|
dence College. Luck, or maybe fate, introduced them to Artie Kornfeld, a producer and writer, who took them to Lenny Stogel, probably the only talent manager in America who was ready for a talent such as theirs. The rapport between Leonard Stogel Associates and the Cowsills led to MGM Records, and that was the beginning of their popularity and steady climb to success.
Until they started making records, the Cowsills didn't have any money to spend on themselves or their home. All the money they earned for the three years before making a go of it in show business went into "tools of the trade" — instruments, sound systems, amplifiers, etc.
The fact that they didn't have any money and lived in a home with little furniture didn't seem to bother the Cowsills. As they put it, "So there isn't any furniture — we're happy."
And their house really was in a bad way. The casual tourist passing by wouldn't give it a second look, but to the Cowsills, the old 22-room mansion, on top of one of the few Newport hills, is home. As you drive up the winding path, the first glimpse of the house takes your breath away. It seems as though you are dreaming. Ivy grows all over the walls of the house, windows are broken, screens are hanging. It all has an air of the "unreal."
The grass has grown to a height of three feet. Curly, the family dog and very much a member of the family, hunts rabbits and other wild things in this amazing forest. The house is three stories high with an old "Captains walk" overlooking the sea, so that in the old days the captain's wife could watch for her husband's ship to come into harbor. Today, Mrs. Cowsill uses the walk to escape from her family. "This is my favorite spot in the world; I come up here to think and relax — pure heaven."
The interior of the house fits the outside. The family or living room contains one large sofa, two chairs and a television set. Meals are prepared on a 1917 gas range which requires a prayer to light it. The "would-be" library contains a ping pong table, and the "should-be" dining room contains a pool table. There are seven bathrooms and one shower. "Water pressure isn't so great," explains Bob,
|
|
Susie leads the way for other Cowsills: John, Barry, Barbara, Bob, and Bill.
John, Bob, Barbara, Bill and Barry stand on the 'seaman's deck' of their Newport home.
Two generations of Cowsills: Barry, Susan, Barbara, John in front; Paul, Bill, Bud, Dick, and Bob in back.
|
"so the best time to take a shower is around three o'clock in the morning."
Among the performing members of the family, Mrs. Cowsill has the smallest part in the shows. She lends her sweet, clear voice to the boys' harmony whenever it is needed, and wherever they might go. She dresses and resembles a girl who has just passed her teen years. If one didn't know that she was the mother of the other members of the group, it would be difficult to guess it.
The other female member of the group is Susan, the youngest, the sweetheart of the family. She doesn't do as much singing as her brothers,
|
|
but when she does perform, she always manages to capture the audience's hearts.
Bill, age 20, is the oldest son, and a sort of group manager. He takes his work very seriously, and everything he does is done with sincerity and enthusiasm. It is very difficult to put anything over on him, including practical jokes, because he can verbally turn one around in two minutes. He has a sharp wit.
Ironically, Bill just gets passing grades in his music courses at Rhode Island College. His best subject is English. He writes creatively, especially poetry and verse — and quite
|
|
