Tiger Beat - December 1969 (typed by Cindy M.)

My Son, Bobby (Part 3)
By Mrs. Robert Sherman

This month, in our continuing series about Bobby by his mother, Mrs. Sherman answers some interesting questions about her very famous son Bobby.

DO YOU EVER REMEMBER BOBBY HAVING ANY TERRFYING INCIDENTS AS A CHILD? - No, I don't remember any. I think the only thing that ever bothered him as a child was when we first moved out here to the Valley. Bobby was afraid of the freeway. What little there was at the time, Bobby didn't like. My husband was working over in Beverly Hills and once a month we'd go over there to do the bookkeeping. Bobby would say, "Don't take the Freeway, go over the hills." That was the only thing he was worried about.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME AWARE OF BOBBY'S INTEREST IN MUSIC? - Well, it was way back when he wanted to be a real soldier. He wanted a trumpet so he could play taps. But trumpets are expensive, so we took him down to the Army-Navy Surplus Store and bought him a bugle. So that's how he learned to play taps - on the bugle.

Then when he was in the third grade, we moved out to the Valley and he went to a brand new school and they were just starting to organize the school band. The music teacher asked who had music lessons and Bobby told her he didn't take lessons, but that he could play some things on the bugle. She told him the trumpet wasn't too much different than the bugle so he could try to learn how to play the trumpet. So she let him bring an old trumpet home and he began listening to records and he would play by ear.

He couldn't read music at all. One day he want to school and the teacher asked him to play something and he told her he couldn't read notes, but that if she would play it for him, he could do it by ear. I guess he did pretty well, because the teacher ordered him a new trumpet and he was allowed to use it if we paid the three dollars insurance on it. Of course, we said okay. From then on Bobby was always in the band at school and he just loved it.

WHEN BOBBY WAS PUNISHED, WHAT WOULD HE BE PUNISHED FOR AND IN WHAT WAY WOULD HE BE PUNISHED? - Bobby only had one spanking in his life. Most of the time I would just say, "Bobby, that's enough," and he'd stop whatever it was. Bobby was the type who would say, "Are you mad at me?" I'd say, "do you want me to be really mad at you?" And he'd say, "No." And I never really had to get after him more than that.

DID YOU EVER GO ON SUNDAY PICNICS? WHAT THINGS DID YOU DO AS A FAMILY? - Everything. We never did anything unless it was together. My husband and I liked to go to Las Vegas, and the children always went along. They loved it. They'd spend the whole day in the swimming pool. But there wasn't anywhere we didn't take them along. We enjoyed having them, and our dog went too.

DO YOU REMEMBER ANYONE THAT BOBBY ADMIRED AS A CHILD? - Bobby was always crazy about baseball and football, but I couldn't tell you anyone he admired, because I'm not that up on sports, but I know he had them. About the only person I know he idolized was Jack Webb. He thought Jack Webb was great. Jerry Lewis was also a favorite of his.

WHAT FOODS DID BOBBY ESPECIALLY LIKE OR DISLIKE? - When I had to make him lunches for school everyday, he wouldn't eat anything except peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. That's all he wanted for about two years straight. Then he went through a bologna stage! Nothing but bologna for years! He wouldn't eat anything else for lunch and he's still that way.

Both he and his sister ate a lot of fruit, never any candy or cokes. They could have those things, but they never asked for them. As far as food goes, he's still the same as he always was - hamburgers and French fries. Nothing fancy.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST BECOME AWARE OF HIS DESIRE TO GO INTO SHOW BUSINESS? - When he was 17 he started talking like, "What would you say if I wanted to go into show business?" I asked him what he wanted to do and he said, "Well, I'd like be a singer and an actor." I asked him if he felt he was qualified and he said he didn't know, but that everybody tells him he is.

The first thing I did was suggest he take voice lessons. "Get someone who can tell you if you have a good voice," I suggested. So I found him a vocal coach and I told the woman to tell Bobby the real truth because I felt if that's what he really wants, then that's what he gets!

She said, "Okay," and listened to him and she told him he had a lot of training to do, but still he had a true and good voice. So he began taking singing lessons and then one thing led to another.

WHY DIDN'T YOU WANT HIM TO GO INTO SHOW BUISNESS? - To me, it isn't a very happy or secure business. The few people that I know in show business were either drinking heavily or divorcing one mate after another. I would rather have had him go into a profession like a doctor or lawyer. But I always felt, in the end it was up to Bobby.

I think I was a little afraid for Bobby, because I've seen kids with very good voices who never made it because they didn't get in the right door. I didn't think he would either. But he surprised me and now that he's done it, I'm happy.

WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN HE FIRST GOT ON "SHINDIG" AND THE FIRST TIME YOU SAW HIM ON TELEVISION? - I was in Maryland at the time with my daughter and grandchildren and I thought it was just great! I was scared stiff and I was nervous, but I never did think he had much of a chance and then there he was on national TV. It was the greatest!

WHAT WAS IT LIKE THE FIRST TIME YOU WATCHED HIM ON "HERE COME THE BRIDES" - His manager, Ward Sylvester, had us come over to Screen Gems and we all saw a private showing of it before it aired last year. My husband and I were both nervous and we held hands. There was one scene in there where I actually got tears in my eyes, but I don't know if it was because of the scene or because it was Bobby on the screen or what. But I was shook and then I was really happy after it was over. I couldn't believe it. He was so good!