Tommy Sands
Tommy Sands
Biography
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.
Known For
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Known Credits
37
Gender
Male
Birthday
1937-08-27 (87 years old)
Place of Birth
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Acting

2008

The Wrecking Crew as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

1968

Hawaii Five-O as Joey Rand

1968

Hawaii Five-O as Joey

1968

Hawaii Five-O as Edward Ross

1967

The Violent Ones as Mike Marain

1965

Branded as Cadet Richard Bain

1965

None But the Brave as 2nd Lt. Blair

1964

Ensign Pulver as Bruno

1963

Kraft Suspense Theatre as Eddie Riccio

1963

Mr. Novak as Ray Wilson

1963

Mr. Novak as Gary Lewin

1962

Combat! as Carey

1962

The Longest Day as U.S. Army Ranger

1961

Babes in Toyland as Tom Piper

1961

Love in a Goldfish Bowl as Gordon Slide

1961

Backstage Party as Self

1959

Bonanza as Wiley Kane

1958

The Dick Clark Show as Self

1958

Mardi Gras as Barry Denton

1958

Sing Boy Sing as Virgil Walker

1957

Wagon Train as Ethan Morgan

1957

Wagon Train as Keith Lance

1957

Wagon Train as Larry Hanify

1956

The Steve Allen Show as Self - Singer

1956

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre as Jace Rawlins

1956

The Ford Show as Self

1953

The Oscars as Self

1952

This Is Your Life as Self

1950

What's My Line? as Self - Mystery Guest

1948

Studio One as Buck Slater

1947

Kraft Television Theatre as Vito Sorrano
Crew

2015

Backtrack Director