Bobby Rydell:

My Three Secret Desires

(Teen Life)

When TL asked me just what my three most important and secret desires were I had to stop and think. Every guy has a mess of hopes and dreams piled up inside of him, but putting my finger on the three most important desires wasn't easy. I guess one of the biggest wishes I've had for a long time now has just come true. I've always wanted to give my parents a new home and it's finally happened! I just bought a beautiful house in the Penn Valley section of Philadelphia. Doing this has given me more pleasure than I felt I'd ever receive. My folks have done so very much for me and now it's as if this is my own kind of thank-you to them.

My second secret desire is really more of a burning ambition to further my career in every possible way. At the moment I'm working on my nightclub act (Bobby recently played the Copa) and I'm reading a batch of scripts for a new movie. I'm also very anxious to do a Broadway show and I'm kind of getting prepared for one by doing West Side Story in summer stock.

My third and final secret desire is one that's tremendously important to me. In the past years I've done benefit shows for a society called ALSAC. That's the Aid to Leukemia Stricken Children. I don't know whether you're familiar with this illness but it's a blood disease that can be fatal to young people. I've been recently appointed National Teen Chairman of ALSAC by Danny Thomas who founded this wonderful organization. Since my appointment I've spoken to many doctors and scientists and I've found out that there's a strong possibility leukemia CAN be cured. With enough technicians and specialists working on this illness there's hope it can be wiped off the earth! Kids, this is something that's awfully important to me. If you could have seen the hopeful faces on many of the leukemia stricken children I've met you'd want to do all you could to help them

Let's show the adult world that we can concentrate our efforts on causes other than rock 'n' roll and parties. Please write to ALSAC at 611 Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis 4, Ind. and ask them how you can help. I know you won't let me down.