All about the ubiquitous 60s and 70s actress
Here's the third page of commentary from random e-mailers. Yes, if you send me something, I might place it here, minus your name and e-mail address. Jump to fan mail page one, two, three or four.
(Time In At: 04:02-A.M.-Sunday-August-22-1999-A.D.) Greetings! I just had to tell someone, and this is convenient! It happens to me often enough, but not everyday, coincidences such as this! I'm channel surfing through "DirecTV', and see in the guide, that an episode of "Hogan's Heroes" is supposed to be on soon. I tune to that channel, but instead, on "TVLAND", they begin to show an episode of "The Bug-A-Loos"! I havens't seen that since it was first on in the 1970's! So as soon as I see Caroline Ellis as the cute and sexy "Joy", I remembered why I used to watch that show to begin with. So I thought, why now do a search for her name on the internet. I did, and I saved a lot of images of her. So she was on TV and my computer at the same time, but on purpose. Then in the search results, I saw Pamelyn's name, so as an admirer of her's too, I clicked on that result, which eventualy brought me here, to your website. I'm looking at her credits, and I see a confirmation that she was indeed in and episode of "Branded" that I saw some weeks ago. Well, the rerun cycle must have gone all the way through. I stopped watching "DirectTV", to watch regular TV. I watch "EMERGENCY!" at 04:00-A.M. I see that Pamelyn is not in this episode, althought she is shown in your list to have been in one episode, "How Green Was My.." I think? I just looked to see ig that was right, but I didn't see it. Perhaps someone else listed it? Anyway, I change channels since I've seen that episode recently that they were showing, but not the one with Pam. I stop at "Gomer Pyle, USMC". When it's over, "Branded" begins, and it is the one with Pamelyn!
Now that's the coincidence this is all about! I was scrolling through the list, and I saw that "Branded" was mentioned in her credits. In my mind I'm thinking, "Hmmm? So I was right after all!", when suddenly I hear her voice! I turn left to look, and sure enough, there she is! I had to do a quick reality check, for I couldn't believe it!
This is the first time that I did a search for one actress while watching her on TV, and ended by watching another actress on TV, while also doing a search, without giving any thought to it, and it just happens like magic! I don't know, maybe it's the time, for in the light of day, for you, this may not seem like something wroth writing about. But as I said, I had to share my astonishment with someone, and you were handy! Thanks for creating this wonderful webpage, by the way! (Time Out At: 04:20-A.M.-Same Date.) [Editor's note: Oh, yeah, we did that on purpose.]
I best remember her in a commercial - I think before I saw her in anything else so it must have been early 60's - in which she sang "New super tasting caramel cereal..." - don't remember the name of the cereal - followed her a lot after that, heard about her recently being involved with animal care in NYC. Glad to have stumbled on your site.
Just found your web site and was absolutely floored and thrilled to discover what you've done. I always admired Pamelyn Ferdin and had wondered through the years what had become of her. I am just 3 months older than she is and remember enjoying watching her on so many different shows. The ones that stand out are Marcus Welby and The Brady Bunch. I decided to type her name into Yahoo and could not believe it when your site came up! I never realized how many shows she did in her career. Your poem to her was so sweet. And I enjoyed reading the e-mails - it must warm her heart to know so many people remember her fondly. It's so sweet to read how many guys had crushes on her. My favorite note was from the middle-aged gentleman who describes how she helped him through his difficult childhood. That one really got to me. I think it's great she became a nurse and is fighting for the rights of animals. I wish her all the happiness she deserves. Thank you for your work on this site!!
Just thought you'd like to know that Pam is alive and well, and living in LA. She is curently supplying the voice of, "Shelly Kelly", a cartoon character on a new show for the WB called DETENTION. I recently had the pleasure of directing her for in this show. She's trully a joy to work with and sound exactly the same as she did in 1977. If I run into her again, I'll let her know about your site. [Editor's note: Reminds me of the joke about the price of brain tissue from television executives... at the time, this web page already had the info and image from "Detention".]
Thank you for putting together this wonderful website for one of the sweethearts of 1970's television--children or otherwise--Pamelyn Ferdin. I fell in love with her as a child watching her on "The Curiosity Shop." The crush grew when I saw her again on "Space Academy," she was grown up and looked even more beautifull. I loved everything about her--her eyes, her smile, and most of all, her wonderful voice, which I could pick out on many of the cartoons you've listed on this website. I always wondered what happened to her. I'm glad to know that she's married and is fighting for a noble cause. God bless you, Pam, may you always enjoy life!!
33 now I still remember alot of the work you did. Made it look like fun. You'll be happy to know, I hope that "Space Acadmy" is hot on the black market. I heard that you were a trauma center Doctor, nurse and or technician. Any truth to it? The Odd Couple, best memory, or maybe the episode of "Baretta". There was that TV Movie with Dennis Weaver that was really well done. Thanks for the memories.
For some weird reason I was thinking of Pamelyn Ferdin tonight (maybe it's because I just broke up with my girlfriend and started fantasizing about lost loves, but how did I get to obscure 60's tv actresses?). Anyway, I not shocked as much when I find a web page about the very thing I'm musing about, yet still it's amazing to find people with like interests. Thanks allot for putting my mind to rest as to where Pamelyn is and what she's up to. I loved her syrupy voice and spunky attitude.
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed finding your web sight about Pamela Ferdyn. I've been long wondering what had happened to her and if she was still in show business.I always thought she was an incredibly talented actress ( and the cutest one out there). It's also good to here she is coming back into the business. I remember seeing The Toolbox Murders as the last thing I saw her in and then she disappeared. If any film could kill someone's career that one would have done it. As you said you have not seen it, do your self a favor and don't bother. It's good to know she's alive and well and happy in what she's doing now.
What a surprise to stumble across the Pamelyn Ferdin website! I didn't realize that there were that many people who knew and admired her work! As an 8 or 9 year old child star wanna-be in the 60's I wrote one of my first fan letters to Pamelyn. I was delighted a few weeks later when I received a nice 8x10 photo that she had autographed! I still have the photograph she sent and have often wondered whatever happened to her. Thanks for sharing her story.
i enjoyed the pamelyn web page (so THAT's the name of that actress!), but what really made me smile was finding the reference to Pop Rocks. Loved those things. Haven't thought of them in years, but I can still remember the taste & texture.
I too, wonder what's become of Pamelyn Ferdin. I'm a 34 year old woman who remembers her from Family Affair and Brady Bunch, among other things. I always wanted to BE her. She got to hang out with all my favorite TV characters. I'd love to have her autograph. Have you located her yet?
I liked your verse, and was surprised that I'm not the only one who thinks Pam Ferdin
needs more exposure.
I grew up seeing her on TV shows and a couple of movies. Whenever someone has one of those
"Where are They Now" shows, I wonder why she's never mentioned. I'm looking in
particular for a movie she was in when she was about 6 or 7 years old. Problem is, I don't
know the title. I think it dealt with reincarnation, and her character was used as part of
a scam. It left an impression on me as a child, and now I can't remember much about it. If
you can get more info for your web site for her, I plan to visit it often. I wish I could
send some stuff to get you started. I also wonder if it's by choice that she's not in the
limelight.
My most vivid memory of Pamelyn, aside from the "New Jan Brady" episode, is from her appearance on Baretta in 1977, when I was 10 years old. She played a pregnant teenage runaway who gives birth in the back seat of a car. It was the first time I had seen a depiction of childbirth, and the horror never left me. Add me to the list of men who adored PF as a child -- and I'm gay! [Editor's note: The page receives a steady flow and well-balanced mix of fan mail, entirely in line with statistical expectations of the population. Eudora's "Gaydar Mail Filter" blinks purple at the expected rate.]
First of all, THANK YOU for your Pamelyn Ferdin website. Because now, thanks to you, I
FINALLY have the answer as to who that freckle-faced girl who showed up everywhere was! It
has been a low-level burning question in my heart since I was 8 years old or so.
Anyway, here's how I got here. Due to a mind-exploding re-discovery of "Land of the
Lost" the other day at a video store, I've been on a concentrated mental time travel
trip related to 70s kids shows that are on the verge of my conciousness. I decided to do
some research. One of the shows I dredged up was "Space Academy", which I used
to watch religiously as a kid...
...Which brings me to my re-discovery of Pamelyn Ferdin. My center of gravity for my Pam-awareness was as "Laura Gentry" on that show. She was probably my favorite character. Though I must stress that I had NO IDEA what her name was all this time. I didn't know her name at all until just last night. I only knew her as "that Space Academy Girl". Though I was also aware of her persona in general, and that she showed up in seemingly EVERYTHING else. "There she is again, that Space Academy Girl" became a sort of lietmotif of my childhood. Yesterday I was suddenly reminded that I'd had a long-standing, never-answered curiosity about her. "Who is she? Why is she so appealing? Has anyone else noticed her?" Then at some point in the 80s, the question became "Where did she go?!" The questions would sometimes drift into my head from time to time, but I had no way to ask anyone about her, since her parts were so scattered it was hard to even make clear who I was talking about to anyone...the blurry fate of the character actor. It seemed so unfair to her!
So I did the web research and the questions have finally been answered, mostly thanks to you, but the curiosity remains. Where are the interviews? What is her life's story in her own words? What is she doing now? How many kids does she have? Etc, etc. Maybe you could interview her sometime. Someone should!
I guess I had a childhood crush on her too. She just seemed so nice and cute and freckly
and there was just plain something reasuring about her. I also loved her musical voice. I
can't put my finger on it. I don't know why.
Something about that freckly-sweet and strong persona that seems safe, unthreatening and
reliable to guys. Particularly "nice" guys. It says "big sis". Or
"nice babysitter". A bit of "tomboy pal" thrown in (like Pepermint
Patty - I love Pepermint Patty). And just a hint of "girlfriend?" in that
tentative and hopeful 5th grade use of the term. You know what I'm saying I'll wager. Some
deep-rooted archetypes at work here. Ah, TV and my formative emotional years...the
memories of it still holds a bittersweet, harmless power over me.
By the way, your page is very sweet and heartwarming, and not fanlike in the bad sense (as you seem to be concerned about), just appreciative. It respects the fact that she acts for a living, that acting is a job, and that she is pretty much a regular person. OK, so you are swooning pathetically just a bit, but I am in complete sympathy with this, as she is still completely adorable, as anyone who would bother doing an internet seach for her probably thinks already. Ahhh, the sweet sorrow of benign heroine worship. And your goofy prose poem, while about yourself, has a humane respect for the enthralled audience member's plight. A universal experience, methinks that is. Sigh.
Still, goofy illusions aside, Pamelyn does seem like she would be genuinely nice when one of "us" meets her. Which probably happens a lot, actually. I'm sure the cult numbers in the tens of thousands there was just no flame to gather around until now. I hope Pam finds your page and sends you a postcard or something, or lets you interview her for the page. You deserve it after all that work. PS - Didn't read your site carefully enough before responding. Just found the interview. And read some of the fan mail. My god, there is a lot. I had no idea.
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed your site. I've been a fan of Pam's since her "Olde Curiousity Shoppe" days (1970-1971) (BTW, I think that's how it was spelled, but I'm probably confusing it with Dickens'). I still remember the cartoons from Zagreb, how the character of the Professor in the cartoon would appear as a (live-action) puppet, and Pamelyn singing, "... too old for toys, too young for boys..." She had a distinctive voice-- perhaps TOO distinctive-- but never, thank God!, was she ever obnoxious or unwatchable. I am so glad, even proud, that she grew up into such a fine person, defending those who can't defend, or even speak, for themselves. Truly remarkable... Is it possible that you could make it possible to download that beautiful color picture of Pamelyn from your website? She has truly become better with age... maybe it's the sadness or worldliness that I see in her eyes... and yet, there's an optimism.
PS I found your website from "Sitcomsonline.com", where I came across "The Paul Lynde Show" from the early 1970's, and it revived my memory of "so that's who played the daughter!... ah, yes, I remember now!"
I just want to say thanks for this web site. We were watching Andy Griffith Show and I decided to see if Pamelyn Ferdin had a site and I found yours. Thanks for all the info and bringing back some memories. I'm 48 and remember her as a young girl and thinking about how good she was. I wondered why we never saw her as an adult. Now I know. Thanks again.
Yes. That is pretty much it...Yes. I ABSOLUTELY agree with you about Miss Ferdin. I too am a kid of the '70s. I too had a crush on the fabulous Miss Ferdin when I was... SIX! Always remembered her, no one I mentioned her to ever seemed to remember her. Always remembered her as the "cute girl off the Curiosity Shop" but for the last few years I had been RACKING MY BRAINS trying to remember her name. Thanks to your site and some others tonight I not only know what her name was but I also know what has happened to her! I had no idea anyone else even remembered the show, much less Pam herself but it looks like I was WRONG!
Thanks for the page, thanks for the prose poem (!) Thanks for the pics and if you should deem to put this on the site...THANKS PAM!!!!!!!!
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