A start at my "Autobiography"
Selected stories by Dick Whitney
The King Family
When I was a teenager, I became a big fan of the King Family
from the ABC television show that aired during the mid 1960's.
My father had brought me up with big band music, and enjoyed
their music. When I started watching the King Family show, I
soon became one of their biggest fans. While Alvino Rey and the
King Sisters were featured on the show, the program also
highlighted the talents of others in their family, and featured
30+ others. Their theme song was "Love at Home", which is a
beautiful piece in both words and music.
I was such a fan that I made audio recordings (on reel to reel
from the TV) of almost every episode, including when the King
Family / King Sisters / Cousins appeared on TV; I still have
these tapes today.
As an aside, one of the "King Cousins"
- Tina, became famous as Rob's wife on the Show "My Three
Son's", Also, Bob Clarke (Alice King's Husband) was a
famous character actor on TV. I recall seeing him a number of
times on Dragnet, for one.
Dad and Alvino Rey both were Ham Radio operators, and shortly after my becoming a big fan of the King Family, we began communicating via Ham Radio. As a result, we met with Alvino and Luise, as well as Alice and Bob Clarke on several of their tour dates through New England. The following schedule was sent to us from a fellow "Ham" who participated in contacts with Alvino and friends:
We also visited them when we traveled out to Los Angeles, where they were living at the time.
Looking back through my files, I found that I went to the following King Family concerts:
August 11, 1965 - Warwick RI
July 19, 1966 - Wallingford, CT
July 26, 1966 - Framingham, Ma
July 7 and 9, 1967 - Brockton, Ma
August 1969 - Saratoga Springs, NY
I have many more King Family items in my files. Here is one
from 1967 of Cathy of the King Cousins /King Family
Download
Cathy Cole's 1967 Wedding article from Fan Magazine
Album Covers from my King Family Collection
In
Memory of Marilyn King (Aug 7, 2013)
http://www.nbcnews.com/entertainment/marilyn-king-last-king-sisters-group-dies-82-6C10883529
Official King Family
site
(see image from first
Color TV Appearance in 1966 at bottom of this page)
Cam Clarke
emailed me his recollections of traveling with the King Family
in the 1960's.
Here is his contribution written in the Spring of 2011:
Hey Dick,
I have so many great memories of spending time in the
fairgrounds. especially because of my age. To be a little kid
and have free access to all the rides and such was like a
fantasy! I remember being on a double bill w/ Judy the Chimp
and Larry, I think it was, 'the crossed eyed lion' hows that
for a match up?
Living in Southern California, state fairs and
carnivals were not very present. I think because we had so
much going on w/ disneyland etc, that there never was much
room. So you get out to middle Avalmerica and you get to play
those carni games where you would spend ten bucks and if you
were lucky you would win a stuffed animal that was worth about
$1.95! Of course, my personal favorite, SPIN ART. I've gone on
ebay and have found people selling their old spin art. what a
hoot!!! To this day, I still can even remember the names of
some of the rides. the TILT-A-WHIRL, the ZIPPER, SPIN OUT,
where you stuck to the walls as the floor dropped out. (
magic!) The smaller roller coasters in many areas were called
'THE WILD MOUSE'. Nowadays I can not seem to remember a phone
# or where I put my keys, but those fairground days are
permanently etched in my mind.
Again,thanks for sharing those potos. whats really cool, speaking of these questions you had for me was that in the distance in someof the nite shots you can see the neon lites coming from what to me appears to be none other than THE ZIPPER!!
Cheers,
Cam
Xan from the King Family, Mom and I at the Brockton Fairgrounds
in 1967
King Cousins and King Sisters perform Red River Valley
The King Sisters - Yvonne, Alice, Louise, and Marilyn (The King
Sisters) singing at the Brockton Fair in July, 1967 -
Dick Whitney photo
A clippings from the TV Guide - 1965?
July 1966 photo of the King Cousins in the Round; below a photo
I took of the King Cousins on
the John Davidson show in the summer of 1966
1966 Photo of the 5 King Counsins on the John Davidson Show -
Photos taken of TV Screen by Dick Whitney
August 1969 King Family performance at Saratoga Springs, NY -
Don Whitney Photo
Alvino Rey - August 1969
Sent: Mon, December 14, 2009 2:15:29 AM
Sadly, aunt vonnie passed away this afernoon
around 5pm in santa barbara. a
handful of us were on call to say our goodbyes
and sing some xmas carols....it is indeed the passing of an
era.
thanks for checking in,
Cam