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HOLLYWOOD (UPI) - The of the Cowsills, the celebrated singing family that will have a half-hour special on NBC-TV Nov. 23, is a show-business phenomenon.
But the rise of their attractive young managers, a husband-and-wife team named Leonard and Myrna Stogele, is also pretty remarkable.
Until 1965, Leonard, now 33, was in the import business in New York, specializing in housewares. Myrna has a long family background in the music business her father being a veteran figure in the industry.
Leonard, who resembles his new next-door neighbor in Los Angeles, Pierce Salinger, and Myrna, a lovely blonde who looks like a cover girl, now have a publishing company, a record firm and a management business.
They also have a pretty spectacular Hollywood-type house into which they recently moved with their young son, Gregory, who looks the way elfs are supposed to.
The national success of the Cowsills has taken place in just one year. The Stogels were introduced to them by a producer, saw them rehearse and thought they were impressive.
Soon came an investment of about $250,000 to impress the act on the public. This included, in addition to an exceptional promotion campaign, a 23-city tour in 30 days.
On the inside, meanwhile, in the key area oĢ recordings, Stogel was accomplishing a major deal with MGM at a time when a family act was going against the trend. Soon MGM was enthusiastic too, getting behind the Cowsills.
Of his own business and his whole-scale commitment to the Cowsills, Stogel says:
"We went for broke. If it clicked, we were home. If not, we were in trouble committing so much time to one act"
Financially speaking, a tremendous break came when a commercial arrangement with the American Dairy Association was set this year for $1,000,000.
Like most managers with a hot act in this town, the Stogels hope to expand into television production. And it may well be depending on the usual factors, such as ratings and other audience reaction that the Cowsills1 special could result in a series. Some shrewd show business brains feel they have the makings of an institutionalized act.
The Cowsills made their network television debut with CBS-TV's Ed Sullivan a year ago. In February, they were featured in a two-hour special on NBC-TV's "Today" show.
Says Stogle: "They can perform in any facet of the music business. They can do a 'motown' show in Detroit, country-western in Nashville, or Hard Rock. Or, for older people, all the standards."
And now the target date is Nov. 23 on NBC-TV. It is a big month in the life of the Cowsills - and the Stogels.
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