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The Old Playboys
&
Allan Lawson Ramsay Memorial Page
Original members of : Gary
Lewis
& The Playboys
Allan Ramsay b.1943--Alan died in plane crash in 1985
Last Updated 9-08-2006 by [email protected]
Original Member of "Gary Lewis
& The Playboys" band
THIS IS NOT A COMMERCIAL WEB SITE--WE DO NOT
SELL ANY RECORDS !!!!!!
Allan, Son of Margery & James Ramsay. He had a younger sister
Lucinda.
Allan was band member likely 1963-1965.
In early 1967 Gary went into service & broke up the band! Allan
also went into Airforce sometime in the 65-67 period & never
returned
to band!.
Photo #1:Playboys group photo from early
1965
Allan Ramsay is top Right.
John West on top Left.
bottom left - Dave Walker, R - Dave Costell.
|
Image #2:Newspaper article showing Allan on far right. It was
in
the Springfield MA Newspaper, but band was in California !
|
Photo#3: The Group was on the Ed Sullivan Show 5 times -
Al was
on the first two shows. The picture above is from the very first
show.
Allan on Bass is on far Right. John West is 2nd from Left on Cordovox.
Gary on Drums.
L - Dave Costell and Dave Walker next to Al.
|
Photo#4: This was a performance in 1963-64 at Disneyland.
L - to R, Al, Gary, John, Dave Costell and Dave
walker.See
Note #1 below.
|
Image #5: "This Diamond Ring" ALBUM AWARD. |
Photo #6: Gary Lewis On Drums
Allan Ramsay on far Right
L - Dave Costell, Dave Walker, --etc.
|
| Note: Photos #1,3,4 & 6 were gratefully received from
John West
one of the origional band members & a friend on Allan. |
|
Photo#7: Cow Palace gig in San Francisco was in 1965.Phil
Spector (or
Specter) Orchestra on stage with us did not play during our
performance. |
Photo #8:Allan Ramsay (K1CZY)
on front & Dick Bolt (W1DGA) on back.
This bike- for- two was
built
by Allan & his neighbor in Wilbraham, Jeff Finn in abt 1957.
|
Old Photo: Dave Costell & Gary Lewis
|
Costell & Lewis in 2005
|
Allan Ramsay signing autographs
|
Playboys at Disneyland
|
|
|
|
|
Ed Sullivan Show
|
Ed Sullivan Show
|
Notes for Photo#4 : Please
note,
the band was called "Gary and the Playboys".
When we cut This Diamond Ring - all of the "Playboys had to sign a
contract
with Gary & his mother Patty, and became "Employees" of ESTA MUSIC.
No longer a 'group' with equal participation of financing the
ventures.
That's when we became known as "Gary Lewis & the
Playboys"
J.R.W.
SUMMARY OF ALLAN's Estate Info
The estate of Allan Ramsay is on file with this court. Allan
died on November 27, 1985. He had a surviving spouse and two
children
they are as
follows: O. Jane Ramsay a/k/a Olivia Jane Ramsay, Stephanie Allison
Ramsay ( 29 years old ), Price Tipton Ramsay ( 26 years old ). At
the time of Mr. Ramsay's death he and his family resided at 4 Cole
Road,
Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889.
Social Security Death Index Info:
ALLAN RAMSAY born: 27 Jul 1943 died: Nov 1985 (No Location Given)
08889 (Whitehouse Station, NJ)--Think this is where he was living
at time of death!
SS opened: Massachusetts (Between 1961 and 1962) . Allan
when he was in school in Wilbraham MA. in 1950s & 60s. He was in
Minnachaugh
High School class of 1961, which was the first class to graduate from
the
new HS. Previously Wilbraham kids including myself were bussed to
Springfield
High Schools.
Lived in:
Wilbraham MA 1950s & 1960s. Allan
attended Memorial Jr HS in Wilbraham & Minnachaug HS class of 61.
Allan's father worked in Management of Diamond Match in Springfield
, MA.in 1950s & 1960s
When & why did he get to California
? Parents moved? When?
Air Force Service where?
White House Station, NJ-Lived
with family & worked as Airline pilot.
Amateur ( HAM) RADIO
Allan was Ham Radio Operator K1CZY . In later live he was doing
some VHF hill topping with contest groups on mountain tops.
The ARRL also confirmed death, or "silent keys" as it is
called
in there QST magazine ! They sent me confirmation e-mail several yrs
ago.
I just got information ( correct spelling) on Allan from an old
( 1958) Ham Radio call book: His name was Allan L. Ramsay
Once we had a Hare & Hound chase using Wilbraham Civil Defense
Gonset Communicator ( Yellow Gooney Boxes) they were called. This is to
get experience with finding signal locations using directional
antennas.
The Hound was usually in a car with antenna held out the window by the
passenger. One of the hidden units ( Hare) was Allan, we
got
to the house by his signal and a directional antenna, but could not
find
the transmitter. Well, Allan was hiding & broadcasting up in a tree
at his house in Wilbraham.!
Allan called me on phone about 1 yr before he died. We talked mostly
abt. ham radio & mountain top VHF work he was doing with another
HAM
VHF contest group. He must have found me in MD by my ham call address.
I had the impression he lived near the Throgs neck bridge in NJ from
what
he said on phone!
RBB
Click
Here to Go To Family/Genealogy Info on Allan
Click
Here for More Gary Lewis & Playboys Photos or Memoblia Related to
Allan
Ramsay
Click
here for Page of snap shots taken at Concert in 60s
Professional Pilot
Allan died in a plane crash in November 27th 1985. Allen flew
for Northeast Airways in Morristown, NJ. Plane in accident was a
Beechcraft
C90 twin turbo prop out of Morristown NJ airport & crashed in RI.
Plane
was owned by Jen Rob Aviation Inc. in Paramus NJ. but no Internet info
on Jen Rob Aviatio now.
Also killed in accident was Susan D. Eason (Susan Eason or Susan Esson)
age 24 of Bedminster,NJ who was the copilet. It was a training flight
for
her I think.
NTSB
Medium Sized Report of Accident
Accident NY Times News Clipping
Accident
NTSB News Report
RI Accident Report
Accident Suit
Air Force Stint ?????? Where &
What? One bit of information says he worked on Stars & Stripes
paper
and another says was a pilot.
PLAYBOY & Allan MEMORIES
This is from John West in Jan 04
My name is John R. West - original keyboard player for Gary Lewis
& the Playboys - good friend of Al.
I came across your site while looking through the hundreds of Gay
Lewis pages. I didn't know what happened to Al until about 2 months ago
when I read your page. What a shock that was! Al was responsible for me
joining the group in the early 60's. He was one likable dude! I was
working
at Berry & Grasmueck Music store in Pasadena CA selling musical
instruments
when he came in and heard me playing my new instrument called the "Cordovox"
- an accordion wired to an organ generator - made by Lowery Organ and
sold
through Gibson. He invited me up to a practice session and that's where
I met Gary Lewis. We got the Disneyland gig during the summer of '63
and
again in '64. Al was the bass player on This Diamond Ring and some of
the
first albums but then he was drafted..or enlisted in the Air Force..I
can't
remember which, it's been so long ago. All I remember is seeing him in
an Air Force uniform one time.
After he left we got Carl Radle from Tulsa (Worked with Eric Clapton
in 'Derick & the Dominos" - later).
Note, John also said Allan had a pilot license & had flown
with
him.
MORE PLAYBOY NOTES FROM THE WEST
Gary didn't sing much at this point in time (before "This
Diamond Ring" was cut). Dave Walker was really the one who
secured
the Disneyland gig. Before our audition at Disney, he rehearsed us in
all
the great old songs he used to play in his group back east. Stuff like
Johnny B. Goode and Green Onions..etc. The girls at the Space Bar gig
were
nuts about his good looks, personality, stage presents and strong
voice.
How could Disney turn us down with someone like that up front!!!
Al was in a couple of movies with Playboys: "A
Swingin' Summer" staring Raquel Welch, The Righteous Bros.,
The Rip Cords, Donnie Brooks, Jim Stacy, Wlm, Wellman, etc.
Jerry Lewis had a movie called "The Family
Jewels" - We were in the 'Eddy's
Airlines'
bit. Very funny!!
Don't remember if Al was in the movie "Out
Of Sight" - filmed in Malibu Beach CA. It was a low budget
film
that didn't go too far.
A movie Allan was in with rest of Playboys----"A
Swingin' Summer" Movie
A movie Allan was in with rest of Playboys---"Out
of Sight" Movie
Reference on anothers web page:
Karen Jensen
Unlike Beach Party star Annette Funicello, Karen Jensen actually
looked like she grew up
on the shores of Malibu. With her short-cropped flaxen hair,
blue eyes and shapely
figure, Jensen was exquisite as a surfing sweetie in "Out
of Sight" (1966).
Note, looks like this title was reused a few yrs back & not same
movie!
NOTE; Al was not in the movie "Out Of Sight" - because Tommy
Tripplehorn
was in the shot - which means we had Al's replacement - Carl Radle
-
BEFORE Tommy entered the band.
A movie Allan was in with rest of Playboys ----See
skit in movie on "Eddy's Airlines"
"The
Family Jewels" Movie
Listing
Of Playboy Relased Songs During Period Of Allan
"Listing of Playboys released songs during Allan: Al was
definitely on This Diamond Ring SINGLE and ALBUM of the same name.
Allan was on the first two hits listed here
- ONLY.
*SONG
DATE Billboard Hit #
This Diamond
Ring
1/16/'65
#1
Count Me
In
4/03/65
#2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
These songs of the group are here only to document that Allan was not
on & may be droped later!
Save Your Heart For
Me
7/03/65
#5
Everybody Loves A Clown
9/25/65
#4
She's Just My
Style
12/11/65
#3
Sure Gonna Miss
Her
3/05/66
#9
Green
Grass
5/14/66
#8
Sealed With A
kiss
6/22/66
#10
My Hearts'
Symphony
7/30/66
#13
(--)Paint Me A
picture
10/08/66
#15
Where will the Words Come >From
12/17/66
#21
CLICK
HERE For More Info On Playboys That Relates To Allan Ramsay In Some Way
Allan Memories by an ex HS classmate:
Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2004
> Subject: RE: Re: Wilbraham
>
> I Graduated from MRHS in 1961, and Allen Ramsey was in my
graduating
class.
> In Sept of 61, he and I were room mates at Parks College of St.
Louis
> University. We were on a three semester a year program,
so we could
> graduate in three years. As I said we roomed together for
the first
> trimester. I remember he had a trombone he would play in
the dorm
> occasionally, and I remember he was a big short wave radio
guy.
Had lots of
> equipment. As I recall he met a girl in St. Louis around
Christmas time in
> 61. The second trimester in 1962 we didn't room together
and I think he
> left school around the end of the second trimester. I
remember
he was crazy
> in love with the girl in St. Louis, but I don't know if he got
married to
> her or not. I heard several years later that he was
playing
with Gary Lewis
> and the playboys, but I never had any more contact with him..
>
> Paul Bartolucci
> Minnachaug HS in Wilbraham MA--Class of 61
>>
