Thank You, Sonny Bono

I have long been a fan of Sonny Bono. He is not the classic definition of a movie star. Nonetheless, he is an important figure in the creative universe. He did appear in more movies than most people realize. These are not his main contribution to society though.

Sonny Bono was a mover and shaker in the sixties. It is surprising to hear about the people he rubbed elbows with when Sonny and Cher were the next big thing. With their many hits, they got themselves a movie, Good Times. Unfortunately, it bombed.

They were supposed to star in the movie Speedway but because Good Times did so poorly the studio backed away. Elvis Presley and Nancy Sinatra replaced them. The movie did fairly well, but one wonders how their futures would have been different had they gotten a second chance in this vehicle. Instead, as the sixties faded so did their star.

Despite this setback, Sonny Bono was a never say die kind of guy. By the time the seventies hit, the couple had a television contract. They had a highly-rated variety show. The television show was a mixture of comedy skits, but also performances.