Herman's Hermits are back in Denver, at least on screen, as the stars of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's newest fun-filled film, "Hold On!". Late last year the Hermits made a guest appearance in MGM's "When the Boys Meet The Girls", with Connie Francis and Harve Presnell. "Hold On!" is their first starring film, and everyone associated with them in Hollywood was very impressed by the Hermits and their abilities.     MGM employees didn't know what to expect when they heard that Herman's Hermits were arriving from England to star in the motion picture. They had heard of the Hermits, of course, but had not had an opportunity to get to know them during the three days on the set for "When The Boys Meet The Girls". They only knew that the Hermits were British, wore their hair a bit longer than most youths and were one of the most popular singing groups in the world. The consensus was that the young men would be somewhat cocky, but before work was completed on "Hold On!", the Hermits had added many more, many important fans.     Arthur Lubin, the director of "Hold On!", commented, "I thought they were going to be difficult. They were nothing of the sort. The fact is that they are three ways better than most of the other singing groups popular today. They have shorter hair, are cleaner looking and their music has melody rather than being raucous."     Lubin cannot praise the five boys from Manchester enough. "They proved eager to learn about movie techniques and they learned quickly," he declaires. He added, "Peter Noone, head of the group, is the sharpest 17-year-old I have ever met."     Fred Karger, musical director of "Hold On!", also has become a Hermits fan. Before meeting them, he hadn't realized that each has a good musical background, and that Peter Noone (Herman) studied music theory before joining the group. "They're professional musicians," Karger admitted after working with them for an hour.     In "Hold On!" the Hermits sing 11 songs - "A Must To Avoid," "Leaning on the Lamppost," "All The Things I Do For You Baby," "Where Were You When I Needed You," "Make Me Happy," "The George and Dragon," "Got A Feeling," "We Want You, Herman," "Wild Love," "Gotta Get Away," and the title song, "Hold On". These are all songs that are easy to remember and which are easy to hum long after the show is over.     The fast-paced action of the movie begins when the children of America's astronauts vote to name the next space ship going aloft after Herman's Hermits. Add to this the romantic escapades between pert Shelley Fabares and Herman, who proves a delightful Romeo, and there is a picture which offers a laugh, a song and a kiss per minute!     Shelley Fabares, Herman's girlfriend in "Hold On!", is not new to moviegoers, who saw her in action as Elvis Presley's leading lady in MGM's "Girl Happy". Sue Ane Langdon, the ambitious young actress in "Hold On!", appeared with the Hermits in "When The Boys Meet The Girls".

The apparent success of a popular singing group in the motion picture industry is not new. Fans that these groups have accumulated from their records and personal appearances are not about to let them down when their pictures are shown. The first really popular rock 'n' roll star was Elvis Presley. His popularity was unprecidented by any other singing star, with the possible exception of Frank Sinatra. Elvis is still extremely popular, and most of his songs make the surveys. When Elvis started making movies, his fans nearly doubled, and he drew a wider variety of followers. Then came the Beatles ... the biggest success in the industry. Their fans numbered in the millions, their records were on every chart, and they became the idols of nearly every teenager and teen group in America, as well as the rest of the world. Movie theatres all over the country were swamped with Beatle fans when the pictures were shown.     Motion picture companies are anxious to make films starring popular groups. Even though they are limited in the mood and type of films, they are assured of an outstanding success, lines at the doors and money in their pockets, as well as the gratitude of the fans. Teenage fans of popular musical groups are probably the most loyal followers of anyone in the world.     The director of "Hold On!", Arthur Lubin, is known to many for his direction of "Francis the Talking Mule" features for the motion pictures and "Mr. Ed" for television. Producer Sam Katzman also produced "When The Boys Meet The Girls", and Elvis Presley's pictures "Harum Scarum" and "Kissin' Cousins."     It was not only executives who were charmed by the Hermits - Peter Noone, Derek Leckenby, Barry Whitwam, Keith Hopwood and Karl Green - but everyone at the studio. Their good manners and friendly way bowled over stars and secretaries alike. The "Hold On!" set became the unofficial meeting place at MGM for those with a few minutes to spare. Greer Garson, Debbie Reynolds, Richard Chamberlain and David McCallum were among the stars who came on the set just to look. Secretaries who hadn't left their desks in years, except for lunch, sneaked down back paths for a peek at the group. Children of the executives and stars visited the set as much as possible, and gathered autographs for all their friends.     Pearl Lighter, script supervisor for "Hold On!", summed it up by saying, "I've worked on films for almost 25 years, and I've never had so much fun."     Herman's Hermits are especially dear to the hearts of Denver fans and to KBTR. When they were in Denver last summer, many of their fans and the staff of KBTR spent the day with them. We were all impressed by the young gentlemen - their manners, attitude, humor and humility. They were good sports, riding horseback in the mountains (their one request for Denver), and excellent performers.     From all reviews, "Hold On!" should be one of the most fun and entertaining movies to be seen in Denver for quite a while. The plot is just a story, but the stars are great!