The Days and Lives of Singer/Actor Gloria Loring



In the fabulous ’80s one of my best friends, Peggy Goff Bottger, and I each moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Thanks to that friendship I met, and often stayed at the home of, her sister – singer/actor/author Gloria Loring. Gloria was glamorous, inspiring, and a bonafide celebrity. They were heady times for me…meeting other soap stars (one of which she was dating, which you’ll hear her talk about), going to a Halloween party at the home of her ex-husband Alan Thicke (I will never forget arriving in my Bette Midler costume and making divots in his backyard from my high heels….) and yes, even babysitting occasionally for her sons Brennan, and now star in his own right, Robin Thicke.

But I learned a lot of life lessons from Gloria — and Peggy — exposed to her spiritual side, as I watched her marry her next love and teach us about yoga. I even got some cooking lessons along the way. Peggy and I had many adventures in the 80s/90s of Los Angeles — from traveling together to standing up as her maid of honor — and that spiritual side served us well as we talked about her beliefs as she bravely fought a terminal illness.

This is a paean to inheriting new friends and never forgetting the old ones… while remembering always It’s Quite a Living.

For Gloria Loring, whom you might know as the singer of the hit song, Friends & Lovers, sung with Carl Anderson, or you might know her as Liz Chandler on Days of Our Lives. She is also the co-composer of the theme songs for Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life. Since her start as a professional singer at age 16 she’s sung on the Emmy Awards, The Johnny Carson Show, The Golden Globes, even The Academy Awards.

Imagine how flipped out I was when Peggy had me deliver a singing telegram for Gloria for her going away party when she was leaving Days of Our Lives! Apparently to hear Glo tell it in this conversation my “performance” was more memorable to me than her! But we do take many other walks down memory lane — discussing her path from the early days, like her appearance in a classic Carol Burnett show skit (see link in resources) to her current role as “Nana” and the surprise of being a chart topping singer mid-retirement!

So, to Peggy, thanks for adding your family to mine, from your children Emma and Ian, to Gloria and my former “charges” Brennan and Robin.

Here are some shots from the “family album”:

Peggy, Robin, Gloria, Brennan and babies!

My friend Peggy – a light in our lives

Bumping into Eduardo in Texas while carrying Gloria’s book about coincidences… 

E.B. and Peggy at Yosemite

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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