Friday, September 25, 2009

When TV Stars Sing - Part 1

Long before "reality TV" contestants were burning up the Billboard Hot 100, TV stars have been capitalizing on their small screen success by using their vocal talents. I'll start with a look at sitcom stars of the 1960s. The late BEVERLY HILLBILLIES star and Republican whack-job Buddy Ebsen recorded Buddy Ebsen Says Howdy back in 1965. Among the tunes can be found classics like You Are My Sunshine and Your Cheatin' Heart, as well as curiosities with titles like and Keep A-Thinkin' Pretty and Dear Hearts and Gentle People. One wonders where his pretty and gentle thoughts were when he campaigned against co-star Nancy Kulp (Miss Jane Hathaway) when she ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Ebsen supported incumbent Bud Shuster, recording a radio ad for Shuster, labeling Kulp as "too liberal". Fuck him.
Not to be outdone, Hooterville neighbor Eddie Albert came out with The Eddie Albert Album in 1966. This bizarre offering was from Bob Dylan/Simon & Garfunkel producer Bob Johnston and featured The Green Acres Theme and Blowin' in the Wind.
Future Oscar-winner Sally Field, star of THE FLYING NUN (and SYBIL!) released the single Find Yourself a Rainbow in 1967. An album followed, and apparently you can download the tracks here at your own risk.
Patty Duke (whose voice was later dubbed in VALLEY OF THE DOLLS) released a bunch of singles and LPs during the run of THE PATTY DUKE SHOW. The 45 RPM Don't Just Stand There was her VERY FIRST RECORD!!!
The album Don't Just Stand There followed and the cover showed her sitting. On the floor. With her hand on her knee. Shouldn't it have been called Don't Just Sit There On the Floor with Your Hand on Your Knee ?
Next came Patty featuring a cover that probably drove Lesley Gore and Dusty Springfield nuts. I mean, I'm not a lesbian, but there's something really hot and butch going on there. Is it just me?
Evidently Patty had enough "hits" for United Artists to put out a Greatest Hits collection in 1966!
They later recycled the cover photo for TV's Teen Star Patty Duke in 1967 and I would think the track listing is pretty much the same too. MUNSTERS star Butch Patrick had to wait till 1972 (when he was almost 20) for his shot at music stardom. I.O.I.O. was the single, but B side I Want Sugar sounds like something I need to hear. Come back tomorrow as I look at 70's sitcom stars and their recording careers!

3 comments:

laura linger said...

I idolize Patty Duke. Seriously. She is my gal ideal. And we both suffer from the same brand of crazy, too. Have you ever seen the TV movie where she's a Southern mama protecting her dead son's baby from his whore of a widow? Oh, good times. I am joking a bit but it is really a good movie.

Doug said...

Sounds great - might make a good double feature with 1972's YOU'LL LIKE MY MOTHER where Patty plays a pregnant army widow who visits her evil mother-in-law in snowbound Minnesota.

Doug said...

Was it called "When He Didn't Come Home"?