Never Too Young

I was 13 when Never Too Young premiered. My girlfriend (what we girls used to call our pals back then) watched it faithfully. It was followed by Where the Action Is, also a Dick Clark production. Loved Paul Revere and the Raiders. To kcapehart, Never Too Young might have been inspired by a 1960 Dick Clark movie, Because They're Young.

I remember at age 14 thinking that Pat Connolly looked too mature and "old" from my perspective to be believable as a teen. She was probably only 20-something! Liked Cindy Carol, the former Carol Sydes, and thought she and John Lupton were very well cast as daughter and father. She was 20 when Never Too Young debuted but looked about 16. My friend immediately got hooked on Dark Shadows after NTY went off the air, so there must be something addictive about the continuing story line format.

The daytime Soap Opera "Never Too Young" was an attempt by ABC-TV to attract the teenage market with this offbeat soap entry which had guest stars like Motown greats Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder and other artists like Johnny Rivers and the Ramsey Lewis Trio who would stop by occasionally to sing at the local cafe hangout. After all,the series only lasted one season on the ABC-TV network from the premiere episode on September 27,1965 until the final installment of the series on June 24,1966. However in the summer of 1966,repeats of the daytime soap opera only ran during the months of June through August of that year. It would have been great if the series lasted long enough to make the transition to color,but all of the episodes were in classic black and white.

As far as the adolescents who starred in the short-lived series consisted of Chet(Tony Dow),a race car driver and the coolest kid on the block who basically dated other girls to make his steady girlfriend Joy(Robin Grace)jealous. Tad(Michael Blodgett),the high school football player who faced a career-threatening injury;and Barbara (Pat Connolly),who upset her boyfriend Alfie(David Watson)by her meddlesome efforts to help him further his ambitions. Frank and Rhoda (John Lupton and Patrice Wymore),the prime adults involved with the group,had their own unsteady relationship. The stories for this series were supposed to take place in the upscale high action and hipper scene of Malibu,California,but a Hollywood studio lot filled with sand provided what beach atmosphere there was.

As far as the actors were concerned only several are very recognizable here. The part of Chet,a cool-reckless,troublemaking,Fonzie looking,care free race car driver was played by Tony Dow. And for Dow,this role was a far cry from the All-American properly mannerisms of Wally Cleaver during his years on the television series "Leave It To Beaver". Also involved here is Chet's sidekick Joesph,aka Jo-Jo played by Tommy Rettig. This role for Rettig(and a different approach as well)was a far cry from his days as Jeff on the classic children series "Lassie". The only adults in this teenage soap opera were John Lupton and Patrice Wymore. For actor John Lupton,this was a first for him starring in daytime television,who was better known for his prime-time work especially starring in the 1950's TV western "Broken Arrow". The other actors involved were Dack Rambo in the role of the teenage character of Tim. Rambo would make a name for himself as well later on, starring opposite Walter Brennan(of The Real McCoys fame)in the short-lived western series,"The Guns Of Will Sonnett".

Never Too Young was one of my favorite soaps on TV. Wish it could have lasted longer. Enjoyed watching Michael J. Blodgett, Joanna Barnes and John Upton over the years and have often wondered whatever happened to them since the 80's. I loved Debbie Watson as Gidget in Gidget Goes Hawaiian as well. Would like to know what she is doing now in the 21st century.

I can remember seeing the Ramsey Lewis Trio on the show.

I was senior in high school when NTY started. Can hardly believe it's 40 years since it was on TV.

If anyone has any information on the cast I would love to hear it.

Is there any way in which to get in touch with Michael, Joanna and Debbie to let them know how much I enjoyed them?

"Never Too Young " is a great teen-age soap opera. Chet (Tony Dow) is a predecssor to Fonzie in that he drifts around as a mechanic. Alfie is the former rock and roll singer who doesn't want to be tied down. Tommy Rettig as Jo-Jo is the hilarious nerd type who keeps trying to find girls the right way. Throw in some spoled rich kids, brainy kids, serious medical students, and there you have it.

I was 17 in 1965 and liked this show. I remember one of the actors was Cindy Carol, who played Gidget in "Gidget Goes to Rome." In this show she had long pale blonde hair, worn straight, with bangs that hung below her eyebrows. I wanted hair like that! I remember being surprised that Tommy Rettig was really a brunette! There was a British character named "Alfie" and was played by the guy who later was a love interest for Kirstie Alley on "Cheers." It seems to me that this show came one just before or just after a Dick Clark production called "Where The Action Is" with Paul Revere and the Raiders. Funny, though, I always thought the title of this show was "Because They're Young."