Thursday, July 31, 2008

Is It a Feelin' in the Heart, or Is It Somethin' You Can Name?


The haircut became better known as the Nicholas Bradford, but to me it was always all James

OK, 20th Century Fox: Now that every episode of "Too Close for Comfort"(!) and "Mama's Family"(!!) have been released, I'm ready for the DVD of "James at 15" (and 16!), the greatest coming-of-age series of all time. Truth is, I can only read the novel based on the 1977-78 classic about a cute, young aspiring photographer/swim team member's journey into manhood after his family relocates from Oregon to Boston so many times. (That dreamy Lance Kerwin was my first crush -- or was it Kristy McNichol? Oh, well. What's the difference?) Won't you please help me, Mr. Murdoch?


  • Related: James at 15 16

  • 10 comments:

    Matthew said...

    This show gave me WEIRD FEELINGS whenever I caught it as a youngster. I remember an episode when a girl placed his hand on her own breast (or close to it) and he ran away!

    Anonymous said...

    Like so many other things, I'm wondering if "James at 15" isn't one of those things that are better left to memory. I enjoyed this one, too, but I'm wondering how well it's held up. And there are a few things I remember about this series (such as James' father hiring a prostitute so James could lose his virginity) that quite frankly give me pause today. Kerwin was cute, though.

    And I enjoy "Mama's Family"...so much of it reminds me of my own grandmother.

    Richard said...

    OMG - I remember that show and it aired the day before my first day of 6th grade. I really knew I was gay as I shared the same crush on James. lol

    Frank Anthony Polito said...

    My friend (and fellow ex-Detroiter) Bill, was just telling me how much he LOVED this show, esp. Lance Kerwin, who I guess was a flute-playing Band Fag and Bill's first boy-crush

    I remember watching the show too, but I was only like 6 or 7, so the memories are all fuzzy.

    Apparently, some guy on ioffer.com has the entire series on DVD. Recorded off old Beta tapes, I'm sure. You should check it out.

    Frank Anthony Polito said...

    Check this out if you REALLY want to see Lance Kerwin at his James @ 15 AND 16 best:

    http://www.ioffer.com/i/JAMES-AT-15-DVD-SET-Best-Set--41474456

    This is where I got my MAKING OF A MALE MODEL DVD for my Band Fags! book party at 1984.

    I remember watching the show, but I was only like 6 or 7 so the memories are fuzzy...

    Unknown said...

    oh my GOD---what a blast from the past that I had completely forgotten about!! I wonder if he's still around---gotta check imdb.

    Anonymous said...

    definitely feel you on that one, but wondered if you knew that a lookalike for him, the son on the Davy Crockett/Daniel Boone series starring Fess Parker with a similar name, Darby Hinton, made a chopsocky movie in the 80s with softcore porn.

    Unknown said...

    Kristy Macnicoll was my first crush too - or so I told my family. It was really Lance Kerwin and Shaun Cassiday. Wasn't there also a movie Lance did that he was a runner who ran home from school every day to hide his pee soaked sheets that his mom hung out his window? Wasn't it the Michael Landon story?

    Anonymous said...

    To me he's always the boy fighting vampires with David Soul in the made-for-TV movie Salem's Lot.

    That movie scared the crap out of me when I was in junior high.

    Anonymous said...

    fond memories. I do recall that the "losing his virginity" episode was a national sensation at the time. And by the way, I liked the James at 16 theme song better than the James at 15 theme song!