By: Nancy Walls Smith
The Fan Club Web Page would like to thank Nancy Walls Smith
Original date of publication: 7/26/82
for all her contributions to this web page!
By: Nancy Walls Smith
The Fan Club Web Page would like to thank Nancy Walls Smith
Original date of publication: 7/26/82
for all her contributions to this web page!
Of course, I realize that anyone under 40 years of age probably does not even know who Bobby Rydell is, much less why he deserves praise. This makes the task of paying homage a little more difficult without, first, a little background information to enlighten the uninformed.
Bobby Rydell was a teen-age idol back in the days when being a teen-age idol meant something, to me at least. That was probably because I was a teenager at the time. In those ancient days, al of the young male singers who set our little hears aflutter were so wholesome they were homogenized. This was good.
Bobby Rydell did not swear. He did not smoke - not even cigarettes. And, of course, his intentions were always more than honorable. This was as it should be. In fact, I suspect it was probably written in the by laws of teen-age idolhood.
Even Elvis, of the swiveling hops, said, "Yes, Sir," and "No, Ma'am." The boys had manners.
Bobby Rydell did not have swiveling hips. In fact, I don't think he had hips at all. But, I didn't care. I still plastered my bedroom walls with photos of his effervescent smile and spent every cent of my allowance on his records - back in the wonderful days when a new album could be had for just under $3.00.
In fact, I'm not ashamed to say that I was president of the Highland Park Chapter of the Bobby Rydell Fan Club. It was the least I could do for someone who was doing so much to help me survive the pangs of puberty.
It was fund to do inane things like see the movie "Bye Bye Birdie" 13 times just because Bobby was in it. To this day, I can still recite the dialogue right along with the movie - a skill that, not surprisingly, has come in handy even once over the years.
I think I spent the first half of the '60's swooning over my Bobby Rydell scrapbooks, listening to his records and treasuring the autographs that I had practically risked my life to acquire.
Ah, those certainly were the days. But I've grown, and so has Bobby Rydell, no doubt. I have neither the time nor the inclination for such fantasies and frivolities. I have matured from a silly teen-age girl with adolescent obsessions into a mature, responsible woman. It's the serious things in life that hold my attention now.
Oops, gotta run - Pierce Bronson is coming on A&E in "Remington Steele" in two minutes.
MANY THANKS TO NANCY FOR HER SEVERAL PHOTO CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS WEB SITE FROM HER SCAPBOOK!
Her email address is
Dsmith7018@aol.com
for anyone who wants
To say hello!