A Hollywood Talent Manager Tells All Part 1

Occasionally, I introduce a first-time author of whom I believe you should be aware.  In the 1960s and 1970s, Jack B. Lloyd was a Hollywood talent manager whose clients included the Beach Boys, Jose Ferrer and Jim Backus, Mr. Howell on Gilligan’s Island and the voice of Mr. Magoo.  His book “The Beach Boys Meet Cyrano on Gilligan’s Island” will soon be published by Bear Manor Media, not coincidentally, my own publisher.  Multiple excerpts will soon appear on Free Article For You.

PERKS AND HOW TO GET THEM

The two Kens [Kragen and Fritz] also managed a duo called the “Pair Extraordinaire.” Marcus Hemphill played acoustic bass and Carl Craig, a terrific baritone, sang. That was it; just the two of them with no other musical accompaniment. They had a brief, but successful career, made a few records, and eventually went on to other things. I know that Carl often talked of going into television production, and I believe he did.

When I was in Columbus at the Ohio State Fair, I sold souvenir books for the headliners, Andy Williams and Henry Mancini. I read that Marcus and Carl were appearing at The Bistro, a favorite hangout for college students that was out on Olentangy River Road. Andy and Henry were featuring a new opening act—a bunch of kids who called themselves “The Osmond Family.”

As long as I was going to be stuck in Columbus, Ohio for the week, I decided to visit Carl and Marcus and catch their show. I arrived to find a line of about a hundred people waiting to get in, and I wasn’t about to become one of them. Marching to the head of the line, I summoned the club manager and informed him that I was from the Kragen and Fritz office, their managers, and was ushered directly back stage.

Because I had become friendly with Carl and Marcus back at the office, I was greeted warmly and asked to join them after the show at “some party,” to which I heartily agreed. “Some party” turned out to be a fraternity bash off campus, near Ohio State University. Marcus and Craig were assured there would be lots of young girls and lots of beer. The party was one of those evenings where the degree of good time you had was measured by how much beer you consumed without actually throwing up. Very ‘Joe College,’ and all very dull, I thought.