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Program Name |
Air Date |
Comments |
A Family Thing |
Nov 23 1968 |
Cowsills TV
Special with Buddy Ebsen as a guest star and Timex as the sponsor Photo
courtesy of R&S Cowsill |
All American Family Show |
Aug 14, 1971 |
Sang You on My Mind. The show was a
contest of some sort and was hosted by Anita Bryant |
American Bandstand |
?? & Jan 23 1971 |
Both as a family and Bill as a solo. Bill's appearance was
just after the release of his solo LP. More details?
1/23/71: This was without Barbara and they sang Covered Wagon,
Down on The Farm, and On My Side. They announced their
new label as London and said their new album would probably be called Once There Was a Time.
|
Barbara McNair |
Fall of
1970 |
Appeared 3 times on:
Show #29 (which also featured the Ace Trucking Company -comedy group),
Show #32 (with Brook Benton and actor/comedian Dick Shawn) and Show
#33 (also with Dick Shawn and Freda Payne)
II x II, Peace of Mind
|
Betty Hughes Show |
July 8, 1971 |
Local Philadelphia show with Bob, Barry, John and Susan
performing You In My Mind

Photos by Deb Cay, from collection of R Penley |
The Dating Game |
Mar 15, 1969 |
Bob appeared and was not selected. |
Dean Martin |
Nov 28, 1969 |
Only Susan was on this one. She sang a duet with Dean of Shine
On, Harvest Moon |
Dick Cavett |
June 10, 1969 |
Performed In Need of a Friend |
Ed Sullivan |
Oct 29, 1967 |
Performed The Rain, the Park &
Other Things and a medley of: Monday, Monday, Sweet
Taking Guy, Lonesome Me, Please Mr. Postman & Reach
Out
|
Ed Sullivan |
Dec 24,1967 |
Performed We Can Fly and a
Christmas song medley. Part of the medley is available on "A Classic Christmas
From The Ed Sullivan Show" distributed by Buena Vista Home Video. |
Entertainment Tonight |
1988 & 1991 & 1999 |
1988: Interview with Susan & Bob; shows shots from the
Pub
1991: Interview with Rich
1999: Cover Story with Bob, Paul, John & Susan |
Family Pageant (The) |
1972? |
|
Full House |
1987 & 1988 |
John appeared on this 3 times as part of John Stamos'
musical group |
General Hospital |
1984 |
John appeared on this 2 times as part of a musical group |
Generation Gap |
? |
This was a game show on which Bob & Barbara appeared. |
Get It Together |
Aug 1 1970 |
Sang Poor Baby and II x II. Mama Cass
interviewed the three that were there: John, Paul, and Barry.
Paul said Bob had not come because his appendix had burst and he was
recovering. |
Good Morning America |
June 29 1990 |
Interview and live performance of Hair Just after Good Morning America 1990

Photo by: L Margosian |
Groovy |
Spring 1969 |
Local LA Show hosted by Robert W. Morgan. Sang Reach
Out (I'll Be There) and Hair |
Happening 68 |
Sept 1968 |
Barbara & Susan did not appear on this show. Songs: Monday
Monday & Reach Out (I'll Be There) and a video of We Can Fly.
The appearance on Happening '68 was a filmed performance.
Also appearing on that episode were Etta James, comedian Pat Paulsen
and teen heartthrob, actor Sajid Khan. |
Happening 69 |
Jan 11, 1969 |
No information on songs performed. Also
appearing on that episode were Bobby Hatfield and Stefan Arngrim |
Hollywood Palace |
Jan 11, 1969 |
Path of Love |
Howard Stern |
Aug 24 1990 |
Interview and live performance of Shine and Hair |
Ice Palace |
1971? |
Hosted by Leslie Uggams. The Cowsills performed We Can Fly, On My
Side & Save The People (with Leslie Uggams). They also did a sketch
called Jukebox Saturday Night. |
Inside Edition |
1992 |
Interview with Rich |
Jan & Dean |
1986 & 1988 |
1986: LA Forum Concert (VH1). John was playing drums and
singing backup with them at the time
1988: March of Dimes of Dimes Telethon. John was playing drums and singing backup with
them at the time. |
Joan Rivers |
Mar 24 1991 |
Interview and live performance of Cross That Line

Photos by: H Pantuso |
Johnny Cash |
July 5, 1969 |
Sang Monday Monday
and Children Go Where I Send
Thee with Johnny |
Jonathan Winters Show |
1968 - the Wednesday before Thanskgiving |
Sang We Can Fly |
KABC Eyewitness News |
June 1999 |
Bob, Paul, John & Robby appeared on the KABC Eyewitness News Sunday Morning
Edition (Los Angeles) and sang Is It Any Wonder?Images
captured from video by J Malone |
Kennedy and Co. |
1970 or 71? |
Performed On My Side and You In My Mind |
Kraft Music Hall |
Mar 27, 1968 & Dec 25, 1969 |
Both hosted by Eddy Arnold
1968: Performed a medley including You Were On My Mind. Patti
Page and comedian/actor Jack Burns were also on this show. 1969: Christmas
show co-starring Jack Wild; performed Silver Bells, Jingle Bell Rock, Got To
Pick a Pocket or Two & Susan sang I'd Do Anything with Jack Wild.
Photo from collection of J Malone |
Larry Kane |
?? |
|
Maury Povich |
1993 |
Rich was on this; LaToya Jackson was the primary guest |
Merv Griffin |
?? |
|
Mike Douglas |
1968, Sept 15 1970, May 4, 1971 |
1968: From Philadelphia. They sang 3 songs: Don't know the 1st one, That's What You Get For Loving Me
& If I Had My Way
9/15/1970: Silver Threads and Golden Needles, and Susan sang
When I'm 64. Paul made the comment that his father was in
charge of production and reproduction. They announced that they
had left MGM records and were looking for a new label.
5/4/1971: Sang On My Side, Down on The Farm, and
Barbara sang For Baby (For Bobby). Barbara announced that
Bill had made her a grandmother.
|
MTV: Dwight Twilley Special |
1988 |
Both Susan and John were with Dwight's band at the time |
Mulqueens Kiddie A-Go-Go |
1967? |
The Cowsills appearance was a taped
version of The Rain, The Park and Other Things. Dave
"Baby" Cortez, the Box Tops and the 1910 Fruitgum Co.were
also on this episode. |
Music Scene
(episode 6) |
Nov 17, 1969 |
Perform Silver Threads and Golden Needles
Also appearing were R.B. "Take A Letter Maria" Greaves,
Paul Anka and B.B. King. |
Operation Entertainment |
May 1968 & Dec 20, 1968 |
May 1968: Rich came onstage while they were singing.... he
was in full uniform. Performed Grey Sunny Day, Indian Lake which was introduced
by Rich and Ask The Children |
PBS: Big Daddy Explodes |
July 3,1990 |
Local PBS airing of Couldn't It Be Love from
Cowsills' comeback show at Zanzibar in Boston, MA |
PBS: Rockin' The Neighborhood |
Aug 25 1990 |
Local PBS airing of Cowsills comeback show at Maxwell's in
Hoboken, NJ |
Playboy After Dark |
August 1970 |
Taped May 14, 1970. Performed IIxII |
Ready, Steady, Go |
?? |
|
Rollin' on the River |
?? |
Hosted by Kenny Rogers & The First Edition. Anyone have details on this one? |
Today (NBC) |
?? |
|
Tom Kennedy |
1970 or 71? |
Susan appeared on this and sang Silver Threads & Golden Needles
(yup, Susan not John!), To Sir, With Love and Wander Through the Alphabet
With You (duet with Tom Kennedy). She also got Tom and the other guests to jump rope
on TV with her. |
Tonight Show (with Johnny Carson) |
Aug 5 1970
July 14, 1971 |
Performed Hair and Barbara sang Blowin' in The Wind.
There was no interview
Performed The Prophecy of Daniel and John, The
Divine
|
Undiscovered Country (CMT
Canada) |
May 11, 2004 |
EPISODE SIX: BEEN THERE DONE THAT
The episode 'Been There Done That', hosted by Kim Mitchell, focuses on the stories of three artists who have experienced success in one genre of music but are now looking to challenge themselves in new musical frontiers.
Calgary-based Billy Cowsill sold over 6 million copies of his family's record 'Hair' in the 1960's and was the real-life inspiration behind TV's 'The Partridge Family'. Having lived a life consuming the excesses which come along with stardom, the now sober Cowsill performs with a band called The Co-Dependents
|
Upbeat |
Oct 3 1967 |
Interview and The Rain, The Park and Other Things |
VH1-My Generation |
1992 |
Video of The Rain, The Park and Other Things and
live performances of No Time and Hair (partial) |
VH1-Where Are They Now |
Mar 30, 1999 |
Interview and snippets of Hair and Cross That
Line and What I Believe |
Virginia Graham |
June 1971 & ?? |
During the June 1971 show the Cowsills boys discussed the
new 18 year vote argued with another guest (Former gov. of Georgia:
Maddux) about long
hair. During the musical number (which was lip-synched), John dropped a drum stick but the
drums kept right on playing! On the 2nd appearance on this show, they sang Heather
Says?. |
Visual Girl |
1970? |
Susan appeared on this; not sure if she sang but she talked alot
sounding like a "Valley Girl" even then! |
Welcome to Hal-Land |
1990 |
Santa Monica, CA cable access show |
Wonderful World of Pizzazz |
Mar 18 1969 |

Images captured from video by J
Malone
Performed Hair and What is Happy? Hosted
by Carl Reiner and also included an appearance by Harpers Bizarre.

Circle photo from collection of J Malone
Pyramid photo from collection of D Stamatin |