TS
Tommy Sands
Actor, DirectorBorn August 27, 1937 (88 years)
Thomas Adrian Sands is an American pop music singer and actor. Working in show business as early as 1949, Sands became an overnight sensation and instant teen idol when he appeared on Kraft Television Theater in January 1957 as "The Singin' Idol". The song from the show, "Teen-Age Crush", reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on Cashbox.
Sands's initial recordings achieved little in the way of sales but in early 1957 he was given the opportunity to star in an episode of Kraft Television Theatre called "The Singing Idol". On the show, his song presentation of a Joe Allison composition called "Teen-Age Crush" went over big with the young audience and, released as a single by Capitol Records, it went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 record chart and No. 1 on the Cashbox chart. It became a gold record. His track, "The Old Oaken Bucket", peaked at No. 25 on the UK Singles Chart in 1960. He released his debut album Steady Date with Tommy Sands. Sands' sudden fame brought an offer to sing at the Academy Awards show. He did another episode of Kraft Television Theatre, "Flesh and Blood" playing the son of a gangster. He also made "The Promse" for Zane Grey Theatre playing the son of Gary Merrill.
Sands' teen idol looks landed him a motion-picture contract with 20th Century Fox to star in a 1958 musical drama called Sing, Boy, Sing, the feature film version of "The Singin' Idol". Fox had enjoyed success with films starring other teen idols such as Elvis Presley and Pat Boone but Sing, Boy, Sing was a financial failure. Sands supported Pat Boone in a musical for Fox, Mardi Gras , which was a moderate hit. He also released the albums Sands Storm, This Thing Called Love, and When I'm Thinking of You. His later albums included Sands at the Sands and Dream with Me. From May to November 1960 he served in the US Air Force Reserves.
Sands' second lead role in a feature was in the teen comedy Love in a Goldfish Bowl with Fabian Forte, which was not a success. More popular was a fantasy musical he made at Disney, Babes in Toyland, co-starring with Annette Funicello. That year he and Funicello sang the Sherman Brothers' title song from the Walt Disney release of The Parent Trap. Sands had married Nancy Sinatra whose father Frank offered Sands a role in Come Blow Your Horn but he turned it down. Sands studied acting in New York.
Sands appeared alongside Fred Astaire in "Blow High, Blow Clear" for Alcoa Theatre. Later in 1963, Sands made several appearances on Wagon Train including "The Davey Baxter Story", "The Gus Morgan Story" (with Peter Falk), and "The Bob Stuart Story". Sands guest starred on Kraft Suspense Theatre, Combat!, Valentine's Day), Mr Novak, Branded, and Hawaii Five-O.
Sands's initial recordings achieved little in the way of sales but in early 1957 he was given the opportunity to star in an episode of Kraft Television Theatre called "The Singing Idol". On the show, his song presentation of a Joe Allison composition called "Teen-Age Crush" went over big with the young audience and, released as a single by Capitol Records, it went to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 record chart and No. 1 on the Cashbox chart. It became a gold record. His track, "The Old Oaken Bucket", peaked at No. 25 on the UK Singles Chart in 1960. He released his debut album Steady Date with Tommy Sands. Sands' sudden fame brought an offer to sing at the Academy Awards show. He did another episode of Kraft Television Theatre, "Flesh and Blood" playing the son of a gangster. He also made "The Promse" for Zane Grey Theatre playing the son of Gary Merrill.
Sands' teen idol looks landed him a motion-picture contract with 20th Century Fox to star in a 1958 musical drama called Sing, Boy, Sing, the feature film version of "The Singin' Idol". Fox had enjoyed success with films starring other teen idols such as Elvis Presley and Pat Boone but Sing, Boy, Sing was a financial failure. Sands supported Pat Boone in a musical for Fox, Mardi Gras , which was a moderate hit. He also released the albums Sands Storm, This Thing Called Love, and When I'm Thinking of You. His later albums included Sands at the Sands and Dream with Me. From May to November 1960 he served in the US Air Force Reserves.
Sands' second lead role in a feature was in the teen comedy Love in a Goldfish Bowl with Fabian Forte, which was not a success. More popular was a fantasy musical he made at Disney, Babes in Toyland, co-starring with Annette Funicello. That year he and Funicello sang the Sherman Brothers' title song from the Walt Disney release of The Parent Trap. Sands had married Nancy Sinatra whose father Frank offered Sands a role in Come Blow Your Horn but he turned it down. Sands studied acting in New York.
Sands appeared alongside Fred Astaire in "Blow High, Blow Clear" for Alcoa Theatre. Later in 1963, Sands made several appearances on Wagon Train including "The Davey Baxter Story", "The Gus Morgan Story" (with Peter Falk), and "The Bob Stuart Story". Sands guest starred on Kraft Suspense Theatre, Combat!, Valentine's Day), Mr Novak, Branded, and Hawaii Five-O.
Tommy Sands Filmography
| 1977 | The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries (TV Series) |
| 1968 | Hawaii Five-O (TV Series) · as Joey |
| 1967 | The Violent Ones · as Mike Marain |
| 1965 | Branded (TV Series) · as Cadet Richard Bain |
| 1965 | None But the Brave · as 2nd Lt. Blair |
| 1964 | Slattery's People (TV Series) · as Jed Haskell |
| 1964 | Valentine's Day (TV Series) · as Wally |
| 1964 | Ensign Pulver · as Bruno |
| 1963 | Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series) · as Eddie Riccio |
| 1963 | Mr. Novak (TV Series) · as Ray Wilson |
| 1962 | Combat! (TV Series) · as Carey |
| 1962 | The Longest Day · as U.s. Army Ranger |
| 1961 | Babes in Toyland · as Tom Piper |
| 1961 | Alcoa Premiere (TV Series) · as Harlan Tracy |
| 1961 | Love in a Goldfish Bowl · as Gordon Slide |
| 1959 | Laramie (TV Series) · as Tad Henderson |
| 1959 | |
| 1958 | Mardi Gras · as Barry Denton |
| 1958 | Sing Boy Sing · as Virgil Walker |
| 1957 | Wagon Train (TV Series) · as Keith Lance |
| 1956 | Zane Grey Theatre (TV Series) · as Jace Rawlins |
| 1953 | The United States Steel Hour (TV Series) · as Lenny |
| 1948 | Studio One (TV Series) · as Buck Slater |
| 1947 | Kraft Television Theatre (TV Series) · as Vito Sorrano |
| 2008 | The Wrecking Crew! · as Self (archive Footage) (uncredited) |
| 2000 | |
| 2000 | Frank Sinatra Memorial · as Self |
| 1997 | |
| 1989 | Kelly (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1987 | Biography (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1965 | The Dean Martin Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1965 | Where The Action Is (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1964 | Shindig (TV Series) · as Self - Singer |
| 1964 | The Celebrity Game (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1963 | You Don't Say (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1961 | The Mike Douglas Show (TV Series) · as Self - Co-Host |
| 1961 | The 33rd Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Audience Member |
| 1960 | Here's Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1959 | Ford Startime (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1959 | The Bell Telephone Hour (TV Series) · as Self - Singer |
| 1958 | Garry Moore Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1958 | The 30th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Performer |
| 1958 | The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1957 | The 29th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Performer |
| 1957 | America After Dark (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1956 | The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1956 | Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1956 | The Steve Allen Show (TV Series) · as Self - Singer |
| 1954 | Disneyland (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1954 | Shower of Stars (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1953 | The Academy Awards (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1952 | American Bandstand (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1950 | This Is Your Life (US) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1950 | What's My Line? (TV Series) · as Self - Mystery Guest |
| 1948 | The Perry Como Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1948 | The Ed Sullivan Show (TV Series) · as Self |