DBWI: The Beach Boys were a full time band instead of a comedy act?

As we are close to celebrating Christmas, it just dawned on me that next month, the Beach Boys will celebrate their 50th anniversary.

The Beach Boys (Mike Love, Al Jardine and brothers Brian, Carl and Dennis Wilson) made their official debut in the 1963 movie Beach Party, appearing as Frankie Avalon's best buddies. Also appearing in the film were the famous 1960s duo Jan & Dean and choreographer Toni Basil (who appeared as a dancer and married Mike Love a few years later.

From there, the Beach Boys popularity skyrocketed. By 1964, they had there own variety hourly comedy show on ABC. The Beach Boys were already being compared to the Marx Brothers, Three Stooges, Bowery Boys and Martin & Lewis. In contrast to the comedy shows airing today, the Beach Boys were actually very funny. Who could ever forget Mike Love's portrayal of Napoleon? Or Brian breaking into song with his falsetto voice? Or that skit parodying Lyndon Johnson (Brian) deciding whether to name Bobby Kennedy (Al Jardine) or Hubert Humphrey (Mike) as his running mate? Jardine's mimicking of RFK's mannerisms and speaking voice was so convincing that in an interview, Bobby suggested jokingly that Jardine give his speech at the 1964 Democratic National Convention instead.

But what has to be the highlight of their comedy show was their 1965 tribute to the Marx Brothers. Dennis was so hilarious as Harpo. Then at the end of the skit, the real Marx Brothers appeared on the show in surprising the Beach Boys. My second favorite was the show airing in Las Vegas with an appearance by Wayne Newton (and Brian dressing up as Newton's overweight likeness).

Outside of comedy, Mike Love and Brian Wilson wrote many hit songs for Jan & Dean. Remember their classics Surf City USA, Surfin' Safari, Surfin' USA, I Get Around, Help Me Rhonda, Don't Worry Baby, Sloop John B, and California Girls? They also wrote Little Surfer Girl for Elvis Presley.

As recording artists, the Beach Boys released 11 comedy albums and 2 EPs of their own music. Their only US Top Ten hit songs were Who Put The Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp), God Only Knows and Barbara Ann.

What was surprising about Jan & Dean was that their music career was a part time endeavor. Jan attended medical school at the height of the duo's popularity and was valedictorian of his graduating class. What a shock it was when Jan & Dean announced in 1969 that they were retiring from recording. And this came after the huge success of their Smile album which included their biggest hit Good Vibrations (which won a Grammy for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Vocals. The album won the Best Album and Producer of the Year Grammys).

Dean Torrence would enjoy a successful career as a graphic illustrator and album cover designer. Dr. William Jan Berry became a successful physician specializing in head trauma surgery. Dr. Berry was also influential in getting Congress to pass a landmark health insurance reform bill in 1978 that President Robert F. Kennedy signed into law. Jan & Dean would reunite on occasion to perform their classic hits.

The Beach Boys aired its last comedy show on October 20, 1973. The individual members pursued various entertainment projects while maintaining their comedy act but on a part-time basis. The Beach Boys stayed off television until their 1976 appearance on the Captain and Tenille Show (the husband and wife act also had a Number One hit that year with Rock and Roll Music) and would revive their show with their 20th Anniversary Special in 1983.

Brian Wilson continued to enjoy success as a songwriter and producer. In his 1985 autobiography, Brian admitted to suffering depression and suffering a nervous breakdown following the recording of the Smile album. He also credited his friend Elvis Presley and Reverend Pat Robertson with helping him break his addiction to LSD and becoming a born-again Christian.

Carl and Dennis would go on to successful acting careers. Dennis retired full time from acting by 1990 to become a successful TV show producer. Sadly, Carl died of brain cancer in 1995.

Mike Love went on to succeed in a variety of business and real estate ventures. His early investments in multiplex movie theaters and infomercial production companies made him a multimillionaire. And he and Toni Basil recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary.

I wonder how successful the Beach Boys would have been if they decided to record their own songs instead of giving them to Jan & Dean (or Elvis). I find it hard to imagine a world in which the Beach Boys were not comic actors.
 
OOC: I think it would be better not to give so much info in the OP, part of the fun of DBWI's is everyone making up the information as they go along.
 
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