60s Heartthrob Bobby Sherman Dies at 81, Tributes Pour In

1960s teen idol Bobby Sherman, who was beloved for his hit single Little Woman, has died at the age of 81 after a battle with cancer.

Sherman, now 81, largely withdrew from the entertainment industry in the 1970s, but has retained a devoted fanbase through the years.

His wife Brigitte Poublon heartbreakingly announced in March that her husband had received a diagnosis of stage four cancer.

By early April, she disclosed that his body was ‘shutting down’ and he was ‘at home with special care’ after a stay in the hospital.

Now a longtime friend of his has disclosed that Sherman succumbed to his illness this Tuesday morning at home in the Los Angeles suburb of Encino, via TMZ.

In a statement posted to Instagram by Sherman’s pal John Stamos, Poublon announced that her husband ‘left this world holding my hand.’ 

1960s teen idol Bobby Sherman, who was beloved for his hit single Little Woman, has died at the age of 81 after a battle with cancer; pictured 1971 

‘It is with the heaviest heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Bobby Sherman,’ wrote Poublon in her public statement.

‘Bobby left this world holding my hand—just as he held up our life with love, courage, and unwavering grace through all 29 beautiful years of marriage. I was his Cinderella, and he was my prince charming. Even in his final days, he stayed strong for me. That’s who Bobby was—brave, gentle, and full of light,’ she movingly added.

‘As he rested, I read him fan letters from all over the world—words of love and gratitude that lifted his spirits and reminded him of how deeply he was cherished. He soaked up every word with that familiar sparkle in his eye,’ she recalled.

‘And yes, he still found time to crack well-timed jokes—Bobby had a wonderful, wicked sense of humor. It never left him. He could light up a room with a look, a quip, or one of his classic, one-liners.’

She paid tribute to his showbiz career but noted that ‘to those who truly knew him, Bobby was something much more. He was a man of service.’

Poublon pointed out that Sherman ‘traded sold-out concerts and magazine covers for the back of an ambulance, becoming an EMT and a trainer with the LAPD. He saved lives. He showed us what real heroism looks like—quiet, selfless, and deeply human.’

She shared: ‘Bobby is survived by his two sons, Tyler and Christopher, and six beautiful grandchildren. He lived with integrity, gave without hesitation, and loved with his whole heart. And though our family feels his loss profoundly, we also feel the warmth of his legacy—his voice, his laughter, his music, his mission.

Poublon concluded: ‘Thank you to every fan who ever sang along, who ever wrote a letter, who ever sent love his way. He felt it. Rest gently, my love. With gratitude and love, Brigitte Poublon Sherman.’

Stamos posted Poublon’s statement to Instagram with his own message: ‘From one ex teen idol, to another – rest in peace Bobby Sherman.’ 

Born in Santa Monica, Sherman was a football star in high school, before embarking on a glittering life in Hollywood as a singer and actor.

His career was launched after he was asked to sing at a party in the 1960s attended by the likes of Jane Fonda, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo – Sherman’s mentor.

Through that soiree, he made the connections to land a spot as a house singer on the variety show Shindig! in 1964, per the New York Times.

He became a bona fide star in 1968 on the western TV show Here Come The Brides, which centered on lonely lumberjacks in Seattle after the Civil War.

Sherman played the stammering, lovable Jeremy Bolt, one of the three brothers trying to recruit women to come to Seattle and stay for a year to keep the men company.

In 1969, Sherman achieved his greatest success as a singer with the bubblegum pop single Little Woman, in which he pleads with his lover to ‘make up your mind’ and to ‘come into my world and leave your world behind.’ 

He continued putting out hit singles, including La La La (If I Had You) in 1969, as well as Julie, Do Ya Love Me and Easy Come, Easy Go in 1970. 

Here Come The Brides ended in 1970, by which point Sherman had reportedly been sent more fan mail than any other on-air talent on ABC-TV.