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| ABOVE: A combined family portrait of the Hermits as their parents pose with them in Hollywood. Back row (from left): George and Elsie Whitwam from Didsbury, Manchester; Cliff and Ellen Leckenby from Burnage, Manchester; David and Olive Green from Urmston, Manchester; Lilly and Jack Hopwood from Urmston, Manchester; Denis and Joan Noone from Liverpool, and Harvey and Violet Lisberg from Salford, Manchester (Harvey Lisberg is the Hermits' manager). Front row: Barry Whitwam; Derek "Lek" Leckenby; Karl Green; Keith Hopwood; Peter (Herman) Noone and Suzanne, his sister. | |||
The Hermits are at home in the movie capital
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HERMAN'S HERMITS are more popular than any other British group in Hollywood. They were a sensation when they went to Hollywood to make their first movie, When The Boys Meet The Girls. Now they are so much at home in the world's movie and TV capital that they took their parents to Hollywood on their recent visit, to make There's No Place Like Space, in which they star. In When The Boys Meet The Girls Herman (Peter Noone) and his group - Derek Leckenby, Keith Hopwood, Barry Whitwam and Karl Green - supported stars Connie Francis and Harve Presnell. Hollywood had visits from British groups before, but the Hermits were the first to stay in town for a considerable length of time.  ABOVE: Stacks on the mill as the Hermits try a bit of horse-play around the shuffleboard court. The chirpy, longish-haired British boys were so different to America's young entertainers that they attracted big crowds wherever they went - and were entertained by Hollywood's biggest stars. They were interviewed countless times, had their photographs splashed in the American papers and guest starred in top American TV shows. But, like the Beatles, the Hermits are not the type of people to let success go to their heads. They enjoy all the trappings of Hollywood success - a plush home, a swimming pool, big cars - without losing their sense of humor and their liking for a bit of light-hearted skylarking. |
When the Hermits returned to make There's No Place Like Space, they took possession of a luxury house on the outskirts of Los Angeles, near Hollywood, which the Beatles once used. The Hermits flew their parents in from Britain for a week's visit during a quiet week in filming. (Their usual Hollywood schedule calls for them to be at the studio from 6 am to 6 pm). Five sets of parents came - plus Herman's little sister, Suzanne, 2, whom he calls "my greatest love." His nickname for her is Sooty.  Mrs. Noone, you've got a looverly son! Herman with his mum and sister Suzanne. The parents had a marvellous time soaking up the California sunshine - a little less boisterously, of course, than the Hermits. The boys spent their family week at the home-away-from-home rehearsing, leaping into their swimming pool (in old-fashioned bathing costumes), playing pool (in their own poolroom, of course) - and skylarking. |
BELOW: No, the Hermits are not wearing pop art gear - just turn-of-the-century
bathing costumes. The swimming pool is their favorite part of their Hollywood home.
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| ABOVE: Derek "Lek" Leckenby makes a tricky shot on the pool table at the Hermits' Hollywood home, while Herman gets behind the eight ball. Karl Green, Keith Hopwood and Barry Whitwam enjoy the fun. | |||