The Cowsills In Magazines

HAVE YOU ever wondered what it would be like to spend a whole, fabulous day with America's First Family of Pop, The Cowsills? What would you do? What would happen? Take our word for it ... lots. But even better, come on along as TEEN LIFE takes you on an hour-by-hour tour of a typical day in the life of The Cowsill family . . .

7:00 A.M.

R-r-r-ring! That's the alarm clock . . . several alarm clocks, actually. And all over The Cowsills' big house in Santa Monica, California, eyes are opening, covers are being thrown back and sleepy heads are being raised slowly. It's time to start another day.

7:45 A.M.

Breakfast time! It takes a good forty-five minutes for the whole Cowsill clan to get washed, dressed and down to the kitchen—not because they're slow, but because there are a good number of them and only three bathrooms. The time, though, gives Barbara the opportunity to whip up breakfast. And breakfast at The Cowsill table is really something. Songs, ideas and laughter are hotter than the hot cakes!

8:15 A.M.

With breakfast over, it's off to school for the kids! (Of course, with summer here, there's no school for The Cowsills. But, if you remember, we said we'd tell you about a typical day in their lives. And for most of the year, the typical thing is for them to go off to school.)


Barry grins (left) while
Johnny gets some paperwork done!

The departure is a little hectic. The younger kids go off to Hollywood Professional Children's School, complete with books and spending money and kisses, in one direction. The older boys go off to Hollywood Professional Junior College, complete with books and spending money and kisses, in the other direction. Nine times out of ten, somebody picks up the wrong books, forgets the spending money or tries to sneak out without a kiss — but everything's usually straightened out in the end.

8:30 A.M.

The house is quiet again, but not for long. Barbara has to clean up from breakfast and (would you believe it?) get ready for lunch! In the meantime, Bud putters around, perhaps making some important phone calls, reading the papers or going over some business that has to be done that day.

1:00 P.M.

School's out for the younger Cowsills! They have a short but studies-packed day. And when it's all over, they head back home again for lunch, which, if Barbara's lucky, is all ready and waiting on the table.

2:00 P.M.

Lunch is served! Usually, it's not a very big lunch . . . maybe a stack of sandwiches that look a foot high with some hot soup on the side. Or maybe it's heaping plates of spaghetti with salad and French bread. And we can't forget the glasses of cold milk and cookies for dessert.

2:30 P.M.

Company comes! Well, not exactly company . . . more like the older boys, also back from classes for the day. If they haven't already grabbed a quick lunch between classes, they sit down and join the family for some food and conversation.

3:00 P.M.

When lunch is over, the Cowsill family scatters. Barbara doesn't go very far - just back to the kitchen to clean up. Bud heads for the Cowsill office in the business section of Los Angeles. (He makes it a practice to get to the office every day if he can possibly make it.) Johnny and Barry run out to the back to get in a fast game of basketball. Susie goes into the kitchen to help her mother.

The older boys disappear somewhere in the house to work on some music or to do some of their schoolwork.

4:00 P.M.

Everybody into the pool! If it's a nice day, The Cowsills make it a habit to have a swim in their own pool. Everybody jets into their bathing suits and then the fun begins. Splashing, swimming, diving and generally "making waves" is the order of the day.

5:00 P.M.

After about an hour, swim time is over. The kids disappear into their rooms to tackle their homework for the day. Barbara and Bill's wife Karen (who's come over with her husband for dinner) retire to the kitchen (again?!) to start getting dinner ready. Bud settles down for more phone calls and more business.

6:00 P.M.

The dinner bell rings! And with Karen and Bill over for dinner that night, there are nine happy Cowsills around the big dining room table. But don't worry. Barbara's used to feeding this large a family. There's enough salad, vegetables, potatoes and meat to feed a family twice as large! Dinnertime around the Cowsill table is especially happy. It's the time everyone talks about what the day's been like, what they've done and what's on the agenda for the next day. If it gets a little noisy, nobody cares much. Having a good time and a good meal is what really matters in that house.

7:00 P.M.

To speed things up, the whole family participates in the after-dinner clean-up campaign. Susie, Johnny and Barry clear the table, Barbara and Karen wash the dishes, Paul and Bob dry them and Bill and Bud put them away. (The Cowsills are so great at keeping out of each other's way that not one dish gets broken because of people accidentally bumping into other people!)

9:30 P.M.

In the time that remains between now and bed, the Cowsill kids have plenty to do. If there's homework left over they didn't get to yet, that's the most important thing (All the Cowsills hope to go on to college, and so work very hard on their studies.) Otherwise, they may visit friends who live nearby, take a few more shots in the basketball court, talk on the phone or work on new songs and arrangements. Barbara likes to take things easy (and it's about time!) by doing, writing letters or doing some relaxing chores around the house.

11:00 P.M.

The younger Cowsills are in bed, sleeping peacefully after their busy day. The older boys are getting ready for bed.