TV’s Hunkiest Heartthrobs from the 60’s & 70’s

By Nellah Bailey McGough
CBS Photo Archives/Contributor/Getty Images

Remember begging your mama to let you stay up to watch your favorite heartthrob du jour? During this month of love, I thought I’d take my fellow “Fifty-somethings” on a little stroll down memory lane as we swoon over those cute boys that once melted our lovesick pre-teen hearts. If there were pallet parties (sleepovers) on Friday night, you can be sure we were watching David Cassidy and Barry Williams back to back on ABC. If the sleepover was on Saturday night, we were watching Soooouuuulll Train! We didn’t have Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or Twitter. Instead we had TV (without a remote and we were lucky if it was in color), AM/FM radio, 45 rpm records, and Tiger Beat. The only way to reach a friend was to call on a land line, pay phone, or jump on the bike and head over to her house. Each week we’d get the TV Guide and pray that we’d get to see some of our favorite TV stars or singers on variety shows like The Merv Griffin Show, The Tonight Show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, The Flip Wilson Show, or The Ed Sullivan Show. I remember to this day, sitting cross-legged on the floor as close to the TV set as possible (and yes, Mom, my eyesight survived) watching The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Now, in no particular order, here are some favorites (ok, maybe the top five just might be my faves). Enjoy this bit of eye candy and let me know if I left off your hunkiest heartthrob.

Start Slideshow

1 of 17

David Cassidy

ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images

The Partridge Family as Keith Partridge 

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 17

Donny Osmond

ABC Photo Archives/Contributor/Getty Images

Donny and Marie

3 of 17

Bobby Sherman

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Here Come the Brides as Jeremy Bolt

Advertisement

4 of 17

The Monkees

NBC Television/Handout/Getty Images

Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Michael Nesmith

5 of 17

Ricky Nelson

Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet

6 of 17

Don Grady

CBS Photo Archives/Contributor/Getty Images

My Three Sons as Robbie Douglas

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 17

John Travolta

ABC Photo Archives/Contributor/Getty Images

Welcome Back Kotter as Vinnie Barbarino

8 of 17

Barry Williams

ABC Photo Archives/Contributor/Getty Images

The Brady Bunch as Greg Brady

9 of 17

Classic Southern TV Shows We Love

There are a handful of television shows that exemplify everything we love about living in the South. And, if you haven't seen them, you're sure to get a "What do you mean, you haven't seen Golden Girls?!" From our big Southern families to our love of Friday night football and our over-the-top entertaining, these classic television shows hit close to home.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 17

Paul Michael Glasser and David Soul

ABC Photo Archives/Contributor/Getty Images

Starsky and Hutch as Dave Starsky and Hutch Hutchinson

11 of 17

Pete Duel and Ben Murphy

Silver Screen Collection/Contributor/Getty Images

Alias Smith and Jones as Hannibal Heyes and Kid Curry

12 of 17

Grant Goodeve

ABC Photo Archives/Contributor/Getty Images

Eight is Enough as David Bradford

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 17

Willie Aames

ABC Photo Archives/Contributor/Getty Images

Eight is Enough as Tommy Bradford

14 of 17

Donny Most, Henry Winkler, Anson Williams, and Ron Howard

ABC Photo Archives/Contributor/Getty Images

Happy Days as Ralph Malph, Fonzie, Potsie, and Richie

15 of 17

Parker Stevenson and Shaun Cassidy

Archive Photos/Stringer/Getty Images

The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries as Frank and Joe Hardy

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 17

Tom Wopat and John Schneider

CBS Photo Archives/Contributor/Getty Images

The Dukes of Hazzard as Luke and Bo Duke

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

Popular in Southern Culture

All Topics in Southern Culture

Advertisement