Ben Thomas Comes Home for a Visit
Ben Thomas, whom I interiewed about four years ago as Benny Thomas, has come home with a successful future in his youthful pocket.
The guitarist was signed by RCA Victor several seasons back, but according to Ben. “None of my records were hits in this country, just in foreign countries.”
24-year-old singer- Thomas, visiting his family in Ft. Lauderdale, is originally from Georgia, but lived here for quite a spell, and attended South Broward High School. His big news is that he’s been signed by producers Harry Saltzman (James Bond) and Don Kirshner (The Monkees), for one of the four leading roles in “Tomorrow,” which United Artists puts into production in April in London.
This, according to Ben, has made all the efforts and failures of the past fade into insignificance. When RCA dropped his option, he studied acting and did several roles in stock. While he made a TV pilot in New York, he delivered pizzas.
TREND-SETTERS
Saltzman and Kirshner are considered two of the entertainment world’s most successful trend-setters. The quartet they’ve assembled Thomas, Olivia Newton-John, Karl Chambers and Vic Cooper will play a musical group called Tomorrow, and according to Ben, there’ll be three follow-up features with the foursome.
“Tomorrow” will offer a new musical sound and a fresh, original concept in movie-making. It will be aimed primarily at the 14-30 age group.
Thomas left Ft. Lauderdale Sunday to check with the producers in New York before flying to London for pre-production activities. It’s an enviable break, and considering Ben’s personality, it couldn’t happen to a nicer person.