PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: INSIDE MEDIA: FAMILY BAND: THE COWSILLS STORY {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Paley Center for Media's Inside Media events. Held at the Paley Center in Los Angeles, this evening celebrates “Family Band: The Cowsills Story,” the documentary film about the ‘60s family band that served as the inspiration for “The Partridge Family.” Host Rene Reyes (director of public programs and festivals, The Paley Center for Media) offers opening remarks and introduces moderator Fritz Coleman (comedian and weatherman, NBC), who speaks about his longtime interest in the show and then introduces Louise Palanker (producer/director). She offers background on the film, which is then screened in its entirety.
After the film, Coleman brings the panelists to the stage: Palanker; editor Bill Filipiak; director Ian Broyles; and Cowsill family members Susan, Paul, Richard and Bob. The conversation touches on such topics as: their early days of songwriting; their father Bud’s interest in their moneymaking abilities once he observed their talent; Bud’s “inappropriate drive” and harsh military-based treatment of the children; their fear of openly discussing the family’s dysfunction; Palanker’s youthful crush on the famous Paul, with whom she shares a birthday; her discovery of an unmailed fan letter written to Paul in her teen years; her original personal association with the family via Cowsill fansites, which eventually led to the creation of the film; the dictated “image” of the family as wholesome and well-adjusted; their outlandish costumes; debate about the origins of their choreography; their recording of the theme song for the show “Love, American Style”; complications relating to child labor laws and their salaries; their focus on performance and the influence of the “awful darkness backstage”; Paul’s “epiphany” and decision to please the audience rather than Bud; their mother Barbara and her representation of “the female role in America” in the film; how she too had to “toe the line” with the tyrannical Bud and “had no tools” to be independent because of the era; the siblings’ decision to tour once again after their own children grew up; the deaths of their brother Barry and Bill and how the tragedies brought them closer together; and their children’s involvement with music.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics: the younger Cowsill generations’ pride in their family’s achievements; Bud’s “tremendous love” for his grandchildren, in contrast to his treatment of his children; a family special in which the siblings sang for their brother stationed in Vietnam; the “complicated story” of their parents’ deaths and the siblings’ semi-estrangement at the time; Paul’s memories of his reaction to his father’s death; the loss of their brother Barry as well as many family belongings in Hurricane Katrina; a potential forthcoming box set of their rarer songs; plans to distribute the film as well as Susan’s album; comparisons to the Jackson Five, musical siblings also controlled by a strict and cruel father; their mother’s lack of intervention and her role as “the eighth child”; their father’s insecurities; and Broyles’ skillful editing and longtime friendship with the family.
After the panel, the siblings take the stage with instruments and play a few of their hit songs, including “If I Had My Way,” “Indian Lake,” and the title number from the Broadway musical “Hair.”
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: July 21, 2011 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:07:31
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 105289
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Rene Reyes … Host
- Fritz Coleman … Moderator
- Louise Palanker … Panelist
- Bill Filipiak … Panelist
- Ian Broyles … Panelist
- Susan Cowsill … Panelist
- Paul Cowsill … Panelist
- Richard Cowsill … Panelist
- Barbara Cowsill
- Barry Cowsill
- Bill Cowsill
- Bud Cowsill