by Gloria Stavers

(See transcript of text below images)

If You Had A Date With LUKE HALPIN

Sandy-haired Luke has been the hero of the young set ever since he appeared in his firs MGM Flipper picture a few years ago. But even before that, he was well known to TV audiences through his many roles on TV shows originating from New York. Now 18, he has accumulated fans as he's picked up inches -- steadily and surely -- reaching for new heights, both in his physical and professional stature. Luke began his career almost by accident. A music student by the time he was eight, his all-American looks and amiable personality so impressed his piano teacher that she suggested his name to a director-friend who was then casting a TV show. The director was equally impressed -- and Luke won the part, co-starring with Natalie Wood in a Studio One production. He was never idle from that point on.

After many roles in TV, he was selected to star in Flipper by MGM, and was of course, a natural to carry on into the TV version of the show. Since most of the filming is done in Florida, Luke and his family moved down there from New York to make life easier.

Through all the years of acting and exposure, Luke has learned to take stardom in stride. A level-headed boy from the beginning, he has never really adjusted to the fact that other kids consider him as extra-special, and he finds it difficult to understand why he is mobbed whenever he appears in public.

Though Luke's life is not the most normal, he still tries to keep himself and his activities as average as possible. A natural athlete, he enjoys all water sports, and is especially interested in working with dolphins. Lately, he has joined the staff of the Miami Beach Seaquarium, and when he's not facing the cameras, he spends all his leisure time there.

Luke is still in school, though like other young thesps, he has his own tutor on the set, rather than attending regular classes. He admits he likes girls, and he dates as much as possible. But because of his hectic schedule, he doesn't often have much time. In any case, he has no special girl at the moment.

Besides his current work on the series, Luke's main ambition is to get back to making movies -- the field he really loves most.

What would a date with Luke Halpin be like? It would be a fun date -- probably a day spent swimming or water skiing, with a picnic lunch. Because of his love for movies, it might include a film later in the evening, but more likely, it would be spent listening to records or a juke box somewhere out of the way where he would not be too likely to draw attention from the public. For Luke has never lost his shyness and still feels embarrassed when he draws a crowd of admirers. One of the people closest to this green-eyed 5'7" charmer put it this way: "Luke is a level-headed kid who is extremely modest, but who can't even go out without being mobbed and nearly stripped by fans." The girl who makes the grade with Luke will also have to consider the difficulties that his stardom imposes upon him -- and will have to learn to share him with his many fans as well as his work.



NOTE by cpps90: The article uses a publicity photo for Flipper's New Adventure, a film made when Luke Halpin was much younger than 18.
The following pics are taken from Season 2, which Luke filmed when he was 18.

Luke Halpin at 18 -