Cover Contest (June 29-July 5): Blonde, Brunette, Redhead

[Shalla Bal]

Shalla Bal and I'm wondering who each of the guys is supposed to be.

Nschornhorst, thanks for asking. I was wondering if anyone was interested

I love pop culture history and evidently this series "Goin' Steady" had stories that involved movie and pop stars of the day. This issue was published in 1960 (cover by Joe Simon no less!) and at that time--in the United States at least--these 3 teen idols were all the rage.

Left to right:

Ricky Nelson - long after his teen stardom he tried to revive his career and performed as Rick Nelson. Anyone know the song "Garden Party"? That was him. He died at the age of 45 in a plane crash

Troy Donahue

Fabian

[Iron Maiden]

I recognized Ricky Nelson. I was watching Rio Bravo recently where he played a young gunslinger so that refreshed my memory of how he looked. I forgot about him dying in a plane crash. There is a strange sort of coincidence about that. Dean Martin was also in the movie Rio Bravo and he had a son Dean Paul Martin who was a pop singer/idol but not as well known of course as Ricky Nelson. He also died in a plane crash during a military training flight at the age of 35.

The other two on that cover weren't as obvious to me. Another "teen idol" from that era was Frankie Avalon, who was in all those Beach Party movies with Annette Funnicello.

Thanks everyone!

Special thanks to Ravin' Ray, Nschornhorst, Scott T, nx01a and CaptCleghorn for their impeccable taste.

And thank you to Iron Maiden for the support. It truly means a lot.

The new contest will be up later today, after I check Chad's list (and run some errands).

You're welcome... I know we are of the same mind on that issue for a while now. But we manage to have some fun here anyway!

[CaptainEurope]

Nschornhorst, thanks for asking. I was wondering if anyone was interested

I love pop culture history and evidently this series "Goin' Steady" had stories that involved movie and pop stars of the day. This issue was published in 1960 (cover by Joe Simon no less!) and at that time--in the United States at least--these 3 teen idols were all the rage.

Left to right:

Ricky Nelson - long after his teen stardom he tried to revive his career and performed as Rick Nelson. Anyone know the song "Garden Party"? That was him. He died at the age of 45 in a plane crash

Troy Donahue

Fabian

Nelson's twin Sons had a #1 pop song once.

[babyblob]

great Job Shalla Bal! This was a fun topic this week with a lot of great covers

And man that Nelson Twins song takes me back. The Golden age of music

[Scott Taylor]

Oh my, the hair. Apparently grunge blew up in popularity right at the same time as Nelson put out their first album.

This week's contest was fun and challenging!

[Catlady in training]

Congratulations, Shalla Bal!

[nx01a]

Yay, Shalla Bal!
And thanks to Englehart Humperdinck for the vote of confidence!

[Nschornhorst]

Nschornhorst, thanks for asking. I was wondering if anyone was interested

I love pop culture history and evidently this series "Goin' Steady" had stories that involved movie and pop stars of the day. This issue was published in 1960 (cover by Joe Simon no less!) and at that time--in the United States at least--these 3 teen idols were all the rage.

Left to right:

Ricky Nelson - long after his teen stardom he tried to revive his career and performed as Rick Nelson. Anyone know the song "Garden Party"? That was him. He died at the age of 45 in a plane crash

Troy Donahue

Fabian

Thank you! My one guess was WAY off.

[CaptCleghorn]

Congratulations to Shalla Bal for a cover which I incorrectly noted as Golden Age. Mea Culpa. And I had no idea the males were pop stars of the day. The picture of an armed girl with the heads of celebrities on a wall is creepier than I first thought. My ignorance ruled this week, kids. Don't be like me, stay in school or read more comics! Whichever.

And in a week where the captain has had little, if any, actual knowledge, the stage is set for the Peak of the Week where what the captain has learned this contest is exposed. Color combinations. It's a popular trope where character identification is made much clearer and easier without having to pay an actor(ess) to say anything. BTW, I thought for sure that Gilligan and his fellow castaways had a comic. That also certainly should qualify. But there's the rub. Seemingly plentiful, but rarer than we thought.

Onto next week!!

[Shalla Bal]

Nelson's twin Sons had a #1 pop song once.

OMG how could I forget about them! They were big for a while. Also, Ricky's daughter Tracy became a well-known actress. She's older than the twins.

Another tidbit: Their mother (Ricky's ex-wife) is Mark Harmon's sister. Evidently it was not a marriage made in heaven and the divorce and acrimonious aftereffects received a lot of press. Very sad.

[Shalla Bal]

I recognized Ricky Nelson. I was watching Rio Bravo recently where he played a young gunslinger so that refreshed my memory of how he looked. I forgot about him dying in a plane crash. There is a strange sort of coincidence about that. Dean Martin was also in the movie Rio Bravo and he had a son Dean Paul Martin who was a pop singer/idol but not as well known of course as Ricky Nelson. He also died in a plane crash during a military training flight at the age of 35.

The other two on that cover weren't as obvious to me. Another "teen idol" from that era was Frankie Avalon, who was in all those Beach Party movies with Annette Funnicello.

It was difficult to see Fabian since his face is partly obscured. When I first came across this cover a few years ago, I thought at first it might be Avalon or Sal Mineo (who believe or not was a huge teen idol for a time), but when I researched it awhile back I read it was Fabian--and then it was like oh of course--I could see it, the hairline, brows, etc.

Yes, Dean's son was in that pop group Dino Desi and Billy (who?? lol) with Desi Arnaz Jr. and who remembers that Billy guy. He was married to Olivia "Juliet" Hussey for awhile.

I really should watch Rio Bravo. Thanks for the reminder!

[Jack Dracula]

Congratulations Shalla!
Thanks for the vote Kirby.

[foxley]

I really should watch Rio Bravo. Thanks for the reminder!

One of John Wayne's best movies (IMO), with a great supporting cast (including Angie Dickinson and Walter Brennan), and Dean Martin showing some serious chops as a dramatic actor. The film was made as Howard Hawks' rebuttal to High Noon, with Hawks on record as saying "I didn't think a good sheriff was going to go running around town like a chicken with his head cut off asking for help, and finally his Quaker wife had to save him."

(For the record, I love both films.)