# Your childhood TV crushes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2020, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649 "2020-09-27T07:02:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/1 "2020-09-27T07:02:29Z")
Let’s say before age twelve to keep it wholesome. BTW, I’m a guy. Age 5 - Miss Robin from our local version of _Romper Room_ Age 6 - Anne Francis from _Honey West_ Age 6-8 - June Lockhart, Martha Kristen, Angela Cartright from _Lost in Space_ Age 7-8 - Trixie from _Speed Racer_ Age 7-10 - Meredith McCrae from _Petticoat Junction_ Age 8-9 - Ronnie Troup from _Danger Island_ Age 8-10 - Charley (Sour Grapes) from _The Banana Splits_ Age 9-11 - Eva Gabor from _Green Acres_ This was a big one that ruined my potential dating life for decades. My sisters, both much older than me, made fun of watching Green Acres instead of whatever they wanted because I “wanted to see Liiiisaaaa”. If have no clue how they knew I had a crush on her, and to this day I’ve never discussed anyone I’ve ever had an interest about with them. Oh, and Mary Ann over Ginger, but it was only in reruns. I don’t know if I watched Gilligan’s Island during it’s first run. And of course, Diana Rigg from _The Avengers_, but that came post puberty. I remember watching both the _Avengers_ and _Honey West_ at the time and it was Anne Francis all the way! The only common thread that I can figure is that all had great eyes. Something that’s still a thing for me to this day. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/2 "2020-09-27T09:56:05Z")
Emmy Jo (Emily Peden) from the _New Zoo Revue_. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/3 "2020-09-27T10:17:39Z")
Kristy McNichol. She was both Buddy from _Family_ and was in _Apple’s Way_. I have liked tomboyish girls who turn out to be lesbians consistently ever since. Which is annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/4 "2020-09-27T13:53:35Z")
Nancy McKeon, aka Jo, from _Facts of Life._ Linda Ronstadt on the Muppet Show. I think I was 9 when that aired. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/XBmIKfm5iz4/hqdefault.jpg "Linda Ronstadt - Blue Bayou (@ The Muppets Show)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBmIKfm5iz4) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/5 "2020-09-27T14:00:12Z")
Mary Tyler Moore, from the Dick Van Dyke show. I was, and am, charmed by her. Morticia Addams. Yup. Total opposite from MTM. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/6 "2020-09-27T14:49:59Z")
A crush I’m sure I shared with millions of young boys at the time: Marcia Brady. Later (I was 12 when this show premiered, so this would be right at the OP’s cutoff) I became obsessed with Valerie Bertinelli on _One Day at a Time_. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/7 "2020-09-27T15:39:20Z")
Barbara Eden, from _I Dream of Jeanne_ ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/8 "2020-09-27T15:43:52Z")
Mary Ann, Catwoman, & 99. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/9 "2020-09-27T15:44:18Z")
Diana Rigg from _The Avengers_. Betty Aberlin from _Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood_. Lindsay Wagner from _The Six Million Dollar Man_ and _The Bionic Woman_. ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/10 "2020-09-27T15:49:57Z")
June Lockhart = Petticoat Junction Shirley Jones = The Partridge Family ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/11 "2020-09-27T15:53:26Z")
[Erin Gray](https://groovyhistory.com/erin-gray-buck-rogers-silver-spoons) from Buck Rodgers, Silver Spoons, and, most importantly to 11 year old Hamlet, Battle of the Network Stars. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/12 "2020-09-27T16:03:14Z")
I think I had my first ever crush on Pauline Collins, when she played Sarah on _Upstairs, Downstairs_. My parents never missed _Masterpiece Theater_, and I’d figured out that if I sat really quietly on the couch with them, they wouldn’t get up in the middle of it when my bedtime rolled around, so I always got to stay up late on Sunday. Something about _Upstairs, Downstairs_, I could actually follow, though, and I just loved Sarah. I had a “thing” for Susan on _Sesame Street_ as well, but I don’t know whether it was a crush, or I just wanted her to be my mother. I had plenty of crushes on boys, too, though, and I remember having a bad one for David Cassidy on _The Partridge Family_. I even owned several of their records. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/13 "2020-09-27T16:13:03Z")
**Kate Jackson** (playing Sabrina Duncan) on _Charlie’s Angels_. **Maureen McCormick** (playing Marcia Brady) on _The Brady Bunch_. **Dawn Wells** (playing Mary Ann) on _Gilligan’s Island_. I was a little order than 12, but I can’t help but mention **Martha Quinn**. She was one of the original VJs on MTV. Damn she was cute. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/14 "2020-09-27T16:32:10Z")
Annette Funicello in _The Mickey Mouse Club_. When I got older, I learned that the show was in syndicated re-runs, and she had children older than me. 😭 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/15 "2020-09-27T16:35:27Z")
It looks like most of these are a generation or so before me, so I’ll mention Kelly Kapowski. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/16 "2020-09-27T16:48:44Z")
50’s kid: Mouseketeer Karen 60’s young person: Laura Petrie ( not so much a crush as “Hubba Hubba!” ) 80’s thru right now: Frances McDormand ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/17 "2020-09-27T16:49:49Z")
It doesn’t really fit with the op, I didn’t have crushes on any television personalities as a kid that I remember. My first celebrity crush was Brooke Shields after seeing Blue Lagoon when I was twelve. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/18 "2020-09-27T16:53:46Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Mary Tyler Moore, from the Dick Van Dyke show. > I was, and am, charmed by her. And I had the same feelings for Dick Van Dyke. Still do. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/19 "2020-09-27T16:55:07Z")
I’ll second Kristy McNichol, Dawn Wells, and Valerie Bertinelli (I was angry when she got married to Eddie Van Halen, I thought she was way too good for him). Here’s a bit of Kristy McNichol trivia that is not too wholesome, so i’ll Spoiler-blur it for the sake of the children. You are warned: I was later surprised to see she had a brief nude scene in the Skinemax B-movie Two Moon Junction, though her scene was somewhat eclipsed by Sherilyn Fenn’s two moons. I’ll add Dana Plato from Diff’rent Strokes. Shame what a tailspin her short life went into. > [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I was a little order than 12, but I can’t help but mention **Martha Quinn**. She was one of the original VJs on MTV. Damn she was cute. You ever see the Domino’s commercial where she dances on a couch? If not, you’re welcome: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/uXORGoyhAoI/hqdefault.jpg "Domino's Commercial with Martha Quinn - Nobody But Me - 1987") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXORGoyhAoI) ---
**Author:** ![Didi44](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@Didi44](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Didi44)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649/20 "2020-09-27T17:05:30Z")
LOL. I was thinking about adding Emily Peden from _New Zoo Revue_, but since I was 12 when I first saw her and _New Zoo Revue_ was aimed towards much younger kids, I felt a little creepy crushing on her even back then. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-childhood-tv-crushes/921649.md?page=2)