Come on… join the chit-chat… and speak up about the things that matter most to YOU!
If you like prizes and surprises—and who doesn’t—do join Gene Pitney’s wonderful fan club. It’s run with such a warm, friendly touch. I was quite delighted when Rae sent me the “Pitney works.” The newsletter is particularly newsy, the contests quite dazzling and the pictures more than mildly sensational. All you have to do to get all the details of Gene’s fan club is to write to RAE, Box 326, Rockville, Connecticut.
I can scarcely get myself out of the kitchen since I latched on to Joe Pasternak’s book, Cooking With Love and Paprika, published by Bernard Geis Associates. I’m mad about cook books and have quite a collection. I read them to relax and to spring culinary surprises on my unsuspecting family and friends. I must confess that it wasn’t until five years ago that the most tempting dish I could concoct was boiled water. Today, thanks to the likes of a Joe Pasternak, I’m quite a chef, or is it chefess. Okay, cook!
Mr. Pasternak, a young at heart writer-producer, loves to work with young people and vice versa. He produced Spinout, starring Elvis Presley. One of these days I’m going to ask J.P. to tell us about what it’s like to work with E.P. It should make fascinating reading.
And talk about fascinating reading, I wasn’t surprised to read that our wonderful homegrown Monkees WON WFUN’S BOSS BATTLE OF THE YEAR! Bob Harris, promotion director of WFUN radio, Miami, Florida, sent me the following release.
“The Monkees, popular TV and recording stars, have won WFUN Radio’s recent BOSS BATTLE OF THE YEAR between The Beatles and The Monkees. The Monkees emerged victorious in the 16-day competition with a total of 65,153 votes, compared to The Beatles total of 37,128. Voting took place by telephone and mail, as WFUN registered 102,281 votes.
“The Monkees have been invited to Miami to receive a special award from WFUN and the thousands of Monkees’ fans in South Florida. WFUN also saluted the group by running a picture of the foursome on the front of the weekly WFUN BOSS 79 SURVEY.”
The fact that the Monkees won over the Fab4 doesn’t quite come as a surprise to me. According to TL’s own polls the Monkees are sweeping everybody—but everybody—off the charts. The same is happening in England. When I’m a Believer was released there, our British cousins went wild over them. Now that the Monkees’ NBC-TV weekly is released there, they are #1 on the viewing polls.
It couldn’t happen to four nicer or more talented guys.
Before I introduce you to each other via your letters, I’d like to put in a plug for TL. Won’t you please, please, PLEASE fill in the quiz on page 43! It is so important that you tell me your reaction to the NEW TL look. I know you can grow with the new TL because it is all about YOU and YOUR life. You need all the love, help, sympathy and understanding as no other age group needs it, and I want so much to help you achieve all the happiness you richly deserve. I look forward to hearing from you.
Dear Bessie:
I saw a movie caned The Chase with Marlon Brando and a man called Robert Redford. I would like to know more about this man. His height, weight, coloring, etc., etc. When I saw R.R. I almost flipped. He’s really cute (in my opinion).
Lynne Turley, Great Falls, Mont.
Dear Lynne:
I share your opinion of Bob, Lynne. He is something special in the looks and talent departments. Bob was born in Hollywood, Calif. on 3/18/36. He has bronze hair and eyes to match. He’s 6' of rugged maleness. Oh, yes, Bob is a happy-wed, and father of 3.
Of course there’s much more to tell about Bob, but (sigh) little space in which to tell it.
Dear Bessie:
Everyone is raving about a great, fantastic group from Ann Arbor, Michigan known as The Rationals! These 4 boys started about 2 years ago in the English bag, but are now more R & B. They’ve had a very big hit record called Respect; it did very well over the U.S., and was #3 in Hawaii.
Please print something on them, and don’t forget THINK RATIONAL!
Charlene Arwine, Royal Oak, Mich.
Dear Charlene:
Sorry I can’t include a pix of The Rationals here, because somebody in our editorial factory goofed and didn’t send for their pix and bio. Anyway, I’m happy to tell you The Rationals have loads of fan-friends throughout the country. I join you in wishing them the best of everything.
Dear Bessie:
What! What! What! No stories or pictures on ? (Question Mark) and the Mysterians. You must be putting me on! Surely you could have at least had one story on them; after all they do have two big hits!
You let us down on not being up-to-date on this group; Do you print your magazine so far in advance just to confuse your loyal readers? There must be others who feel the same way.
Two ? (Question Mark) & the Mysterian Fans, Kingston. Ont.
Dear Fans:
Oh-oh! I hope you didn’t miss April TL.
We ran a shortie piece on your ?; not much, true, but enough to let their fans know we know about them.
Dear Bessie:
TL is one of the top teen magazines, but it has one defect: it’s missing articles about that English chap, Alfy, alias David Watson. Just because Never Too Young is off the air doesn’t mean that we have lost interest in him. Now, more than ever, we want to know more about that great guy.
The kids whose signatures are at the bottom of this letter asked me to make this into a kind of petition so as to get the message across.
Kim Dowell, Muskogee, Okla.
Dear Kim and the 58 girls who co-signed your letter:
That’s quite a salutation, isn’t it? I do indeed get your message; I feel certain that David would be deeply moved by the interest you show in him. As per the many other requests I received from David’s avid fans, I had Dolly Berman chat with him on the coast. He seems quite content with his lot, is scheduled for movies and a number of TV shows. He still loves life in Hollywood and definitely intends to make it his permanent home.
So sitting in my “story pantry” is the David Watson interview, which I hope to schedule in an early issue. Keep tuned, girls.
Dear Bessie:
Yours and TL readers’ help is desperately needed. Where The Action Is is being taken off of our TV station. Would you please help us get it back. You can do this by writing to KTRK-TV. 5313 Westchester, Houston, Texas, and asking them to put Action back on our station.
Thanks a zillion!
Debby Richards, Galena Park, Texas
Dear Bessie:
HELP! I heard that The Monkees may be taken off the air! Please, everyone, write to the Program Director at NBC-TV, 3000 W. Alameda, Burbank, Calif., and to NBC-TV, Rockefeller Center, New York, N.Y., and help prevent this catastrophe.
Georgia Lahd, Bemidji, Minn.
Dear Monkee-maniacs & Miss Little:
HELP! Remember what happened to Gidget? Well, the same thing might happen to those fantastic Monkees if we don’t wisen up fast; If you want to help, please write a persuasive letter to me telling why you want the Monkees left on the air. I will send them ALL to the Monkees’ producers in large quantities because that will have the most affect.
Cathy Toltan, 35 Queen St., Guelph, Ontria [sic], Canada
Dear Miss Little:
Help us to save the Monkees! I was crushed when I returned from a trip to California and found out that the Monkees went off the air. I am the president of their Fan Club here, and the members and I would appreciate it very much if you would run an article, or this letter, in TL, asking the fans to write to me and help save the Monkees.
Barbara Schlosser, 921 Sunnymeade Tr., DeKalb, Illinois 60115
Dear Bessie:
My girlfriends and I are requesting the assistance of all Jericho fans in an attempt to keep it on the air. Please, TL readers, if you are a Jericho fan, help us to save this hour-long drama. Send all letters and petitions to me, Vicki Moore, 23 Fawn Circle, Berkeley Heights, New Jersey.
Dear Girls:
It really shocks me to hear that the Monkees is being taken off a number of stations throughout the country. That’s awful! I hope everybody who enjoys this wonderful fun show will protest. I will raise my voice with yours. The same goes for Jericho. And Where The Action Is. I don’t know what happens to the judgment of some program directors. Can they be so bored and jaded as to forget what it’s like to be young, to want a little bit of excitement, thrills and glamor and make-believe in life?
Come on, everybody, speak up!
Dear Bessie:
I don’t believe that you care at all about your readers, or take any of their opinions seriously because I have written you at least one hundred letters during the past year requesting articles and pics on Chad & Jeremy. So far you have not done one article on them.
I really think you just don’t like them. I can’t understand why because they are so fabulous. I’m so disgusted with TL, and although it probably won’t do any good I’ll ask you (or rather beg you), one more time. Please! Please! PLEASE feature more articles and pics on Chad & Jeremy.
Betsy Borden, Cleveland
Dear Disillusioned Betsy:
Wow! You really told me off! But I don’t mind! I deserve it!
You probably won’t believe this, but I had a lunch date to meet “my good friends, Chad & Jeremy” at the Warwick Hotel on a recent Wednesday at 12:30. They had called me from the coast to say they were heading for New York and would I join them for a spot of lunch (to quote Chad) and a chat. Well, I arrived at the dot of 12:30, waited around for about a half-hour. No Chad & Jeremy. I asked the desk clerk if they had checked in. Said he: “They’re due tomorrow.”
So… chin up, Betsy, and you’ll be rewarded with a terrific story and pictures of your boys. By the way, don’t ever say I’m not fond of C & J. I am truly. Ask them.
That’s it for now. You won’t forget to fill in that quiz, please, and also let me know what you think of the NEW TL! With heartfelt thanks and love,
Bessie Little
