BOY THE WAY GLENN MILLER PLAYED. SONGS THAT MADE THE HIT PARADE

Those lyrics come from the theme song to “All In The Family” starring Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton, who died a few weeks back (May 31^st to be precise).  Did you know that that song, called “Those Were The Days”, made the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1972?  It only went as high as # 43, but that’s pretty good for two actors.  That got me to thinking about other television performers who’ve had songs on the charts.  Examples include TV’s beloved dad, Bill Cosby, who made five entries on Billboard that included, “Little Ole Man (Uptight, Everything’s Alright” that made it to # 4 in 1967.  David Soul (“Starsky & Hutch”) took “Don’t Give Up On Us” to # 1 in 1977.  TV soap star and “Melrose Place” hunk Jack Wagner had a # 2 hit in 1985 with the song “All I Need”.  Actor John Schneider from “The Dukes of Hazzard”charted four hits in the Hot 100, including “It’s Now Or Never”, a # 14 hit in 1981.  Alright, you’ve seen some of the examples – let’s test your knowledge on the subject, shall we?  Some of these actors were really not singers, but somehow, they found the right combination and hit the record charts.  How many can you guess? 

     

QUESTIONS:

1.  This actor played a former student who was ‘welcomed back’ (HINT ALERT) to his old high school to teach.   John Travolta was one of the ‘sweathogs’ he taught.  This comedian/actor had his one and only chart hit in 1977.  Can you name him?

2.  Starring in the TV series “Dr. Kildare” from 1961 until 1966, this actor charted seven songs on Billboards’ Hot 100 chart in total, including one Top Ten hit.  He went on to star in TV mini-series such as “The Thorn Birds” and “Shogun”.  Who is this guy?   

3.  This Academy Award winning actress was nominated for an Oscar this year, but didn’t win.  She got her start in such ‘60’s television series as “Gidget” and “The Flying Nun”, then went on to star in hit movies such as “Norma Rae” and “Forrest Gump”.  So ‘Sally’ forth (HINT ALERT) and come up with the name of this actress.

4.  She was a regular on a highly popular “Carol Burnett” sketch comedy TV series from 1967 ‘till 1978, then went on to star in her own TV series from 1982 to ’87.  She charted three times on Billboards’ Hot 10 and that includes one # 1 hit in 1973.  She’s not from Georgia (she was born in California), but her # 1 song had that state name in its title.  Hooche Mama (HINT ALERT), who is she?       

5.  This actor saw one of his “Donna Reed Show” co-stars score a # 1 single in 1962.  His best charted hit made it to # 6 in 1963, but that song gets played on ‘oldies’ radio every Father’s Day.  He was an original Mouskateer on “The Mickey Mouse Club’ in 1955.  This actor went on to become an advocate for the rights of child actors.  Can you name this ‘60’s actor?           

ANSWERS

1.  That would be Gabe Kaplan, whose song, “Up Your Nose (With a Rubber Hose)” went to # 91 in 1977.  Kaplan is an expert poker player these days and can often be found playing high stakes poker on those poker TV programs.         

2.  Richard Chamberlain actually had a pretty good career as a singer.  “The Theme From Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight)” went to # 10 in 1962.  His next hit that same year, “Love Me Tender” (yes, the Elvis Presley # 1 from 1956), made it to # 21.  Then he went to # 14 with 1963’s “All I Have To Do Is Dream”.  Chamberlain did chart five more times, but only one song, “Blue Guitar” broke the Top 50 (“Blue Guitar” went to # 42 in 1963).  The last time he made Billboards’ Hot 100 chart was in 1964.   

3.  Sally Field aka ‘Mrs. Lincoln’ was the actress in question.  Sally was nominated for an Academy Award this year as ‘Best Supporting Actress’ as Mary Todd Lincoln in Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln”, but the Oscar went to Anne Hathaway for “Les Miserables”.  In 1967, Sally hit the record charts her one and only time with “Felicidad”.  It inched its way to # 94, then sank like a stone.             

4.  Vicki Lawrence was a regular on Carol Burnett’s weekly TV show for its entire 11 year run.  She hit # 1 on the Billboard in 1973 with “The Nights The Lights Went Out In Georgia” which was written by her then husband, Bobby Russell.   “Mama’s Family”, which was originally a recurring sketch on “The Carol Burnett Show” ran on NBC from 1983 until ’85 and was revived in first run syndication from 1986 until 1990.  Most recently, Vicki played Miley Stewart’s ‘mamaw’ (grand mother) on the hit Disney series, “Hannah Montana.      

5.  Paul Peterson was the actor’s name we were looking for.  Shelley Fabares, Paul’s co-star on the “Donna Reed Reed Show”, had the 1962 # 1 smash, “Johnny Angel”.  That same year, Peterson hit the charts with “She Can’t Find Her Keys”, a # 19 hit.  His biggest chart success came in 1963 with “My Dad”.  The “Donna Reed Show” ran from 1958 until 1966 and Paul acted in minor roles in movies and on TV, but couldn’t sustain his previous success.  Paul formed the non-profit, tax deductable foundation, A Minor Consideration, in 1990 to give guidance and support to current and former child actors.  His official website is paulpeterson.com.