Bobby Sherman Dies at 81
Bobby Sherman, 1971. Photo courtesy of ABC Television. Public domain.
He was the face that launched a thousand lunchboxes — and now, the world is saying goodbye.
Bobby Sherman, the all-American teen idol who ruled the hearts of millions in the late 1960s and early 1970s, has died at 81. With those piercing blue eyes, a swoon-worthy mop top, and a voice that turned bubblegum pop into chart gold, Sherman wasn't just a star — he was a phenomenon.
From the Valley to Superstardom
Before the gold records and screaming fans, Robert Cabot Sherman Jr. was a boy from Van Nuys, California, who loved music and dreamed of helping kids. He played 16 instruments, studied child psychology, and sang in high school rock bands — but fate had other plans.
In 1964, his then-girlfriend dragged him to a Hollywood party where he hopped onstage for an impromptu performance. Among the guests? Jane Fonda, Natalie Wood, and Sal Mineo. Within days, Sherman had an agent — and within months, he was on "Shindig!," ABC's hit rock 'n' roll variety show.
Teen stardom followed fast. Cast as bashful logger Jeremy Bolt in "Here Come the Brides," Sherman sang its theme song, "Seattle," and became a weekly fixture in American living rooms.
By 1969, he had four Top 10 hits — including "Little Woman" and "Julie, Do Ya Love Me" — and had seven gold singles, one platinum single, and 10 gold albums to his name.
Poster Boy of a Generation
At the peak of his fame, Sherman's image was everywhere — on cereal boxes, bedroom posters, and Tiger Beat magazine covers. TV Guide named him one of "TV's 25 Greatest Teen Idols," and Marge Simpson herself once confessed to a cartoon crush.
His soft-spoken charm and squeaky-clean image made him a counterweight to the chaos of the times. "While the rest of the world seemed jumbled up and threatening, Sherman's smiling visage beamed ... a reassuring totem against riots, drugs, war protests and free love," said The Tulsa World in 1997, according to ABC Action News.
But fame came with a cost. Constant touring, TV appearances — "The Ed Sullivan Show," "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour," and his own ABC special — left little time for rest. "I didn't really have time to have an ego," Sherman later said, according to The New York Times.
Trading the Stage for a Stethoscope
In the 1980s, Sherman did the unthinkable for a pop idol: he walked away.
Motivated by a love of medicine sparked by parenting his two sons, he trained as an emergency medical technician. By 1988, he was working with the LAPD — not as a performer, but as an instructor in CPR and first aid. He even delivered babies in backseats and on sidewalks.
"I carry equipment with me. And there's not a better feeling than the one you get from helping somebody out. I would recommend it to everybody," he told the St. Petersburg Times, according to ABC Action News.
His service was recognized at the highest levels — earning him the LAPD's Reserve Officer of the Year title, the FBI's Exceptional Service Award, and a commendation on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Never Too Late for an Encore
Sherman returned to the spotlight in the 1990s for the "Teen Idols Tour" with fellow heartthrobs Davy Jones, Peter Noone, and Micky Dolenz. Dressed in black leather, he was once again mobbed by generations of fans — some now old enough to bring their daughters along.
Even into his later years, Sherman's legacy endured. He made a cheeky cameo on "Frasier," launched a children's charity in Ghana with his second wife, Brigitte Poublon, and continued to inspire fierce devotion.
In March 2025, Poublon revealed Sherman had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. On June 24, according to ABC Action News, she shared the news of his passing: "Bobby left this world holding my hand — just as he held up our life with love, courage, and unwavering grace."
Sherman is survived by Poublon, his sons Christopher and Tyler, and six grandchildren.
According to ABC Action News, when asked if he'd go back and change anything, he said, "I don't think I'd change a thing — except to maybe be a little bit more aware of it, because I probably could've relished the fun of it a little more. It was a lot of work. It was a lot of blood, sweat and tears. But it was the best of times."
References: Bobby Sherman, teen idol in the 1960s and '70s, dies at 81 | Bobby Sherman, Easygoing Teen Idol of the 1960s and '70s, Dies at 81
