"Actually," said Herman, "my real name is Peter Blair Dennis Bernard Noone. That's no name for a musical group. I think Herman's much more natural, don't you?"       I agreed. But where, I asked the 17-year-old leader of Herman's Hermits, did "Herman" come from?       "It all happened because there's a character on The Bullwinkle Cartoon show called Sherman, and he does look something like me, I must admit. When I became lead singer for the Heartbeats in Manchester, the other fellows in the group remembered Sherman on Bullwinkle, but they mistook his name for Herman.       "Once they were calling me Herman the rest came naturally. I mean - Hermits fits so well with Herman, there was no question about it. So we became Herman's Hermits.       In less than a year, Herman's Hermits have literally skyrocketed from nowhere to the top in popular music. Last

Spring their MGM album, Introducing Herman's Hermits was issued and disc jockeys across the country featured one number from it, Mrs. Brown You Have a Lovely Daughter. The demand for that one number became so great that MGM was forced to put it out as a single. Advance orders for Mrs. Brown, etc. were close to half a million when MGM agreed to put it out separately.       At that time the Hermits held the No. 2 spot for four consecutive weeks, on the National Pop 100 chart with "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat." Their album was among the top 20 on the National Pop LP's chart. Herman's Hermits made a spring tour with Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars.       Herman told Top Ten, "I believe there's a possibility of a film for MGM as soon as a suitable script is found. I'd like a dramatic role. A starring part would be a little beyond me now."       Herman has thought of becoming a businessman. He's considered an offer to import steaks from Afghanistan for the British market. He also dreams, when he has time, of opening a chain of launderettes in Britain. But, mainly, he keeps an eye on the competition from other groups.       "Of course," he says, "our early success has knocked us out, and the extra money has been very useful. But I'm jealous of new groups that keep cropping up. They make things harder."       An independent record producer named Mickie Most, who launched The Nashville Teens, heard about Herman's Hermits, who some months before had achieved regional fame in the Manchester area. He attended one of their concerts at Bolton and was so pleased with the group that he offered to take them under his wing. After some coaching and polishing, he put out their first record, "I'm Into Something Good." It set the keynote for their career.       Herman was born in Manchester on November 5, 1947. He studied at the Manchester School of Music for two years, starting at the age of 14. His first urge was to be an actor and he played in dramatic shows on TV. But his interest soon swung to music. He got his start one night in a Manchester club when The Heartbeats were short one singer. He filled in and did it so well he soon became the leader.       The other members are Karl Green, who is 18 and plays bass guitar; Derek (Lek) Leckenby, 22 year-old lead and rhythm guitarist; Barry Whitwam, 19, drums; and Keith Hopwood, 18, lead and rhythm guitar.       Their leader may have been christened Peter Blair Dennis Bernard Noone, but he's strictly Herman from here on in.

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