Leon and Shirley went on to have not just one more, but three more kids for a total of 10. They kids went on to start a singing group in the 70's call The Sylvers with hit like Boogie Fever and Hotline.
+SilkySlim What was she a mad scientist? I believe they both until this point had something to do with forming and raising their family. But I do not believe that scientists started creating people until the 1970s.
I'm beside myself. I was such a huge fan and still advocate for the Sylvers. As much as I liked the Jackson 5 I loved the Sylvers more. To be able to see their parents in such a sane respectful setting ( Thank you Graucho ) really made my heart warm. "Boogie Fever" is a great song but you REALLY must hear this entire families work, Fosters solo stuff, Edmund and Leon is one the worlds best kept producer secrets. They have all made incredible music over the years. I am grateful to them. I"m with Graucho. I'm glad they won too. They are a wonderful family.
Yes! Props to Groucho as a classy & edgy guest with total respect and the Sylvers who were as witty and professional as him. And yes folks, check out all their incredible music that often rivaled or beat the best of the Jackson family. Salutes to all.
That sound like a probable explanation, but I'm not privy to what happened exactly. From what I've heard about him, he was an awesome guy. Highly intelligent, but as I know all too well, alcoholism can change a person entirely. All the siblings on my dad's side, with the exception of aunt Shirley, were alcoholics, so she wasn't a stranger to that. She lived a pretty good life, otherwise. She'd come visit us in TX from time to time during her later years. She was an amazing woman and we missed her. She was the very last of her siblings after my dad passed in 08.
Groucho definitely had an eye (and ear) for talent. He stated on the show that he did some "Vaudeville Era" shows in Memphis, Tennessee. I'm sure that he got to see and hear a lot of Blues and Jazz bands and singers at that time. Groucho knew from first-hand experience what worked, and what did not work in what used to be called "Black Music" at that time.
i wish i had a wife as beautiful and faithful as she was and wonderful talented kids like this guy had, i would never had bailed out on them for nothing in the world, nothing!
It's plain to see that Groucho had no truck with racism. He oozes fairness. I expected nothing else. My favourite Grouch line: ''I usually remember a face...in your case I'll forget it!!''
Alexis Ewing How sad .RIP,Mrs Sylvers.I remember seeing this old show in 74/75.She was saying her kid's name,and I realized these were The Sylvers!! How quick Groucho was with his joke about the "missing" 2 year old child.
twain103Yeah, very sad. I couldn't imagine her dying, I happened to look on my FB newsfeed, & Angie Sylvers announced on the fan page that she past away. I was so shocked & she looked so good for her age, well at least she's in a better place.🙏👼👼
LOL that Grouch is amazing, God bless him, as I recall you didn't see too many of us on tv back then. the Sylvers are also quite amazing. in all aspects.
It just breaks my heart that their father did not stay with the family. He seems like such a sensitive and caring man. I wonder what would have happened to his amazing and beautiful family had he stayed with them. God bless Olympia and the spirit of Edmund especially .....who both had to endure a truly unfair amount of hardship.
In viewing this Leon the dad seemed so in tune with his wife, for him to eventually leave, how disheartening, such a talented family....he didn't finish the task....
Groucho was about two light-years ahead of most hosts of the era in presenting African-Americans in the best possible light ,((I could say the same for Ed Sullivan and Ted Mack.) I don't think he saw color, as long as they were funny and/or entertaining.
This is priceless. I have always said the Sylvers are the single greatest family act in music history. This episode of You Bet Your Life only supports my assertion. No other family act can claim to span seven decades and still out-harmonize any act ever. I wonder why this appearance was left out of the Unsung episode?
YES!!! I GUESSED RIGHT!!! These are the Sylvers' PARENTS!!! And look at The Sylvers! This was WAY before Foster (and atr least 2 more children) was born... 8:36... GOLD!!!
I love groucho . I am 69 years young and have enjoyed him since I was a teenager . His doughter is a great singer . He loves his family very much. Groucho is a comicle Guinness. You bet your life is a intertwining show
Very nice and thank you for posting this. They never talked much about the dad and it was great seeing him taking the lead with his family. It was unfortunate that things ended differently.
Oh how sweet! I love this family. seen a video of later years and the family has lost some and the dad left the mother with all those children plus more. shame on him. Somehow they made it.
It saddens me... I saw Unsung today and it was of course about the Sylvers. Well, I was amazed by the song Olympia and to have as much exposure as they had during that time is awesome. what saddens me is what happened to Olympia. her innocence totally taken. And the obvious love Shirley & Leon had for each other end with Shirley's struggle. It's breaking, but I absolutely love the song Olympia and to see their performance of it
Wow.....what a beautiful family, the children were just too precious!....Thanks for the upload on this, brought back so many memories when everything was in black & white.
one of the most underated groups of all time. you don't see janet, latoya, and rebbie doing a full fledge album with their brothers. but the sylvers broke that record. they should have went to Motown right after the jacksons left. and should have left capitol and Casablanca records alone. al ross is a dirty crook for mismanaging this group.
I love the Sylver's music I'm happy to have seen them. As for their Dad ..had he continued to pursue becoming a doctor they'd probably would have never lived in those projects. But because he listened to & hung around wife beater Ike Turner the Sylver's suffered needlessly. They are bright , intelligent & seems to be really nice people.. .Sometimes Dad's lead their children to live among wolves & expect them not be harmed. If you can keep your kids out of the projects by all means do it!
I've been looking all over for this, I knew it existed but could never find it; what a handsome couple and the children are so adorable. Thanks for posting it.
Lord have mercy I really adore the sylver family. I am 49 in age . I grew up buying a lot of thier albums. Wow Patricia favors thier mother the most. All of them are very attractive though. I hope to meet them before I leave this earth. So much more i want to express but i will leave it at that.
This episode of "You Bet Your Life" came out during an election year itself: 1960. (Edmund turned three years of age that year, and was- according to Joel Whitburn's book "Top R&B Singles-" a month away from his next birthday.)
Who would have thought the Sylvers had been around singing when they were only toddlers! Incredible. Only youtube could have presented this footage to the public mind! I started watching Marx films last year, and he is perhaps the funniest man who ever lived, with his quick wit and all. And this is why I spend so much time on youtube, lol. Thank you, youtube for being here and showing us THIS. Sylvers forever. Forever.
wow this is soo great. they seemed like such a happy family then. that song the father wrote is very crafty and the kids got the west indian accent right.
I have noticed that Groucho, on other episodes, would often tell jokes or poke fun at people related to their nationality, ethnicity etc. though always in his usual lighthearted manner. I saw none of that here and in fact he seemed like he went out of his way, as compared to some of the period, to target African Americans for a little extra respect he might not have afforded other groups. Am I alone in observing this?
My humble pleasure. The funny thing is is that I learned about The Sylvers through this clip, because when I uploaded it, the You Tube side bar showed that their was a music group of the same name, and that is how I discovered and got into their music. Weird, eh!?
Hi thanks for posting this episode of You Bet Your Life. I remember seeing this on the replays of the show. Just a couple of week I was watching some old repeats of Soul Train and Rick & Edmond introduced Foster, Patricia and Angela performing "Misdemenor." Both of these episodes of "You Bet Your Life" and "Soul Train" was the beginning of The Sylvers again thanks for posting.
"If a task is once begun, never leave it once its done. Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all." Only If Leon Jr. would think about his own rhyme before leaving a heartbroken Shirley to raise "their" 8 kids by herself in Watts most dangerous neighborhood. Great advice to leave his kids before abandonment. In the end, The Sylvers turned out to be great singers and entertainers, but were logned unsung.
the father sylvers is obviously a very bright man. it must have been rough being a black man then with so many kids. sad he left. but he did a very good thing he planted within his kids the gift of song. writing, rehearsing,performing. IT would becom their bread earner.
