Herman's Hermits in front of their Hollywood home.

    "HELLO me luvs - it's me, 'Erman, again, and I'm beggin' off the third chapter of me life story this issue so that the boys and I can tell you all about our wonderful adventures in Hollywood. Next month - the March issue of 16 will be the one - we'll all get back to me life story again. O.K.? "We really had a smashing time in Los Angeles -which is a big city that holds Hollywood and Beverly Hills. One of the first things I did was to go to the newest club on Sunset, The Trip, to see Barry McGuire. He is fantastically talented and it was a great pleasure to see him work live. Later, we all saw Little Richard work and were honored to be introduced to him.
    "Before the rumors that Hayley Mills is me girl friend start flyin', I want to set the record straight. We are JUST FRIENDS. I'd met her bef6re in England, and some friends brought her by the house the boys and me had in Bel Aire one night when we had a kind of impromptu party. Later, I ran into her at Wayne Newton's opening, and the photographers took hundreds of pictures of us together. She was not my date and we sat together only for a bit. I dig Hayley, but it's not fair to the girl to let people think you're going steady when you aren't.
    "At the same above-mentioned party, Johhny Steel of the Animals fell sound asleep on one of the couches, so we took him out and gently placed him on the diving board over the pool! When Johnny woke up (we were all watching through the picture windows), he looked around and then fell right into the brink! He didn't even get mad, good sport that he is. But the next day a new hat of mine and a pair of shoes turned up missing. I guess I should have had a diver go down to the bottom of the pool to search for them!
    "People keep asking if any of us plan to come to America to live. As I see it now, the answer is no. However, we travel back and forth so much that we end up spending half our time in the States so it's almost like living in two places at once. We all love America - we're really knocked out by it (and by all you wonderful people), but a fellow gets a hunger to go back to his home after a while. I am sure you understand that.
    "Well, here are the other lads to fill you in on their activities. Cheerio!"
    "It's me, Lek. Herman is a coward, for he didn't tell you about his motor bike. Yahama gave him a lovely one and he would take off at night and go all about the Hills on his own (or with Barry, 'The Batman'). Finally, the poor bike broke down with fatigue and Herman had to take a very long walk home one night!
    "As for meself, I got a chance to date a bit, as we didn't work much nights. Most of the girls I met were fans who found our house (not so well-hidden after all, you see). I'd take a girl to the movies, and then dinner, and then for a drive about. It was very pleasant. "One night a couple of the chaps and I went to Griffith Park Stables and rented horses. it was about dinner time for the nags and when we were out only ten minutes they all turned about and headed for home! There was nothing to do but hold on tight. We sat like boobs and watched the horses eat their oats - then we finally went riding.
    The next day, we all had to be tied up with 		  wires to be hoisted through the air for a dream sequence in our MGM movie, Hold On - There's No Place Like Space! May I tell you that I was a bit sore from that horse-ndin~ and when you see me 'floating' through the air - remember, I was really crying inside."
    "'Tis I, your buddy Karl, reportin' in. My most exciting Hollywood evening was the first time I saw the Byrds working live at The Trip. I tell you, you have no idea how fantastically good they are! They have a great sound and are groovey to watch. Hope lots of you got to see them when they toured with Paul Revere and The Raiders through the States just now.
    "I also saw the Grass Roots perform and I broke up when the bass player reached into his pocket and pulled out a buttie and began to eat it right there on stage while they were working! "The Trip and It's Boss - the top Sunset Strip clubs -are a bit like the clubs we used to work back in Manchester. Lots of young people go there and dance and swing all night. Quite fun.
    "I also saw The Ipcress File while in L. A., and I strongly recommend that picture. It really knocked me out and Michael Caine was super."
    "Keith here. I'll take it on myself to tell you our daily schedule at the MGM Studios. We'd arrive on the set no later than 7:30 in the morning for make-up call. We would be working after that straight up to 12:30, then break for 30 minutes for lunch. Afterwards, we'd work straight through till 6:30. We got behind, so towards the end we worked as late as 10 o'clock at night. But we loved every minute of it, and I feel you are going to like the movie very much. I think it's quite funny, myself.
    "It was a thrill to be working at the same studio as people like David McCallum, Robert Vaughn and Richard Chamberlain. The folks back home will be quite impressed when we tell them about that.
"I found driving about Hollywood to be wonderful fun. There are many sharp curves and steep hills, so it is very exciting. I had a ball learning to negotiate the tricky curves in the Hills.
    "Our house was in Benedict Canyon. It was hidden away from passersby, but fortunately enough fans found us and made our evenings bright and cheerful. We had two great cooks at the house and ate in almost every night. We each had a separate bedroom and we even had a secretary!"
    "It's Barry here, at last - and I'll bet you couldn't wait, huh? The most thrilling experience I had in Hollywood was going to Wayne Newton's fabulous opening night at the Coconut Grove. Everyone important was there and Wayne gave a fantastic performance. It's another case of 'you have to see it to believe it' - he's a ~eat showman and a great singer.
    "My motor bike (rented) was quite a kick to ride. I even got myself all outfitted up for it, and would take off like Batman in the dark of night. I hope to get one of my very own back in England.
    "Well, hope we haven't overlooked anything. If so -you'll be hearing from us regularly in 16, so stay tuned to these pages and you'll never miss anything!


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