As with many, many viewers from my generation (although I was a bit young at the time at around nine or ten) there was, of course, Lucy. The fact that she was some 30 years older than me didn’t really matter.
Then, around the same time, Audrey Meadows (‘Honeymooners’) in her semi-tight-fitting little dress briefly entered the picture, so to speak.
A few years went by and then came THE love of my televisual life in the person of Mary Tyler Moore (about the same time as my hormones were kicking in). That Dick van Dyke sure was one lucky bastard. (Some forty years later, she still kicks ass, IMHO.)
So: Who were yours?
Diana Rigg. I always wanted to see what was behind all of those zippers on her (painted on) jumpsuits that she wore in “The Avengers”. To this day she is the epitomy of class and style. (Sigh)
A second vote for Dame Diana Rigg. I shucked out a bit of cash for the Avengers DVDs so I could have every episode she appeared it. Worth every damn penny.
a) Those were your first televisual sweethearts?! How old are you?
b) The Professor I can understand, but Gilligan?!? Zenster: Got to agree with you on Diana Rigg. Some classy lady… (although she wasn’t among my first…)
Hmmm. Okay. This one has been waiting in the wings of my subconscious for long enough.
At the age of around seven or eight, I was utterly, irresistably smitten with a young Charlotte Coleman, then starring in the ITV adaptations of childrens books called Marmalade Atkins - The Naughtiest Girl in the World. I guess Ms Coleman must have been something of the order of fourteen at the time. It was years until I established what happened to her - she’d already been one of the kids on Worzel Gummidge (kids’ show about a scarecrow starring Jon Pertwee), and after the Atkins incident went on to an astonishingly successful performance in Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, about a ginger lesbian (major plot abridgement there), and then a part in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
Never knew any of that till much later. She was my first great televisual crush (I think it was the eyebrows), and while I’m sure all her other characterisations were very nice in their own way, they just wasn’t Marmalade.
Uh, jayjay, Kristy McNichol? But aren’t you gay? Does not compute!
Also, it’s sort of weird to know I’ve had the same televisual crush as a gay man.
But Kristy wasn’t my first. Think comic books, and I’m sure you’ll quickly come up with my first: Julie Newmar as Catwoman on the old Batman TV show (which I was introduced to as afternoon reruns, 'cause I’m just a tad compared to many of you in this thread).
Immediately after Catwoman came Yvonne Craig as Batgirl.
Then finally the first from my own primetime viewing experience: The wonderful, incandescent Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman.
Laws…you young 'uns. You probably won’t even know who I am referring to, but what the hell.
My very, very first major crush was on Mark Lindsey, of Paul Revere and the Raiders. I could see him in those white Revolutionary War breeches and my knees would buckle. Of course, I was about five, and him swaying from side to side in those tight-assed pants was enough to make any five-year-old pass out. (Still getting those shivers…)
Later, as I grew,(to age six) I fell madly in love with Adam West, better known as Batman. My mother thought I had lost my mind…she thought Caesar Romero (the original Joker) was HOT. I did, too, later. I guess I was brainwashed.
But into my teens (and now…my, er, really, really late teens)…I have to say a toss up between Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck. Not necessarily in that order. If only Tom had Sam’s voice. Ahhhhh…I don’t even want to think about the possibilities…mmmmmm…
Oh. You’re still here. Sorry. Little bit of reminiscing going on. Continue on with the thread. I have a few pics to find…
I agree Catwoman on the old Batman TV show bordered on softcore porn. I think they meant to teach some lesson about evil equating with horny women, but I refused to learn it. And still refuse to, twenty years on.
I’d have to say Martha Quinn from MTV, B.R. (-that’s Before Rap). Years later she still looked cute advertising zit medicine. If I ever get famous and they want an interview, she’s gonna be getting a phone call from them. - MC
Speaking of Dukes–It was in rerun at the time, but that did not stop my ardor. I had a crush on Patty Duke on the Patty Duke Show. Here’s the weird part. The American one did nothing for me, but the English one knocked me out.
I remember being 5 or 6 and thinking that Ginger (Tina Louise) on Gilligan’s Island was really beautiful. I wouldn’t say I had a crush on her, though. I think the first crush I had on a TV actress was Wonder Woman. Man, that outfit was tight.
Barbara Eden on I Dream of Jeannie.
Elizabeth Montgomery on Bewitched.
Marlo Thomas in That Girl.
Goldie Hawn and Judy Carne in Laugh-In.
Julie Andrews in everything she ever did.
