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Page 6
All the Monkees had to do was sing their part. And all of this was overseen by the now-President of the Columbia Pictures/Screen Gems TV and its new record label, Colgems, none other than former Brill Building music publisher Don Kirshner (Remember him?). And the Monkees became a hit. It was one of the greatest marketing campaigns in rock history, just a great marketing campaign, period. Some radio stations would even have a Monkees vs. the Beatles playoff! And teen magazines, particularly 16, was a HUGE and important factor in promoting and marketing the British and American teen idols. If you're able to obtain one from the mid-60s, read through it. There's always a list of an idol's favorite food, hobbies, etc. and color posters to die for! Some of the cutest teen idols were Paul McCartney during this period, with George Harrison a close second, then Davey Jones, Peter Noone, Mike Smith(DC5), and Graham Nash (The Hollies). Honorable mention would be all of Dino, Desi, and Billy, Mark Lindsay (Paul Revere and The Raiders), and perhaps Mitch Ryder. But the most HANDSOME was Tom Jones, bar none. (He could have been the first male supermodel!) It seems that most of the teen idols during this period were singers, but David McCallum and Robert Vaughn, the stars of "The Man From U.N.C.L.E.", were very popular, especially McCallum. And there was Noel Harrison (son of Rex Harrison, who starred in the spin-off, "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E." with Stephanie Powers. Don Grady, Paul Petersen, Dirk and Dack Rambo, Christopher Jones, and perhaps Michael Landon were TV idols. Black teen idols with crossover or mainstream appeal were new group The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson (The Miracles), and Sam Cooke (until his untimely death). Gene Chandler, Chuck Jackson, Major Lance, and Jerry Butler maintained their popularity among an uban demographic. The U.S.Dept. of Labor even got into the teen idol act, in a sense. During this time, they announced that it would not issue many British rock bands with work permits or visas. Among those affected were: Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders (who had just hit no. 1 then with ”Game Of Love”), The Hollies, The Zombies, Nashville Teens, and The Animals. ( Perhaps that's why several groups did filmed segments on many American shows?!!)
The copyright of the article Teen Idols Circa 1964-1966 - Page 6 in 60s Music is owned by . Permission to republish Teen Idols Circa 1964-1966 - Page 6 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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