Most of us remember Jan Smithers as the smart, shy Bailey Quarters on WKRP in Cincinnati. Though both Bailey and Loni Anderson‘s Jennifer Marlowe were non-stereotypical characters that served as role models for young women way back then, for many of us, Bailey was easily the more relatable, authentic character.

However, I’m not writing about Bailey, Jennifer or WKRP today. Instead, I’d like to go back to the early 1970s, when Jan was part of a band called Hot Cup of Friends, and had her own brief rock star moment in the music world.

What was Jan Smithers’ band?

If you haven’t heard of Hot Cup of Friends, don’t feel too bad. The aspiring group consisted of Jan, her boyfriend Chris Mancini, as well as a fellow named Tony Selvi, who just happened to play a mean violin.

While it’s not a part of her life that is remembered by many, thanks to the internet and YouTube, we can actually watch one of the band’s performances. But, before you do, let me just share a little more context about how the band came to be.

Regarding Jan’s boyfriend, Chris Mancini, if that last name sounds familiar, it should. Chris is the son of Henry Mancini, the famous composer who wrote the Pink Panther theme and “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Jan and Chris formed Hot Cup of Friends together and shared singing duties.

They didn’t play in their garages, though. Because of the Mancini connection, the group managed to get a spot on one of the biggest music shows back then. On April 20th, 1973, Hot Cup of Friends made their network television debut on NBC’s The Midnight Special.

The specific episode that Hot Cup of Friends appeared on was hosted by Doc Severinsen and featured popular acts of the time like Jerry Butler and Dobie Gray.

Henry Mancini was also a guest on the show that night, and he took a moment to introduce the band himself. You can see fatherly pride in his eyes as he tells the audience that this is his son’s network debut. He then turns his attention to Jan and mentions that there’s a lovely young lady in the group, joking that his son “knows how to pick ’em.”

He sure did.

MTM Television/Courtesy: Everett Collection

The band performed an original song by Chris called “Indian Warrior.” Truthfully, the song really isn’t my cup of tea, but I will admit that it is a tune that fits right in with that folk-rock music that was so popular at the time.

During their performance, Jan stands next to Chris right at the front of the stage, looking like a true ’70s musician. Even though I’m not a huge fan of their music, what is clear to me is that Jan was something special.

The band didn’t last all that long. As far as I can tell, they never even released an album. That’s probably because Jan was a pretty darn busy lady. She had already done some modeling work, including a famous Newsweek cover as a teenager, and acting eventually took over for her.

A year after the band appeared on TV, she landed a role in the movie Where the Lilies Bloom, and a few years later, she found her place at WKRP. And that, my friends, was the final nail in the coffin for her secret rock star life.