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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 เม.ย. 2012
- Make that the faux Playboy Mansion. When Hugh Hefner conceived his 1969-1970 "Playboy After Dark" TV program, the idea was to re-create a typical Playboy Mansion party within a studio; in this case CBS Television City in Los Angeles.
This clip, from 1970, treats us to the Cowsills as Hef's guests. Surreal pairing, eh? Made even more so by the fact the band chose a religious-themed song for the centerpiece of their set. So how did the nation's First Family of Milk end up performing in this den of iniquity? Turns out, as is revealed at the beginning of the video, that Nanci Roberts - a regular on the show - was married to guitarist Bob Cowsill for six years; a lengthy union by California standards.
A bit of history about the Cowsills: The group - five brothers, one sister and their mother - began in the mid 1960s and soon drew attention due to their unusual mix of family members.
As the Cowsills notoriety grew, it wasn't long before the American Dairy Association took note of the bovine connotation of the family's name and realized they would be a perfect fit to shill their product. Numerous print and TV advertisements pitching milk would follow and proved quite lucrative, although the family members would later concede that the infamous "Romulus and Remus" ad campaign depicting the seven of them drinking milk straight from the udders of cows was a poorly conceived idea.
By 1970 the Cowsills reigned supreme among the existing family bands. While others, such as the Osmond and Defranco families, attempted to topple them, none managed to do so. But all of that would soon change with the arrival of the King Family on the scene. Comprised of some 300 family members going back several generations, the massive singing King Family was determined to ascend to the top and came gunning for the current champs: the Cowsills. What would follow has come to be recognized as some of the darkest days in music history.
In the early 1970s the Cowsills had gathered at their secluded family compound in the mountains of northern California for a much-needed sabbatical. Instead they found themselves relentlessly chased through the hills by torch-wielding mobs of King Family members. It was this harrowing event that marked the beginning of the end; putting a strain on the band that would eventually spill over into their live performances. One particularly troubling incident that revealed the inner strain occurred during a live show in Ohio. While singing the song "Hello, Hello," Susan inadvertently changed the lyric "would you like some of my tangerine?" to "would you like some of my tambourine?" before launching into an impassioned tambourine solo that went on for over 20 minutes while the rest of the band looked on helplessly. While Susan was a virtuoso tambourinist, this was nevertheless uncharacteristic behavior which culminated in her being led from the stage for "observation." But the rest of the band knew the real problem: the stress of dealing with the King Family was taking its toll.
To escape the King Family's reign of terror, the Cowsills eventually scattered and isolated themselves to some of the most inhospitable nether regions of the globe -- from the stagnant, mosquito-infested swamps of Louisiana to the frozen wastelands of Canada. The King Family's ranks would eventually become weakened through inbreeding, but the irreparable damage to the Cowsills had been done.
If any of the above lacks accuracy blame Wikipedia.
So what do we have here? Things kick off with a beautiful rendition of "Where Is Love?" from the musical "Oliver."
The tempo then picks up with their own composition "IIxII" ("Two By Two"). My religious days are blessedly long behind me but that doesn't prevent me from loving this one; it's just a flat out great tune - the sort of tune that defies the bubblegum category the group is so often shoehorned into. They could be singing about washing dishes to this tune and it would still sound great. Barry sings it with such passion and conviction you'd think he'd written the words himself, but IIxII was written by Bill Cowsill (inexplicably under the pseudonym "David Ray"). Bill had left the band the previous year.
By this point in the band's career Susan's spirited dancing to the music had become a show within itself. When Byron Gilliam - a dancer on the program - engages Susan in a dance at 5:29, watch how smoothly she segues from dancing to spinning around toward the microphone and delivering her vocals right on cue. The timing of a seasoned pro! She was very much in her element in this venue, surrounded by other dancers.
The show closes with another good one: "Poor Baby."
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The vocal harmonies this family possessed were just amazing.
We all know who the real star was of The Cowsills...Susan! Just see how the camera follows her around. She was and is an amazing performer. Love you Susan.
8:40 - that would include Janice Pennington, shown here, who would two years later, have a 28 1/2 year modeling job on the Price is RIght.
And Damn, Could She Dance! 👍👍
Is it perhaps the best dancing performance of a female under 12 dancer in the history of TV ?
Especially the bits we get to see during "poor baby " ?
Okay maybe im over stating this just a bit
🤔
@@brian4605 It's A Same, Though, That Their Father Had To Be Such An Ass And Destroy And Cut Short The Cowsills Success Way To Soon!😢
@@rjc3208 thanks.. the one positive .. I listen to the cowsills podcast quite a bit. Its obvious to me they have a lot of love for each other as a result of the poor parents they had.
Wow Susan out danced all the bunnies! Totally electrifying!
She is thrusting very sensually...11?
8:40 - that would include Janice Pennington, shown here, who would two years later, have a 28 1/2 year modeling job on the Price is RIght.
@@millenniumman75 Good pickup and trivia!
@@millenniumman75 I watched this entire 2 season Playboy After Dark series. The weirdest thing to see is that one of the 'bunnies' is Lindsey Wagner (bionic Woman)
Susan was and still is a total rocker. Always thought she was amazing. 🤩 💫
I couldn't agree more! It's just AMAZING how much musical talent The Cowsill Family possessed. They were truly blessed and gifted. Little Susan really always rocked on the dancefloor!
They wanted Susan for the Partridge Family and that’s about it. They said nope.
Damn Barry had a great rock and roll voice. Loved that growl he has while singing.
That girl could dance! Had a crush on Susan when I was a kid. All these years later she's still making music and I still got a crush on her. Listen to some of her interviews on TH-cam.....she grew up to be the beautiful pearson we hoped she would and has a great outlook on life, both past and present. It seems to me this video shows. a certain raw and realness not found with network or record company oversight and control. They should be in the R&R Hall of Fame as they are an important part of that era, The world will be singing about flower girls in 2067 and beyond.......we owe them thanks for making the universe just s little bit brighter and a little bit better.
Barry once again showed his talent.His stage presence was awe some, you had to see him perform live. Susan always impresses with her vocals and her dance moves. This was taped on May 14,1970. Life was so different back then.
I wish I could have seen Barry, I grew up in Georgia.
What a disgrace shame on their PARENTS the little girl want to be a GLORIFIED HOOKER Hugh Heffner is in HELL same with the rest of these perverts secular un Godly peoiple The parents were abusive to there children the children now grown talk about it they allowed that little girl ti sing and dance in this manner horrible people sick family
@@annaleonardi6299 You are so off base on your comments. Shame on you.
yes it was, I was 10..parent had taken us to see Oliver, so their version of Where is Love took me back.
Barry Cowsill killed it on 2x2. I have never heard The Cowsills give a poor performance. Spot on every single time.
@Nick Madness Something about your mom and a condom...
And they kill it on their newest album Rhythm Of The World. A fabulous album !
Barbara had a fantastic voice, they all do, and their harmony...wow. Susan, even as a kid, great performer!
Susan can dance better than most of the adult women!!
You can just go ahead and say all of them, it's not even close.
She’s a Great dancer. She and I share the same Birthday.....;)
From that era of Playboy they usually had silicone addendums to.contend with.
All I see praised here is Susan’s dancing. What about her singing? At such a young age, she already had a stellar voice. That duet she sang with her mother was stunning.
Damn! Barry could sing! God bless him.
I got to meet 3 of The Cowsills last night it was great.
I absolutely LOVE the Cowsills! Susan's singing in this is like an angel. I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again; I believe God was strutting His stuff when he created the Cowsills. They're just too damned awesome! Love 'em, love 'em love 'em!!!
The Cowsills should have had their own TV show.
@@williegordon9188 In a way they did. The Partridge Family was loosely based on the Cowsills.
My favorite part is "Poor Baby" from 7:10 to the end, just great to watch everybody grooving to the Cowsills.
Barry for the win. He just kills that second song.
I agree with ya, man he really rocked it.
He really nails it doesn't he? Just a touch of growl and gravel. Love it!
Barry wearing that bass strap low, but he still had to endure the TUX! After hearing their story, I felt for these guys. Tyrannical father who ruined them one and all. Poor Barry and Billy especially, but the surviving members still get together and make great music.
I met Barry in 1968 at Disneyland when I was 15, I was in total awe of his presence. I could tell he was a very incredible person. RIP Barry.
@@dantauro4575 Didn't you once say you met Susan at that same time? If so, what was she like? I was only a year old in '68. I didn't learn much about the Cowsills until many years later. But the more I learn, the better I like them.
Damn this is a side of the Cowsills I had never heard before. They just killed, especially the 2nd & 3rd songs. And this was 100% LIVE
Their musical talent and amazing potential was something I never knew. I was born in 1962. How was it lost in me?
Greetings from the great state of Arkansas they are a sick secular worldy family the parents were abusive drunkards marijuana users loosers this playboy crap exploits women sick perverts men who look at that pornography and trash
@@annaleonardi6299 8:40 - even more ironic - there's Janice Pennington....two years before she would appear on our televisions daily for 28 years.....as a model on The Price is Right with Bob Barker. The show let her go in the fall of 2000 after all the drama with Dian Parkinson and Holly Hallstrom.
I like Susan's groovy dance style
This episode had to be after Bud, the father, fired Billy from the singing group and the family, since Billy was NOT present on this special. Plus, considering that Billy did most if not ALL the lead vocals for The Cowsills it started their downward spiral thanks to their vindictive and abusive dad. May you R.I.P. Billy and Barry...you've earned it!!!
I think the special would have been a little bit better with Bill in it
If that stinking drunk laid one hand on that beautiful child he needs to be crucified
@@MrLevinej I seriously doubt he'd be stupid enough to do that on TV.
The father mismanaged the band's finances big time.
@@ericponce8740 That's a very kind way of saying he robbed them blind.
They were ( lOVE TO BARRY AND BILL ) are and always be my all time favorite band ( man those harmonies ) they were all exceptional musicians ( John Cowsill OWNS the percussion) Barbra's voice is sooo lovely- they deserved SO MUCH MORE than they got- saw them live 4 times at the STEEL PIER....They were MAGNIFICENT!!! I. J. S.
TH-cam is such a wonderful time machine!!
I just love when Susan puts the moves on.
Barbi Benton looking amazing!
Hef's hottest girlfriend maybe the hottest girl in history.
@@charlesfoutch1132 Haha, he was such a sleazeball.
Susan was adorable, mom had a beautiful voice, and the brothers were groovy = great family band!
This is so special with Mother and Daughter singing and Barry taking lead amazing.
Wow! for by the seat of your pants live performance these kids really rocked it. I was 15 then in 1970 and remember how impressed I was back then with them.
I can't get over how good Barry looks here. What a doll !!
I'm 67 and loved Barry❤ I had a póster of him on my bedroom wall😊So sad he passed away during Katrina😢
Susan blows everyone else away with her dancing.
This was 1970, so she was only 11 years old.
Apocalypse Plough Susan's singing was also pretty terrific!
The Cowsills were great. Geez I wouldn’t put my name in the credits for director on this thing. I’d never get a job again.
I swear some TH-camrs run their channels technically better than this show did.
Its crazy at that age she would be allowed to be on that show.
@@cindysue5474 Why what happened on that show?
@@Jay-vr9ir It about the bands story and how much people didn't know what was going on behind the scene.
What a kick ass garage band! They should be in the RnR hall of Fame!
Susan was such a pro, even at that young age. I love that groovy little dance she does, the camera can’t keep off her.
creepily an 11 year old in the playboy mansion is probably why !!!
There may have been pros galore in that whore-house but Susan is a child.and as them singing biblical stuff in the Playboy Mansion? Yuk.
Love the Cowsills. Pure talent
Barb had a great voice. The band members starting to marry clearly spelled the end of an era but it is cool to have the Cowsills on tape as their hit making time waned. They were great and still sing well today!
The mom did have a beautiful voice
And the kids were incredibly talented and composed
John is such a kick ass drummer
The mother has a stunning voice!
They're just as good now. Susan rules.
David Cassidy wanted to do songs like this with the Partridge Family and the producers of the show told him no. They weren't about to mess with the formula. It's rather ironic that the group they modeled themselves after did take that direction.
That second song. Jesus they were crazy talented. If they weren't mismanaged and abused and if they had some decent music to record they could have been huge.
That damn nasty father of theirs!
Barbara has such an amazing voice. I could listen to her to the moon and back. Susan is unbelievable...she was what, 12 years old. I love how she is so comfortable in front of a crowd. I would love to hear her thoughts on this performance. I have a CD of this and she actually jumps into the crowd to dance. LOVE her confidence. Susan, you are amazing.
Yes, Susan had/has great stage presence.
Susan was 11. Awesome performer!
This was an amazing family; the mother had a really great voice, the family and they played their own instruments as well, really amazing family.
This was probably the boys favorite gig of all time.lol
I play The Cowsills for my daughter. Lot of good songs. I had every 45 and lp. Loved them
I always thought Hugh Hefner was kind of creepy but I do love the Cowsills, thanks for the video
This is all just a bit creepy--especially when this child says she wants to grow up to be "Miss February"!
Bill Cosby was probably in the audience with some qualude's borrowed from Hefner, he called them thigh openers.
Could you imagine an 11 year old saying they want to be Mrs February today? Haha. Susan was adorable.
I must say however that Barbi Benton was truly one of the most physically attractive humans to have existed.
Man i miss those days.
Getting old sucks.
Yes, it was very cringey.
@@pookycat1626Yes, I hate the modern woke shit, but I really hate the sexualization of kids, which we are coming back to now. Poor Susan was abused by her shit parents too. Thank god for her brothers.
Love Susan's dancing 💃😍❤.
I never knew "Scout Finch" could sing and dance so well.
Scout Finch was played by Mary Badham.
Half of the Cowsills are gone, Playboy Clubs gone, TWA gone. I was fortunate the have visited them all.
Me too, lucky people.
This is the most epic version of "2 X 2" I can find.
Sweetness leads to a progressively grittier set and Barry takes over.Two by two.
Wow, this Video is about as clear as can be. Feels like you are there! A great sample of their live back-up vocals by Paul, Barry and Jon in the 3rd song "Poor Baby".
I always loved that song Poor Baby. I used to blast it all over the house when my ex- wife was in one of her "moods."
omg bobs face when Susan said she wanted to be Mrs February, and the way Barry just says, not this year and drags her away
I like The Cowsill's music, hmmm gospel style music on Playboy After Dark.
Talent will out. Susan, in 2024, has now been performing in 7 different decades is a treasure. This band got unfairly bunched into bubblegum music then but the talent here is extraordinary.
After seeing the documentary and learning about how Bill was kicked out of the band by their monstrous father, I can't help thinking how different this appearance would have been if it included Bill.
This is worth it for "Poor Baby" - pity the talkover during the vocal break, but this is still gold. Many thanks for sharing this
Awesome! This really shows how versatile they were.
Poor Baby Live wow, wish I could here it all to the end without a voice over, good clip thanks
Hallelujah! For the past 5 years the only version of this performance that's been running on youtube has been a poor quality one lifted from the Bedazzled blog. This improved version finally gives justice to one of the Cowsill's better performances, even including 'Poor Baby' at the end! This'll definitely help keep the Cowsill's name on the map by showing their versatility.
Thanks so much!! They were a favorite of mine back in my teen days....And- this reminds me that on a scale of 1- 10, Barbi Benton was a 26!!!! One of the all time great lines: When Hef first asked her out (she was about 18) she said "Gee, I don't know, I've never been out with anyone older than 22" and Hef said "That's OK, neither have i!" Classic!;->
Susan Cowsill was always a Groovy Dancer, but I like the way all these jet setters are free style dancing - everybody with different moves. Barbi Benton and Hugh Hefner were the cool cat couple of the day and knew how to groove on the dance floor too.
Omg the boys kicked ass on that last song
Even though young Susan may not be the most professional singer of this time, she was very honest in her heart. By the way all, I was pleasantly surprised with this song because Leonard Nimoy (Spock) sang this (where is Love) on one of his 3 Lp's, and I really like Susan's vocals, this was a VERY BEAUTIFUL SONG FOR HER TO SING, esp. at this time in her life. Just thinking about it, I think Cowsills should have been at WOODSTOCK..!!
Man they could play and sing. Those records should have sounded like this!
I love how Susan danced. I couldn't do that even if I had to find a restroom for an hour downtown.
I feel like i just fell down the rabbit hole and entered an alternate universe. One more thing , was Susan not the greatest Go Go dancer on the planet !
+Stolichnaya 1 She was rocking it out! Starting at 4:30.
That girl could dance! She kinda steals the stage.
@@osagecountyruralwaterdist.2364 was that jesse jackson dancing with her...wow
@@user-bf6xj4xf4m - Susan still owes that guy five!
She was 11 years old here ya hearttless SOB!!!🤔🤔🤔😎😎
Partridge Family eat your hearts out!! But seriously, this is amazing. I'm really impressed.
The Cowsills were the inspiration for the Partridge Family and were initially asked to star. But the producers wanted to replace Barbara with Shirley Jones and the family balked
That little Susan really had rhythm. I remember trying to move like her but it was not to be. I was 10 when I saw them on TV and really liked their sound. Nice to hear them again years later via Happy Together Tour.
Good stuff!
Amazing. Feels so immediate and live, like you're watching it on some old analog tv in the early 70s.
Their music was good, but it seems part of their appeal was in having this little sister who was such a confident and magnetic presence onstage. She always kind of steals the show, if you watch clips of their performances, just by dancing and singing back-up.
I think their LIVE stuff was so much better than the album versions. This is rockin' and the album cut is rather ho-hum. They were restricted WAY too much in the studio. They are rockin' here...well, Cowsill Rockin' at least.
Wow , I grew up with this , different Times :) QC
Susan was such a sweet heart. Thanks for posting this great video that takes me back in time. Sad the group had all that anger from their father going on, yet here they were entertaining us and making us all happy.
Billy was fired because he was the brother who stood up to Bud and he wasn't going to have that .
Awestruck, I mean how powerful was that performance! Susan just owns the stage.
Susan Cowsill rocking out on two by two.
MOM had a great voice!!!! She and Susan together on the first song...very Moving and Heartfelt .....at the Playboy Mansion!!!
I believe this was filmed at CBS Television City.
This so sad the parents, beaten, controlled, deprived them of love Joy, and protection and they spent all the money they made as children.
Hope the parents suffered all the pain they did to there children.
They children have grown into real nice people,
Pick up an old Websters dictionary and look up the word "groovy." Somehow you'll find a GIF of Susan Cowsill dancing.
They knock that second one out of the park.
They sure do. Which one of the Cowsills is doing that great growl & gravel vocal?
kirbygene That be the late, great Barry.
That's Barry, the one who died in Hurricane Katrina.
This is a great example of how The Cowsills sounded live (or at least live vocals). Actually, as one may clearly see cables along the floor of the band's stage area, this may be one of those genuinely live-on-television performances by a rock & roll band.
By the way, "isorindu," your description of the battle between The King Family and our beloved Cowsills is hysterically funny, and not necessarily without a bit of truth, as those family configurations of singing vocal groups were raging by the early '70s, what with all variations of Cowsills, DeFrancos, Jacksons, Kings, Lennons, Osmonds, Wilsons, and, dare I say it, "Partridges" (in or out of pear trees)!
And thank you, for explaining this program was recorded at CBS Television City in Hollywood, not at an actual Playboy Club or Mansion. One wonders which studio of CBS-TV City was actually used for Hef's syndicated show, if the "Playboy Mansion" parties-of-the-airwaves were staged in the same studio where Art Linkletter once held court with his "House Parties," or perhaps where later Gene Rayburn played all sorts of "Match Games" in between his "Encino Excursions" (of cocktail soirees) with Brett Somers and Charles Nelson Reilly? If ever you find out the precise location (studio #) of this "Playboy Mansion," please let us know.
Playboy After Dark was mostly live performances. One of the only cases where it was sync was when Three Dog Night was on and it was just Danny, Cory and Chuck and not the full ensemble.
The great story was when the Grateful Dead appeared (one of the classic episodes), Owsley Stanley (who was handling sound for the group at the time) got ticked because the producers wouldn't let him set up the sound system his way. His revenge, dropping some Owsley Purple into the coffee pot. Everybody except Hef (who drank about a case of Pepsi a day back then) got obviously dosed, which made for a scene at the end of the show.
Mom had a terrific voice
Did she ever!! Sad that she was pushed to the background most of the time.
One of my favorite songs as a kid
so luv mama cowsill's voice...it's addicting.......quite calming and refreshing,....susan is s
so amazing
i work as a mechanic in vernon valley new jersey[payboy] in 1971.this was a great family.
Saw them when they were doing the "State Fair" circuit minus Billy in 1970.Peoria, Illinois.
Miss February:) Such a witty one. This is a great family that should have seen more air time.
Barbara Cowsill had such a beautiful voice x
I'm pretty sure that the animators for the Archie and Josie And the Pussycats shows copied Susan Cowsill's dance moves.
Barry was one incredibly talented kid! But then, so were the rest of them. And the Mom too!
BEST DESCRIPTION EVER!!! I tip my hat to you. Hilarious!!!
I had this on a vhs comp of Playboy After Dark music and nobody I knew could figure out who this family band might be - my vhs copy, a boot, cut in for the between-song interview. We guessed maybe the DeFranco family, as this was pre-internet. Glad to see this and read the crazy story in the description cracked me up. Thanks.
That family have pipes!
Barbara had a really pretty voice. So does Susan...
They are the voice of my generation. This is a great video! Thanks for sharing!
thank you for this. Huge Cowsills fan
When Hefner is the best actor in that little sketch, you've got problems. Glad to see Mrs. Cowsill didn't care that the brood is hanging and banding at Hef's place.
Que hermosa familia de cantores orgullo del siglo 20. Exelente.
the notorious cowsill squint. i just love it.
Susan's the best dancer in the mansion.
Two by Two. What a song to play here. A condemnation of everything that Mr. Hefner stood for. No one who embraces porn, hard or soft, will ever enter heaven without first amending their lives and going to the confessional.
That patience and timing on the drums was great
The guys were Handsome!
jesus, i thought the cowsills where like a second rate osmonds
but THAT BAND ROCKED LIKE HELL
They were the Real Deal like The Jackson 5. The Osmonds?? Meh....
The Cowsills were better than the Osmonds.
(Please try not to inflict the name of our Lord in vain on others. Better yet avoid it altogether, TY.)
What a talented family 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼