Forgotten Music -- Movie and TV Stars

Sometimes it's possible to have a hit record without being able to sing very well. Or maybe it's often possible. Anyway, one way to have a hit is to be a movie or TV star. The first one I remember going this route is Tab Hunter, who hit the top of the charts with "Young Love." Tab wasn't just a one-hit wonder, either. He scored with "Red Sails in the Sunset," "Ninety-nine Ways," and others. Along about the same time, Tony Perkins (yes, Tony Perkins) cracked the top 25 with "Moonlight Swim." And in that same great year, Sal Mineo hit it big with "Start Movin' in my Direction." And who can forget Edd "Kookie" Byrnes' stirring rendition of "Kookie, Kookie, Lend me Your Comb"? Of course, he was helped out by Connie Stevens, who could actually sing a bit, and she had her own big hit, "Sixteen Reasons."

I'm not counting Ricky Nelson here. He was a good singer and could even play the guitar. His TV series made him a hit, but I think he'd have made it without TV.

A little later on, Richard Chamberlain played Dr. Kildare and became a recording star with "Three Stars Will Shine Tonight." And then there was David Soul, who was either Starsky or Hutch. I forget which one, but I'll never forget "Don't Give up on Us." And then there's John Travolta, who was a better dancer than a singer but who did have a hit or two, like the classic "Let Her In."

John Schneider was no Elvis, but he recorded "It's Now or Never" and a lot of other stuff, too. Not a bad singer, but would he have made it without The Dukes of Hazzard? How about Bruce Willis? Without Moonlighting would he ever have recorded "Save the Last Dance for Me"? Tom Wopat, Schneider's co-star on Dukes had a hit with "A Little Bit Closer."

I'm sure you can think of a lot of others. Like William Shatner. But he doesn't count. He didn't ever have a hit. At least I hope he didn't.

Update: How could I have forgotten Peter Fonda? And thanks for all the names in the comments. I can't believe I left some of those off the list.