Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart are happy people. Happy because of their many successes, but also happy because the sun shines, because they have friends and because they have a chance to communicate their happiness through their music. And music has been a part of their lives as long as they can both remember.
Bobby’s father was the preacher at a church where music was a great part of the service. He grew up playing piano and organ in church and he remembers going to church almost every night just because the music was so exciting to him.
Tommy began singing at a very young age and recalls singing duets like “You Are My Sunshine” with his sister in grammar school. He used to do great imitations of Al Jolson, and when he was around seven years old he began writing poetry.
He continued to write poetry, but never any melodies to make them into songs. “Then one day when I was working in this cardboard box factory (I guess I was about 16) and there was this funny thing going through my head—it was a melody of a song. I said, ‘I wonder what that is?’ I thought I was freaking out or something. That’s basically how I began writing songs.”
How they met Permalink
The boys met one day by accident when each happened to be at a music publisher’s office at the same time. Tommy recalls, “We started talking together, asking each other questions—‘What’s your name?… What do you do?’ And I said ‘Let’s get together and write a song on the weekend.’ That’s how it all started.”
What began that day was to lead to a great writing career for two young artists. They had been writing groovy songs, but when they were signed to write the Monkees’ Theme Song and much of their early music, they suddenly came before the national eye.
Their own plans Permalink
With the success of their first A&M album and a great demand from eager fans across the United States, Tommy and Bobby’s latest project is preparing for many TV guest appearances and live concerts.
In the little spare time they have, Bobby loves taking and editing his own movies. Tommy loves to play tennis and ride his motorcycle. He’s also a collector of old movies like those of W.C. Fields and the old silent film stars. Dick Clark recently gifted Tommy with a copy of the very first “Dick Clark Show” from New York. He’s especially proud of this because there are only three in existence.
An individual look at each of the boys reveals:
Bobby Permalink
Full real name: Bobby Hart
Age: 24
Birthdate: February 18, 1944
Birthplace: Phoenix, Arizona
Personal points: brown hair and eyes, 5'8", 135 lbs.
Marital status: single
Parents’ names: Robert and Fern
Brothers’ and Sisters’ names: Becky and Debbie
Instruments played: piano, organ, guitar
Age entered show business: 19
Favorites:
- color: black
- food: rice
- drink: tea
- dessert: sugar cream pie
- clothes: Indian
- singer: Elvis
- group: Beatles
- song: “This Is All I Ask”
- car: Jaguar
- actor: Peter Sellers
- actress: Jane Fonda
- city: Hollywood
Tommy Permalink
Full real name: Tommy Boyce
Age: 24
Birthdate: September 29, 1943
Birthplace: Charlottesville, Virginia
Personal points: brown hair, hazel eyes, 5'8", 132 lbs.
Marital status: single
Parents’ names: Sidney and Evelyn
Brothers’ and sisters’ names: Betty Jean
Instruments played: piano, guitar, harmonica
Age entered show business: 16
Favorites:
- color: turquoise blue
- food: salad, rice, hamburgers
- drink: cream soda
- dessert: pumpkin pie
- clothes: casual
- singer: Diana Ross
- group: Beatles
- song: “Got To Get You Into My Life”
- car: Peaches and Cream 1957 Caddy
- actor: Warren Beatty
- actress: Sophia Loren
- city: Los Angeles
