Bobby Wayne Pearson (August 18, 1930 â€" December 5, 1979), known as
Jesse Pearson, was an American actor, singer, director, and
writer.After releasing two singles on Decca Records with little
success, Pearson was heard by composer Charles Strouse, who
recommended him for the national tour of the musical Bye Bye Birdie.
When Dick Gautier, the original actor playing Conrad Birdie, fell ill,
Pearson took the role of the rock idol inspired by Elvis Presley. He
repeated his characterization in the 1963 film version, Bye Bye
Birdie. This was followed by a performance in the Glenn Ford comedy
Advance to the Rear (1964), but as he had no more film offers, he
turned to television, appearing in shows such as Bonanza, The Andy
Griffith Show, McHale's Navy, The Great Adventure and The Beverly
Hillbillies. In the next decade, Pearson narrated the film The
Norseman (1978), a Viking saga starring Lee Majors and Cornel Wilde
and, as expressions of sexuality became more free and frequent, he
directed The Legend of Lady Blue (1978) and wrote Pro-Ball Cheerleader
(1979), under the name A. Fabritzi.Pearson was also the narrator of
many albums, including Rod McKuen's The Sea (1967) and Home to the Sea
(1968), as recorded by the San Sebastian Strings; as well as The Body
Electric and The Body Electric-2, two LPs based on poems by Walt
Whitman, with music by McKuen, released in the early 1970s; the album
tribute to songwriter-singer Woody Guthrie, We Ain't Down Yet (1976);
and two religious albums by Jaime Mendoza-Nava: And Jesus Said... and
Meditation in Psalms, also in 1976. Pearson also recorded the album
The Glory of Love for RCA Victor, which remains unreleased to this
day.
Jesse Pearson, was an American actor, singer, director, and
writer.After releasing two singles on Decca Records with little
success, Pearson was heard by composer Charles Strouse, who
recommended him for the national tour of the musical Bye Bye Birdie.
When Dick Gautier, the original actor playing Conrad Birdie, fell ill,
Pearson took the role of the rock idol inspired by Elvis Presley. He
repeated his characterization in the 1963 film version, Bye Bye
Birdie. This was followed by a performance in the Glenn Ford comedy
Advance to the Rear (1964), but as he had no more film offers, he
turned to television, appearing in shows such as Bonanza, The Andy
Griffith Show, McHale's Navy, The Great Adventure and The Beverly
Hillbillies. In the next decade, Pearson narrated the film The
Norseman (1978), a Viking saga starring Lee Majors and Cornel Wilde
and, as expressions of sexuality became more free and frequent, he
directed The Legend of Lady Blue (1978) and wrote Pro-Ball Cheerleader
(1979), under the name A. Fabritzi.Pearson was also the narrator of
many albums, including Rod McKuen's The Sea (1967) and Home to the Sea
(1968), as recorded by the San Sebastian Strings; as well as The Body
Electric and The Body Electric-2, two LPs based on poems by Walt
Whitman, with music by McKuen, released in the early 1970s; the album
tribute to songwriter-singer Woody Guthrie, We Ain't Down Yet (1976);
and two religious albums by Jaime Mendoza-Nava: And Jesus Said... and
Meditation in Psalms, also in 1976. Pearson also recorded the album
The Glory of Love for RCA Victor, which remains unreleased to this
day.
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