Bobby Sherman, the pop singer and TV heartthrob who captivated millions of fans in the late 1960s and early 1970s before dedicating his life to public service, has died. He passed away peacefully at his home in Encino, California, on June 24, 2025, at the age of 81. The cause was complications from stage 4 kidney cancer, which he had been privately battling since earlier this year.
Sherman first rose to fame during the golden era of teen idols, when his clean-cut looks, boyish charm, and catchy pop singles made him a favorite among adolescent audiences. With hit songs like “Little Woman,” “Julie, Do Ya Love Me,” and “Easy Come, Easy Go,” he dominated the Billboard charts and earned seven gold singles and five gold albums over the course of his recording career.
Born Robert Cabot Sherman Jr. on July 22, 1943, in Santa Monica, California, and raised in Van Nuys, he began his entertainment journey when actor Sal Mineo encouraged him to pursue music. After performing at a Hollywood party in the early 1960s, Sherman was quickly discovered and soon found a platform on the musical variety show Shindig!
His acting breakthrough came in 1968 with the role of Jeremy Bolt on ABC’s frontier drama Here Come the Brides. His performance, combined with his pop success, made him one of the most popular young entertainers of the era. At the height of his fame, Sherman received more fan mail than any other ABC star.
But as the teen idol craze faded, Sherman transitioned away from the spotlight in a most unexpected way. Inspired by a guest appearance on the TV series Emergency!, he trained as an emergency medical technician in the late 1980s. He volunteered with the Los Angeles Police Department, teaching CPR and first aid to cadets and officers, and eventually became a technical Reserve Police Officer and medical training officer at the LAPD Academy. He was named LAPD’s Reserve Officer of the Year in 1999 and also served as a reserve deputy sheriff in San Bernardino County until his retirement in 2010.
In addition to his work in public safety, Sherman and his second wife, Brigitte Poublon, co-founded the Brigitte & Bobby Sherman Children’s Foundation, which provides education and healthcare resources for children in Ghana.
Sherman was married twice. He had two sons, Christopher and Tyler, with his first wife, Patti Carnel. He married Poublon in 2010, after a decades-long friendship that began when she was a fan.
Though he stepped away from the entertainment business, Sherman remained a beloved figure among fans of classic pop music and vintage television. His rare blend of charisma, talent, humility, and generosity allowed him to live two remarkable lives—first as a star and then as a servant to the community.
“He was brave, gentle, and full of light,” his wife Brigitte said in a statement. “He lived with humor, integrity, and love—and made the world better in more ways than most ever knew.”
Sherman is survived by his wife, two sons, and six grandchildren. His legacy endures not only in music and television but in the lives he saved and the causes he championed.
