THE FAMILY IS BACK!


Take the Fabulous King Sisters whose hit recordings include the groundbreaking Grammy-nominated Imagination, add legendary guitar virtuoso Alvino Rey and his own invention -- the talking steel guitar -- sci-fi icon Robert Clarke, and throw in the swinging King Cousins including 60's sweetheart and My Three Sons star Tina Cole not to mention the King Kids and their extended musical family of aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters and you've got one of the most celebrated and prolific TV families of all time -- The King Family.

In celebration of the 45th anniversary of their television debut, we're proud to welcome you to the all new and official King Family website.  The Family is indeed back and 2009 will bring a host of new projects which you'll read about here including a new public television musical special this holiday season with the best musical moments from their classic Christmas shows, the first-ever release of the Family's classic albums on CD, a cookbook and much more.


So explore the sights and sounds of "America's first family of song" through the music and videos you'll find here.  There's more to come so check back often.  You're part of the family now.



An alternating special feature of articles, photos
and fun facts from the King Family archive.


Current story -

"Fabulous King Family Teens" from 'TEEN MAGAZINE September 1965:


The story of the teen stars of the King Family’s Top Twenty is unique.  They are sons and daughters of famous show people, and were born with talents that have been developing over the years – fantastically so in the past few months.  The rest of the story takes more telling, so let’s meet the group, starting with Xan, the girl on the cover.

 

It was inevitable, of course, that her name would be shortened from Xandra to Xan, because small fry, and there are several in the family, have trouble with names.  Anyhow, the girl with red hair and green eyes, turning fourteen on September 10, is the only one of the sensational seven who is not a native Californian.  She was born in Bronxville, New York, daughter of Donna (one of the original singing King Sisters) and James Conkling, a semi-retired recording company executive.

 

Xan, a student at Van Nuys Junior High School prior to the show’s going fulltime, attends studio school with her cousins right at the theatre, alternating study time with rehearsal schedules.  She likes the color orange, everything fattening in food, and Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn.


Jamie Conkling, blue-eyed with reddish blonde hair, will be eighteen on September 4.  She is 5-4 1/2, likes Polynesian food, the color yellow, and modern dancing.  Paul Newman and Bette Davis rate high with her in the acting field.


Click here to continue...


KING FAMILY NEWS UPDATES

THE KING FAMILY'S NEW TELEVISION SPECIAL:

We're proud to announce that the King Family's new holiday special Christmas with the King Family is back on a PBS station near you for the 2010 holiday season.  Click here for the 2010 schedule.  If you don't find your city listed please contact your local PBS station (PBS STATION FINDER) and request that Christmas with the King Family be added to the schedule in your area!

(Vonnie, Tina, Ric, Cathy, Cam & Marilyn)

This singin', swingin' retro holiday delight is a song filled celebration of The King Family's classic Christmas television specials; the ultimate collection of seasonal performances by The King Sisters, Alvino Rey, Tina Cole & The King Cousins, along with Cam Clarke & The King Kids and all the aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters that make up "America's First Family of Song."


All new interviews with King Sisters Yvonne King Burch (in her last public appearance) and Marilyn King, The King Cousins including Tina, Cathy, Ric, Candy, Jamie and Xan along with original King Kids Cam, Laurette and Susannah illuminate the behind-the-scenes stories of the makings of these holiday TV classics.

(King Cousins Jamie, Ric, Cam, Susannah, Xan, Cathy, Tina and Candy on the set of their new public television special.)



TINA COLE APPEARANCE
The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, CA held it's first annual PALEYFEST REWIND celebration which included a special evening for The 50th Anniversary of My Three Sons on Saturday, June 19, 2010.  Click here for photos from the event.



KING KING FAMILY COOKBOOK NOW AVAILABLE
Compiled by King Cousins Xan Albright and Tina Cole (star of TV’s My Three Sons) with Xan’s daughter Erin Albright Arnett, The King Family Cookbook features 275 mouthwatering family classics…Click here for details.



KING FAMILY APPEARANCE:
Sunday, December 20, 2010 - Special introduced screening of Christmas with the King Family at The Paley Center for Media (formerly The Museum of Television & Radio) in Beverly Hills, CA. 
A holiday meet-and-greet reception with The King Family followed the screening.  Click here for photos from the event.



MARILYN KING LIVE:
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 - Marilyn performed a special one night only holiday concert at Upstairs @ Vitello's in Studio City, CA!



TINA ON TV:
Click here to watch the My Three Sons reunion with Tina Cole on CBS' The Early Show from Friday, November 6, 2009.