among fans never wained, and he attended several fan conventions in recent years. Last summer he and other original cast members traveled to England to film cameos for the upcoming Tim Burton "Dark Shadows" film starring Frid's long-time fan Johnny Depp. Fans will get to see Jonathan Frid's final performance on May 11th.
Broadcasting legend and "America's Oldest Living Teenager" Dick Clark has passed away at age 82. You can read about Dick's phenomenal career and contributions to television here.
Dick Clark met Gloria Stavers very early in both of their careers. In his autobiography "Rock, Roll & Remember," he says "The teen idol era was remarkable. My favorite memories of that era are the headlines Gloria Stavers used in 16 Magazine ... Gloria was the first to discover the teen idol magazine market. I worked with her as much as the stars did." It's hard to remember a time when Dick Clark was not famous, but in 1957-1958, American Bandstand had just gone national with the ABC network and Dick was eager to promote himself and the show. His press agent in New York was famed publicist Connie DeNave, a friend of Gloria's. Thus, Dick was featured in stories such as "Dick Clark - Top Tune Spotter."
American Bandstand instantly became a fixture in 16, first in a monthly "Bandstand Newsletter" followed a couple of years later by "Bandstand Beat" which ran until July, 1964. Both columns featured photos and the inside scoop on the hugely popular "Regulars," the teens who danced on the show every week. Dick Clark was savvy enough to realize that teens were interested in other teens, and he made them the stars of Bandstand. Dick and Gloria often consulted with each other on the latest potential hit records and recording stars.
In May of 1965, Gloria excitedly announced in "GeeGee's Gossip" the arrival of a new Dick Clark "pop, rock-and-roll variety show." Clark's "Where The Action Is" premiered on ABC in June of 1965, and 16 had a new favorite show to cover. WTAI was after school appointment television, and it was another symbiotic relationship between Dick and Gloria. Show regulars Paul Revere & The Raiders, Keith Allison, Steve Alaimo, Tina Mason, The Robbs and the Action Kids were featured prominently in 16. Raiders Mark Lindsay and Phil Volk became two of the most popular faves in 16's history. After the show ended in March of '67 (16 said "Farewell to Action" in the May '67 issue,) Mark Lindsay and Paul Revere went on to host Dick Clark shows "Happening '68" and "It's Happening" and 16 featured those shows as well. Dick Clark's flagship show "American Bandstand" continued on ABC until the spring of 1987, and was one of the longest running shows in television history.
Dick Clark and Gloria Stavers were both pioneers in the youth market, Dick in television and Gloria in journalism. Both ignored the racial barriers of the era and showcased performers based on talent alone. They created their respective genres and became part of popular culture history. Dick Clark will always be remembered for the music, the dancing, and the fun that was such an important part of our lives.
They flew across the country, they walked a few blocks. They drove hundreds of miles, they took the subway. They were famous, infamous, and anonymous. But when they walked into B.B. King's in Times Square on Tuesday night, they were all the same. They were people who loved Davy Jones. And for over five hours they shared stories, songs, laughter and tears as they remembered the beloved entertainer who passed away on February 29th at the age of 66. Some call him David, but most of us came to know him as Davy from "The Monkees" television show, records, and teen magazines like 16 and Tiger Beat. (My first-ever concert was The Monkees at Boston Garden on July 22, 1967.)
Legendary radio deejay "Cousin Brucie" aka Bruce Morrow served as the evening's host, introducing musical guests and others who came to reminisce about the man fondly referred to as the "Manchester Cowboy." In fact, some of the most heartwarming stories were of the former jockey's passion for horses. He rescued many of his own 16 horses from horrible fates, and the proceeds from this event will go towards their continued care. It's a daunting task for his family. You can find out how to help at the end of this article.
Father, friend, musician, horse lover, businessman, actor, teen idol, songwriter, jockey, band leader, author ... so many facets of Davy's amazing life were celebrated at the event. The stage was bookended by two large screens featuring photos and videos of Davy's career and private life. Produced with Davy's friend, manager and Monkees archivist Andrew Sandoval, the presentation was a joyful reminder of Davy's love of life. And even after nearly fifty years of stardom, there were still new aspects of Davy's extraordinary journey that were revealed.
Two of his four daughters, Talia and Annabel, spoke movingly about Davy as a father (daughter Sarah sent her love in a video message.) They both emphasized his love for his fans, and how their loyalty over the years enabled Davy to provide a better life for his children. Annabel remarked that some of her fondest memories were of sitting in the audience amongst Davy's fans. Sharing their father with fans was a blessing, not a curse, and his daughters thanked those present for honoring him.
The stage was a reunion of present and former Davy Jones and Monkees band members. They shared "you had to be there" backstage stories, repeated Davy's "well-worn" stage jokes, and laughed about how they had all been fired at one time or another. They played and sang all of Davy's songs that they knew so well. The anticipation grew as hints were dropped that there were a couple of "special" guests backstage, and the moment that everyone had been buzzing about finally came when Peter Tork took the stage. After some brief words he launched into a bluegrass version of Mike Nesmith's "What Am I Doing Hanging Round," sounding great on banjo and vocals.
The excitement reached a peak when Micky Dolenz was introduced and joined Peter for "You and I" (co-written by Davy and Micky) and "I'm A Believer." The two traded jokes (some funny/some not) and seemed to want to maintain the light-hearted spirit of Davy. But Micky was overcome with emotion from the moment he began singing Davy's signature song, and as Peter stepped up with vocal assistance, Micky was comforted by friends and family gathered on stage. The audience needed no prodding, and hundreds of voices became one for a final dedication to "Daydream Believer" David Thomas Jones.
As my own final goodbye to Davy, I created a little tribute video. Thanks to all the talented people who created these photos.
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