Tommy Sands

Born: 1937-08-27

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.


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as U.S. Army Ranger
Released: 1962-09-25

The retelling of June 6, 1944, from the perspectives of the Germans, US, British, Canadians, and...

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See!

Babes in Toyland

as Tom Piper
Released: 1961-12-14

All roads lead to magical, merry Toyland as Mary Contrary and Tom Piper prepare for their...

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The Wrecking Crew

as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Released: 2008-03-11

A celebration of the musical work of a group of session musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew."...

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None But the Brave

as 2nd Lt. Blair
Released: 1965-02-24

American and Japanese soldiers, stranded on a tiny Pacific island during World War II, must make...

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Ensign Pulver

as Bruno
Released: 1964-07-31

1945, on an old cargo ship somewhere deep in the Pacific ocean: Captain Morton strives to become...

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Mardi Gras

as Barry Denton
Released: 1958-11-18

A military school cadet romances a visiting French actress during Mardi Gras. With songs,...

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The Violent Ones

as Mike Marain
Released: 1967-10-01

When a girl in a town that's populated by Hispanics is attacked, the only thing she says before...

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Sing Boy Sing

as Virgil Walker
Released: 1958-02-21

The teenage son of a rural preacher becomes a huge Elvis-like rock 'n' roll star, but he has...

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Back Stage Party

as Self
Released: 1961-12-17

Party, enterianment, and Behind the scenes

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Frank Sinatra Memorial

as Self
Released: 2000-05-16

Frank Sinatra, the greatest entertainer of the 20th century, is remembered by some of the...

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Love in a Goldfish Bowl

as Gordon Slide
Released: 1961-07-12

Two platonic college friends spend a weekend away together. One is romanced by a member of the...

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Hawaii Five-O

as Joey Rand
First aired: 1968-09-20

Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and...

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Hawaii Five-O

as Joey
First aired: 1968-09-20

Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and...

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Hawaii Five-O

as Edward Ross
First aired: 1968-09-20

Hawaii Five-O is an American police procedural drama series produced by CBS Productions and...

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What's My Line?

as Self - Mystery Guest
First aired: 1950-02-02

Four panelists must determine guests' occupations - and, in the case of famous guests, while...

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Bonanza

as Wiley Kane
First aired: 1959-09-12

The High-Sierra adventures of Ben Cartwright and his sons as they run and defend their ranch...

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The Steve Allen Show

as Self - Singer
First aired: 1956-06-24

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Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

as Jace Rawlins
First aired: 1956-10-05

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, sometimes simply called Zane Grey Theatre, is an American...

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The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self
First aired: 1948-06-20

The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June...

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The Ed Sullivan Show

as Singer
First aired: 1948-06-20

The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June...

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Kraft Suspense Theatre

as Eddie Riccio
First aired: 1963-10-10

Kraft Suspense Theatre is an American anthology series that was telecast from 1963 to 1965 on...

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The Hardy Boys / Nancy Drew Mysteries

as uncredited
First aired: 1977-01-30

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries is a television series which aired for three seasons on ABC....

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This Is Your Life

as Self
First aired: 1952-10-01

This Is Your Life is an American television documentary series broadcast on NBC, originally...

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The Dick Clark Show

as Self
First aired: 1958-02-15

The Dick Clark Show is an American musical variety show broadcast weekly in the United States on...

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Studio One

as Buck Slater
First aired: 1948-11-07

An American radio–television anthology series, created in 1947 by Canadian director Fletcher...

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Combat!

as Carey
First aired: 1962-10-02

Combat! is an American television program that originally aired on ABC from 1962 until 1967. The...

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Wagon Train

as Ethan Morgan
First aired: 1957-09-18

The series initially starred veteran movie supporting actor Ward Bond as the wagon master, later...

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Wagon Train

as Keith Lance
First aired: 1957-09-18

The series initially starred veteran movie supporting actor Ward Bond as the wagon master, later...

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Branded

as uncredited
First aired: 1965-01-24

Branded is an American Western series which aired on NBC from 1965 through 1966, sponsored by...

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The Oscars

as Self
First aired: 1953-03-19

An annual American awards ceremony honoring cinematic achievements in the film industry. The...

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Mr. Novak

as Ray Wilson
First aired: 1963-09-24

Mr. Novak is an American dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role, which...

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Mr. Novak

as Gary Lewin
First aired: 1963-09-24

Mr. Novak is an American dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role, which...

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Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color

as Self
First aired: 1954-10-27

Walt Disney Productions has produced an anthology television series under several different...

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