In the late 1960s, Bobby Sherman’s brooding blue eyes and bright smile were plastered on posters, magazine covers, lunch boxes, and even the hearts of fans across the globe.
Breaking the hearts of swooning girls everywhere, the former teen idol, who’s used to making pulses race, eventually decided pulled the plug on his career as an entertainer and chose to save lives instead.
Keep reading to learn what happened to the former teen heartthrob!
Propelled by the success of several hit singles, Bobby Sherman, the multi-talented teen idol, rose to fame in the 1960s and ‘70s.
Sherman, whose hits include ‘Easy Come, Easy Go,’ was discovered at a party by Sal Mineo, Jane Fonda, and Natalie Wood in 1964. The man, who at the time was a high school football star, was asked to perform at the event, and though he did so reluctantly, he made an impression on Fonda, who introduced him to an agent.
The handsome blue-eyed heartthrob, who’s now 80, experienced a massive rise in his popularity after the release of the 1969 single, ‘Little Woman,’ which sold millions of copies.
Adored by millions of young girls around the world, his face was everywhere.
In a 1996 interview, Sherman shared his thoughts on having his face featured on merchandise, like lunchboxes.
“They’re a collector’s item,” said the ‘Julie, Do Ya Love Me?‘ singer. “There was a lot of commercial merchandise out there. I know I participated in it one way or another, but really [I] didn’t have any. That was the machinery behind the Rock and Roll, teenage idol, kind of thing.”
Throughout his reign as a teen idol, he recorded several albums – seven gold singles, one platinum single, and five gold albums – and made numerous appearances on TV shows, including as a featured performer on Shindig!
TV star
In addition to his successful recording career, Sherman also made his mark in TV.
From 1968 to 1970, he starred alongside fellow teen idol David Soul (died January 4, 2024) in the series Here Comes the Brides.
In the Western-themed comedy, Sherman played Jeremy Bolt, a bashful logger, in a performance that contributed to his popularity and showcased his versatility as an entertainer.
When Here Comes the Brides was cancelled in 1970, Sherman – also a producer, director and composer – had numerous guest appearances on popular TV shows like The Mod Squad, The Partridge Family, The Love Boat, and Murder, She Wrote.
But he needed to carve out some time for his young family, sons Christopher and Tyler, and their mom Patti Carmel, whom he divorced in 1979.
“It was so hectic for three years that I didn’t know what home was,” he told the Washington Post. “I was disoriented, I never knew where I was. I always had to be reminded. But, in all honesty, I must say I had the best of times because the concerts were great, the fans were great. It was the proverbial love-in, but it just zapped so much out of me.”
And then in 1974, something magical happened.
Breaking hearts to saving lives
A guest appearance on the medical drama, Emergency! inspired a career change.
Having a natural talent for aiding injuries, Sherman, who was trained in CPR, said, “If I’d be driving down the street and there was an accident, and there was no medical help on hand, I’d get out and, since I usually had some stuff with me, I’d help.”
In 1992, the former pinup, who in his heyday sold 30 million records worldwide, started working with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and became an EMT. For a decade, he trained paramedics in CPR and first aid at the Los Angeles Police Academy, and later earned the rank of Captain.
“There’s not a better feeling in the world than when you’re responsible for saving someone’s life,” the former popstar told Entertainment Tonight. “It’s real life – you can’t say, ‘take two.’ It’s now.”
But the doting grandfather of six didn’t completely give up his role as a heartbreaker.
In 1998, Sherman, who after a 25-year absence, toured the oldies circuit with Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits and the late Davy Jones of The Monkees.
Then from 1999 to 2010, he returned to his duties as a public servant, working as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff in the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
‘Blending music and education’
Currently serving the LAPD as an EMT-D officer, specializing in defibrillation, Sherman is also helping less fortunate youth in Ghana.
Leaning on his extraordinary talents, Sherman and his wife Brigitte (married in 2010) now operate a foundation supporting youth in Ghana. Launched in 2011, The Brigitte and Bobby Sherman Children’s Foundation breaks barriers that prevent children from progressing scholastically.
According to the organization’s site, its goal is to help kids “continue their education after high school and to allow them to experience the magic of expressing themselves through music.”
What are your favorite memories of Bobby Sherman? What are your thoughts on his career change? Please share your comments below and then share this story so we can hear what others have to say!
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