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Meeting the Cowsills, the popular singing family currently heading the stage show at Steel Pier, is like meeting your neighbors down the street.
The five youngsters, Sue, Paul, Barry, John and Bob are typical of the kids your own youngsters might pal with. However, when they get on the stage - that's a different story!
For one solid hour the kids held a capacity audience spell-bound with their renditions of popular songs. The repertoire included many of their own compositions plus standards made popular by other top groups.
BACKSTAGE INTERVIEW
Backstage after the show they revealed that they were handicapped by the absence of their mother. Barbara Cowill, better known as "Mini Mom," is in Atlantic City Hospital suffering from exhaustion caused by the Cowsills' demanding schedule. Because of this, a few of their harmony numbers had to be improvised. The result was excellent, however.
But, their father and manager, how usually supervises their intricate sound equipment was also absent due to "Mini Mom's" illness.
Unlike most group, the Cowsills have no spokesman; each of them readily chimes in. A reporter asked the boys their recipe for winning the heart of a girl, and they successfully answered, "Keep cool at all times."
"I don't know if it will win their hearts, but it will give you a chance," said Paul.
"I don't have a recipe, I just do what comes naturally," chimed in John.
"Be yourself and if that doesn't work - she isn't for you," said Bob.
The youngest male Cowsill, Barry, said, "Just be sly and real sneaky."
ONLY GIRL IN GROUP
Being the only girl in the group, Sue who sometimes appears aloof. While talking with her brothers she was quietly consuming an entire box of salt water taffy. She revealed that she idolized her oldest brother, Bob.
Although the group is highly successful, each member longs for adulthood. Then they intend to branch out on their own, like oldest brother Bill, a songwriter.
Surprisingly, not all of them wish to remain in the music field. Bob said: "I want to attend UCLA and major in physical ed and perhaps someday be a gym teacher."
Their mother, accord to John, wishes to do commercials for various cosmetic products.
This past winter has been a busy time for the group. Besides their concerts, they have appeared on virtually all the top TV shows such as "Jonathan Winters," "Ed Sullivan," "Operation Entertainment," "It's Happening," their own special, "A Family Thing," "Kraft Music Hall" and most recently, "The Johnny Cash Show."
Future plans call for a possible movie, "Kraft Music Hall" and "The Dean Martin Show."
The kids, like most youngsters their age, are not looking forward to the end of summer. The reason is obvious: school begins.
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