The Passing of Another Icon

There are certain things about most celebrities that we all know. But boomer writer Mike Petrie knows something the rest of us don’t know about a celebrity who was a big part of our early years watching TV. You didn’t read this in the obituaries for the Bachelor Father.

“Actor John Forsythe dies at age 92,” the headline reads.

Baby Boomers may first remember Forsythe from the TV show Bachelor Father (1957-1962). But if thinking that far back is too much of a strain, Boomer yuppies will certainly remember John Forsythe for his role as the oil-rich patriarch Blake Carrington in the 1980s television soap opera Dynasty, and as the mysterious unseen millionaire-private-investigator Charles Townsend in Charlie’s Angels (1976–1981).

John Forsythe was a popular actor, well-known owner and breeder of thoroughbred race horses, and competitive tennis player. That’s what most of us know. What many may not know is that he was an avid sailor as well. That is how I came to know him.

The first time I met John Forsythe was in 1981, just prior to the airing of Dynasty. I had recently returned from an adventurous few years sailing Hawaii and the Pacific, and was living on my sailboat in Marina del Rey, California. A buddy of mine was dating Forsythe’s daughter and asked if I’d mind if John joined us for an afternoon sail. That turned out to be the first of several day-sails together. He turned out to be quite the sailor.

It was obvious that John Forsythe really enjoyed being out on a boat again. He was in his early sixties when I met him, but apparently used to sail quite a bit as a younger man, before work and other responsibilities pretty much edged out sailing. “Besides,” he told me, “my wife — whom I dearly love — does not much care for boats, so sailing would mean mostly going it solo.” I’d met Mrs. Forsythe on one occasion. A lovely lady, but she showed up at the dock wearing heels and white gloves. John’s point was well taken.

My boat was rigged with all lines leading aft into the cockpit, so all activity – like raising and lowering sails – could be handled single-handedly without leaving the cockpit. John really liked this, and I guess that is what led him, one sunny afternoon in Santa Monica Bay, to make me an offer I could not refuse.

“I like the fact that I could easily sail this boat all by myself, without any crew. Would you consider selling her to me?”

“John, this boat is my home. Lots of nautical miles logged here,” I responded, light-heartedly. But I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was quite serious.

“Name your price,” he said, smiling, wind in his hair, as the boat surfed down a wave. “I just completed a pretty good run with the Angels show and have begun a new television series … I’m flush.”

We all laughed, but a deal was made that afternoon out on the water for John to buy the boat. That’s how John Forsythe got back into the sport of sailing … and I’m glad I was able to play a part.

Rest in peace John Forsythe. Happy sailing in the hereafter.

Comments

1. Dirissy says:

   April 4, 2010 at 12:59 pm

   One of the few truly handsome, debonair Hollywood hunks. So suave. Dynasty was a staple for me in the 1980s. John Forsythe got even more handsome as he got older. Not at all surprising that he enjoyed sailing. It fits. Thoroughbred horses, tennis … and yachting.

2. DAVID says:

   April 4, 2010 at 3:04 pm

   I remember this. I was on a few of those sailing excursions with Mike Petrie and John Forsythe and others and suspect one of the reasons John came back to sailing was because, back in those days, Mike was the most enthusiastic sailor I’d ever met. His passion for sailing was contagious. That may be the real reason John wanted back in. Nice article and tribute to a fine actor-sailor who will be missed by all.

3. todd says:

   April 4, 2010 at 8:17 pm

   great life! wish I’d just returned from sailing in Hawaii to go sailing with John Forsythe!!

4. Jennifer says:

   April 5, 2010 at 12:44 pm

   Another great story, Mike.

5. Boomer54 Mark says:

   April 7, 2010 at 9:57 pm

   When I read the news on Google, I was sadden, that another of the boomer TV fathers had passed. I DO remember him from Bachelor Father, Charlie’s Angels and of course Dynasty.

   He had something that few actors have “CLASS”.

   P.S. Also, he had a very funny cameo role with Bill Murray in the movie “Scrooged”.

Baby Boomers Always Pursuing Dreams

As a generation, Baby Boomers have been a pretty adventurous lot. We’ve never been content to simply sit back and let life pass us by. A great many of us pursued our dreams and took the paths less traveled. Some of us hitch-hiked across the country, some backpacked through Europe, some tried communal living … or what-have-you. In my view, there’s one particular Baby Boomer who went well above and beyond whatever most of the rest of us Boomers were doing: his name is Robin Lee Graham. In July, 1965, at the tender age of 16, Robin set sail from Southern California to cross the oceans of the world … completely alone. His was a 33,000 mile, five year circumnavigation. And he was the youngest solo sailor in the smallest boat ever: a 24-foot sloop named Dove. The voyage was famously covered at the time by National Geographic Magazine.

Imagine sailing off over the horizon, going wherever the wind may take you, living completely free, crossing vast expanses of ocean, reaching landfalls solely by using your navigational skills, surviving completely by your own wits… at only age 16! The teenaged Graham sailed through storms, heavy seas, endured death-defying conditions, and the solitude of being totally alone for extended periods with only sea and sky as a backdrop. But this is not merely a sailing story. It’s also a love story.

Along the way – in the Fiji islands – Graham met a beautiful blond girl from, where else? California! Patti Ratteree became the love of his life. The couple would later marry at a small church in South Africa. A Baby Boomer free-spirit in her own right, Patti would travel all over the globe, from port to port, by whatever means possible– hitchhiking, bus, airplane, boat– to be there waiting for her handsome, young sailor each time he cruised into a foreign harbor. They hated the time apart between landfalls, but the nature of Robin’s voyage was to sail single-handedly. He had to finish the voyage alone. Theirs became a love story like none other, and became the tale that would spawn two best-selling books –“Dove” and “Home Is The Sailor” – as well as a children’s book, “The Boy Who Sailed Around The World Alone,” and a 1974 major Hollywood movie, “The Dove,” produced by Gregory Peck, which won a Golden Globe Award.

“Robin Lee Graham” one reviewer wrote, “probably inspired more people to leave the mundane land-life behind and travel the oceans more than any other human this century or the last.” Well, you can certainly count me in those numbers. As a young guy, I read Graham’s book, “Dove,” and saw the movie about a dozen times. His adventures, and his love story, inspired me to seek my own adventures and make my own voyages. I sailed from California to Hawaii in a boat only slightly larger than his, cruised the Pacific extensively, and visited exotic ports-o-call like Tonga, Pago Pago, Tahiti, and others. I owe a lot to Robin Lee Graham. He became, more or less, a sailing hero to me.

Sure, there have been a few – very few, actually – other teen sailors who have made similar voyages in the years since, but Graham was the very first. All of the more recent solo sailors cite Robin Lee Graham as amongst their greatest influences. A great adventurer within a generation of adventurers.

I write for SAIL–World’s Leading Sailing Magazine. So, when my editor at the magazine suggested writing an article about the current crop of teen solo sailors who were making headlines, I responded, “Why not have me write an article about the ‘original’ teen sailor, Robin Lee Graham?” He thought it was a great idea. As for me, I was absolutely thrilled to find myself interviewing my life-long sailing hero. And the story was published (click here).

These days, the once-teenaged adventurers – Robin & Patti Graham – are in their sixties and enjoying new adventures, as parents and grandparents. But these two Boomers will forever remain the youthful lovers who sailed around the world in search of adventure. They followed their dreams. Learning about those dreams is guaranteed to rekindle a Boomer’s feelings of youthful free-spiritedness and new love… and perhaps inspire us, once again, to blaze new trails.

You can buy “Dove” at Amazon.com.

Comments

1. ED EAD says:August 15, 2011 at 12:04 pm
   
   Wonderful! As a young teen I followed Grahams adventures in Natl Geo with equal measure of awe and envy. Also read his book from cover to cover. Really liked reading this about Graham once again. Glad to know he’s alive and well … and still with Patti. I wish them continued good fortune.
2. Lily S. says:

   August 15, 2011 at 4:09 pm

   I once saw a sign that said “it does not take a lot of money to live your dreams.”

   I certainly agree with that. Start small and follow your dreams and the universe has a way of opening the path for you.

3. Boomgono says:

   August 16, 2011 at 1:59 am

   This is wonderful. I love hearing that the people who made our generation famous when we were young are still living for love and creating adventures today. Thank you for writing this.

4. Tim says:

   August 17, 2011 at 3:36 pm

   I came to the Dove story by way of the movie in the mid 70′s, drawn by the adventure, the wide world, the pretty girl, the testing of the sea. I have read the book and have seen the movie many times since and sail a 14 foot West Wight Potter pocket cruiser. I’m leaving tomorrow for a solo circumnavigation… of Washington’s San Juan Islands. Thanks all for the ongoing story! T.Pattison, Bellingham, Washington

5. Lon says:

   August 17, 2011 at 7:11 pm

   Great story. I first read Dove my Jr year in college in 1970s. As a result of the book, I bought a boat, got married, lived aboard and had three kids. My son read Grahams book as a boy, is 27 now and works in the sailboat industry and has more ocean miles than I can only dream about. Robin Graham had a great influence on both generations of this family. Nice to read about him again.

6. Stan the Man says:

   August 18, 2011 at 1:06 pm

   How totally refreshing to read this! While many of this generation spent their youth on drug-induced psychedelic trips to nowhere, frolicking in free love, getting wasted at rock concerts, contemplating their navels looking for the meaning of life, and likely have only fractured memories of it all … THIS baby boomer was on a REAL trip to REAL and exciting places, found TRUE LOVE rather than just meaningless free love, explored many other cultures around the globe who give real meaning to life, listened to the natural concerts of whales & the ocean, and has a world of wondrous memories recorded forever in his book. I agree that baby boomers are a adventurous generation, I only wish more of us had directed those adventures in the more positive direction as did Graham. Really great to read this. Thank you.

7. Bob Humphreys says:

   August 18, 2011 at 2:25 pm

   Each generation has its wonderful explorers. Ours was lucky to have the Dove story. I hope we all teach our next generation of explorers the values that are learned here.

8. Kris says:

   August 24, 2011 at 4:53 pm

   Great read!! Love and adventure, who could ask for anything more? Thanks.

9. LIVVY says:

   November 25, 2011 at 12:03 am

   LUVED THIS!!! WHAT A GREAT STORY. I PLAN TO BUY THE BOOK & READ MORE. THANKS SO MUCH FOR WRITING THIS!!

1. M. Prem says:

   December 18, 2007 at 12:19 pm

   I’m a fellow 50 something who would rather watch surfing on TV than actually go into the ocean and get wet. I think geography has a good deal to do with it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, 3 cheers for California! A place where a person can stay young and in the surf forever! I find these sorts of stories quite inspiring.

2. anonymous co-worker says:

   December 18, 2007 at 12:42 pm

   Any excuse to skip going into the office and play hookie at the beach. Like a teenager skipping school for the day because “surf’s up”. I think the fact that he takes such glee in shirking adulthood keeps him young more than the actual surfing itself! Of course, if I were to skip a day of work I think I’d prefer to go shopping!

3. Rachel says:

   December 18, 2007 at 6:13 pm

   Mr. Petrie certainly has his priorities straight. I envy him from here in the chilly NE.

4. Chris Nisan says:

   December 18, 2007 at 11:09 pm

   Very heartwarming for a fellow boomer from the frozen north to read of the wave-riding, passionate antics of an ocean-loving Californian! Loved the story – let’s hear more!

5. Clark Brody says:

   December 19, 2007 at 2:31 pm

   Big Mike has the heart of a lion! It is good to see that another 50 something is actively moving forward and winning the battle against the cheek sagging forces of gravity! May there be infinitely more “Big Wednesdays” ahead!

6. CJ says:

   December 20, 2007 at 10:18 pm

   wow! and wow again! way
   to hit the waves! keep these kind of boomer days comming! from one who is going to be a surfer in my next life!

7. RMH says:

   December 21, 2007 at 3:04 pm

   Moby Mike will go down in history with the like of the Captain riding the whale. Stay young forever pal!

8. deepsouth says:

   December 25, 2007 at 1:27 pm

   Right on, Dude. I am 60 and still surf, too. My surfing pal, with whom I usually surf, is 39. I have other surfing friends who are as young as 19. I repair my friends’ boards (never any charge) and we swap surf videos. I feel like a 17 year old when I surf…ok, a very old 17 year old, but it’s sure better than the rocking chair! Oh, and one other thing. Where else can you find a soaking wet, bikini-clad young woman in excellent physical condition who actually enjoys talking to a 60 year old guy?

9. Dana Hall says:

   January 2, 2008 at 5:59 pm

   Awesome story, Michael!
   You GO, Dude!

   I have a So. California “wave action” story of my own. As a Northern Californian, I truly believe you guys have MOST of the fun. My husband and I have been vacationing in So. Cal for over 25 years. Before kids, we body surfed.

   Our sons, age 11 and 15 love to boogie board and skim board. This year, I decided I wanted to join them. So, on the last day of vacation, we stopped off at Big 5, and I bought a wet suit.

   I had a blast boogie boarding, whooping it up, and felt 18 again! When I decided I was finished for the day, I sat and watched the surfers and my kids. I noticed a boarder come out of the surf with his wet suit on backwards… I looked up and down the beach and realized that I was the one wearing my wet suit backwards! Oh well, if you can’t laugh at yourself…

10. Warren Hulbert says:

    October 25, 2008 at 3:53 am

    If you are the Michael Petrie that just wrote an article for ‘Sail’ magazine,”Golden Gate”, I would greatly appreciate contact with you. I an a sixty seven year old that will be making my first trip around Point Conception enroute to Everett Washington from Ventura California. Any response will be valuable.

11. Strider says:

    October 22, 2009 at 7:49 pm

    This writer knows his stuff. When it comes to adventures, he doesn’t just write about them – he lives them! Thank you for taking the rest of us along.

Davy Jones -- Baby Boomer icon

There are baby boomers, and there are baby boomer icons. Davy Jones, the lead singer of The Monkees, was born the year before the start of our generation but to some boomers he represents fond memories of bygone boomer years.

This is a leap year. There were twenty-nine days in February. It happens every four years. If I’d been born on this date during a leap year I’d technically still be a teenager. Interesting concept.

But I’m not still a teenager and, as if I needed to be reminded of that fact, former teenage heart-throb Davy Jones of the band the Monkees has died. At the age of 66, he was several years older than me and died of a heart attack at his home in Florida. A very real reminder of my own mortality and that of my entire generation. As the Monkees once sang, “We’re the young generation and we’ve got something to say.” Well, we Baby Boomers may not be finished as a generation with impact on the world but truth be known, we now have had our say and are no longer the young generation. We are of an age when things like heart attacks may become more commonplace than love-ins.

Though I was never a true Monkees fan, I remember watching them on TV every week as a kid. They meant something to my generation. The older of my two sisters thought Davy Jones was the “absolute cutest boy on earth!” I first heard the news of his passing on the car radio while picking my kids up from school. My kids in the backseat were soon singing merrily and loudly about soaking up the sun as a Sheryl Crow song came on. They have no idea who the Monkees were and Davy Jones means absolutely nothing to them.

Now my kids are “the young generation with something to say” and have their own rock heroes. Life goes on. But I confess feeling more than a tinge of sadness at the news about Jones. Rest in peace Davy.

Comments

1. Connie says:

   March 1, 2012 at 10:04 pm

   Nice remembrance of Davy and bygone times. RIP DJ!

2. Michele Perrin Gustafson says:

   March 2, 2012 at 11:21 am

   Thanks for sharing this. Davy’s passing made me very sad. He was my first crush! I had his picture pasted all over my junior high locker. I loved their show–funny and charming with great music. I had just seen an ad for his concert in La Mirada next week and had actually thought about buying tickets! I just couldn’t believe it when I heard the very next day that he had died. We are moving into that age category where things like this will happen more and more, so I guess we need to get used to it.

   Maybe we need some Monkees re-runs to get our nostalgia on!

3. Sadhvi Sez says:

   March 2, 2012 at 12:30 pm

   I loved to listen to the Monkees music. I had a very small record player, and treasured each album from them. I studied the album pictures and read everything that was written on them. I would listen to their music for hours on end. At the same time, there was so much great music on the scene too. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones. Joni Mitchell.
   When I met my husband, who is 7 years older than me, he said that he was not really ever into the Monkees, and I was surprised. Well Davy Jones was cool. The show was cool. And the ones who remain still are too!

4. Mark says:

   March 6, 2012 at 2:06 pm

   Not a huge Monkees fan either (though they did have some memorable, quite excellent tunes), I watched their TV show and enjoyed it. But when the radio was on, I wanted to hear the REAL Fab Four. Cute true story: when Smashmouth recorded the Monkees song, “I’m a Believer” when my boys were younger, they heard The Monkees original version and liked it better.

5. Mark says:

   March 6, 2012 at 2:09 pm

   PS- My favorite “Monkee?” Their way cool car designed by Hollywood wheels guru George Barris (Batmobile, Munstermobile, etc.).

6. James says:

   March 14, 2012 at 3:23 pm

   The Monkees were pioneers in the sense that they were the first made for TV Rockers. But others followed, like The Partidge Family, Bobby Sherman, Shaun Cassidy, & Leif Garrett. None got much respect from critics, but all sold tons of records and had screaming (mostly female) fans.

7. Mike says:

   March 17, 2012 at 4:59 pm

   There was an abundance of truly exceptional music in the 1960s and Davy Jones was a talented part of it. Here’s his career in a nutshell:

   In 1963 Davy Jones snagged a Tony Award nomination for his role in the Broadway musical Oliver!

   In November 1965, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz were cast as The Monkees. It debuted on September 12, 1966 and ran for two seasons. Fifty-eight half-hour programs were produced over an 18-month period, and the show won two Emmy awards in 1967.

   Their recording success outstripped even their television exposure with five platinum albums and a half dozen gold singles.
   Davy sang lead on their iconic #1 “Daydream Believer,” and the follow up #3 “Valleri.”
   Davy also took the lead on the hit “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You,” which reached #2 on the Billboard charts.
   The group’s second album, MORE OF THE MONKEES, spent 70 weeks on the Billboard charts,and they had four number one albums in the span of just one year. They also held the number one spot on the Billboard album chart for 31 consecutive weeks.
   In 1968, Davy starred with The Monkees in the legendary cult-film, Head, written by Jack Nicholson.

   The Monkees officially broke up as a band in 1970.
   But in 1986, MTV ran a marathon of Monkees TV episodes, igniting a fevered revival resulting in a sold-out arena tour and renewed record sales. At one point during this period, seven of the group’s legendary albums sat on the Billboard charts at once.

   Davy Jones has left behind an immeasurable mark on music and pop culture history. As a member of The Monkees, Davy has brightened people’s lives for nearly 50 years. From their debut and the ensuing Monkee-mania of the ’60s, to their extraordinary revival in the ’80s, it’s clear that Davy and his music has made an impact on more than just one generation.

   RIP Davy Jones … and thank you.