Joyce Shafer talks about herself and her dance partner, Norman Kerr, Norman was one of a kind, always making people laugh. . [42], Bandstand "regulars" from the Philadelphia years, Move from ABC to syndication and the USA Network, AMERICAN BANDSTAND (1987 Closing Credits - ABC Finale), Laura Branigan - Shattered Glass & Interview - AB (1987). [3] Horn was temporarily replaced by producer Tony Mammarella before the job went to Dick Clark permanently. While the teens, all homegrown talent, rocked onstage, two cameras homed in on them for close-ups. All rock'n roll and most owned by Dick Clark himself. Not only was it extremely intelligent, but there was something moving about the mans story. AMERICAN BANDSTAND BLOG. Goes from a daily to a weekly Saturday show in Philadelphia: 9/7/1963, Broadcast from Los Angeles: Begins 2/8/1964, Produced by Anthony Tony Mammarella and Dick Clark, Dick Clark Host Arlene Sullivan and Kenny Rossi on the cover of Teen magazine in 1959. She danced the "push" - a "type of jitterbug . . When she heard the news of Clark's death Wednesday, Gibson immediately headed to Hollywood to be with other former Bandstand regulars at Clark's star on the Walk of Fame. Clark said this about Horn: Prior to the move, Bandstand had sourced many of its up-and-coming acts from Philadelphia's Cameo-Parkway Records. . During the segment, two audience members each ranked two records on a scale of 35 to 98, after which their two opinions were averaged by Clark, who then asked the chosen members to justify their scores. "For all those who knew her throughout her life and for those who watched her dance on American Bandstand, Carole was full of love and full of God. In a nice way, he'd discipline us.". The Philadelphia way Were goin drop in (Drop!) It was horrible.. We were like sisters. American Bandstand will be back someday, I assure you. Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 03:03, The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show, Top of newscast salutes to Clark deserved, "Did the Beatles kill America's radio stars? On May 3, 2002, Dick Clark hosted a one-off special 50th anniversary edition on ABC. He spoke of his youth, of Bandstand and his favorite gal, Bunny. "He made me feel that if you want something in life, you have to be serious about it.". It became a national institution and Dick Clark a celebrity. Then it was hosted by Bob Horn and was called Bob Horns Bandstand.On July 9 of 1956 the show got a new host, a clean-cut 26 year old named Dick Clark. Both were ratings disasters. Sullivans co-author, Ray Smith, recently retired after 40 years as an Emmy-winning Today show producer. Two weeks later, Bandstand moved to first-run syndication. Not only does Bandstand Diaries detail Smith's and Sullivan's personal experiences, it also includes interviews with more than 40 Bandstand regulars, reveals Dick Clark's back story and . ", Jennifer Coolidge Screams, Is a Queen in Netflix's 'We Have a Ghost'. The most memorable day for Norman and me was April 13, 1961, the day we won second place in the Pony Dance Contest. When WFIL-TV moved to a new facility on City Line Avenue (one that did not have a studio that could accommodate the show), ABC moved production of Bandstand to the ABC Television Center (stage 5) in Los Angeles (now known as The Prospect Studios) on February 8, 1964, which coincidentally was the day before the Beatles first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. Don married Bunny. A case in point is Arlene Sullivan, a popular Regular who has described her own emerging lesbian sexual orientation, which she says was masked by her dance partnerships with boys. For now, Dick Clark on ABC, so long. Teenagers dance on an episode of Dick Clark's television program, 'American Bandstand,' 1950s. But if you subscribe and leave a comment you want to see the parade, I will do it.Remember to SUBSCRIBE TO MY FEED AS I UPLOAD MORE FROM MY ARCHIVES! This first national broadcast of American Bandstand was filmed in the Starlight Ballroom in Wildwood, NJ. Weekday afternoons were spent with the kids in Philly, the kids on American Bandstand. They were the squeaky-clean Kardashians of their era, and Bandstand could easily claim the title as the first reality show. BUT he was out for Clark., Sullivan claims there were four other popular girl dancers on the show whom she knew to be lesbians, and they hung out together. The TV exposure, plus the profiles some of the dancers were given in Teen magazine in the late 1950s, made them instant celebrities. From 1977 to September 6, 1986, the show opened and closed with Barry Manilow's rendition of "Bandstand Boogie",[7] which he originally recorded for his 1975 album Tryin' to Get the Feeling. Were goin hopin today Home Yesteryear Nostalgia Where Are the American Bandstand Regulars Now? Oddly enough, I have never checked with the other Regulars to get their feedback. and scheduled the program at 3:30pm ETalmost in the middle of Bandstand. Filmed in the cramped quarters of the WFIL Studios at 46th and Market Streets in Philly, Bandstand is such a part of Americana that Dick Clarks podium now resides in the Smithsonian. "That really annoyed me," said Smith, "Because quite a few of. A funeral director in Newtown Square confirmed Monday night that Mrs. Spada had died, but declined to divulge the details before meeting with her family. And he has the one criteria required to attract Bunny Gibson. Don Travarelli, from South Philly, watched American Bandstand in 1961 and spotted Bunny Gibson dancing. Very sadly, Bob passed away 2 . From 1974 to September 6, 1986, Bandstand featured another instrumental at its mid-show break: Billy Preston's synth hit "Space Race". LOS ANGELES - APRIL 1960: Host of the television show 'American Bandstand' Dick Clark appears in a scene with Michael Callan from the movie 'Because They're Young' which was released in April 1960. The Bop. In September 1964, Bandstand began using a new logo based on the ABC circle logo, reading "ab" in the same typeface followed by a number representing the year the show aired. Dick Clark later stated that he knew the prime-time edition would fail because its core audience teenagers and housewives was occupied with other interests in the evenings. She never saw much of Clark outside of the studio. While Bandstand fans across the country imagined a true romantic relationship between Sullivan, who secretly liked girls, and her on-screen companion, Rossi, who was straight, she says it was little more than made-for-TV puppy love. We were the first reality show, she adds. e9 = new Object(); Bob retired after being in the shoe business and the chemical business, where he often worked 18 hour days. Norman and I met in January 1959 while standing outside of the studio waiting to get inside. This site does not collect any information from you. I started going out to straight clubs.. While ABC wasnt in the quiz show business, a congressional subcommittee found another reason to investigate the network. I was truly blessed in my life with wonderful family, friends and fans. A funeral director in Newtown Square confirmed Monday night that Mrs. Spada had died, but declined to divulge the details before meeting with her family. [1] John A. Jackson,American Bandstand: Dick Clark and the Making of a Rock n Roll Empire(New York: Oxford University Press, 1997), chaps. 1950s/1960s POLLS. As previously mentioned, during the 1978 season of Bandstand, Donna Summer became the only music artist in Bandstand's history to co-host the program. James Morgan, who danced 17 times on Bandstand and stayed interested in it over the years, said Mrs. Spada had run a beauty parlor in the suburbs. Clark "was very all-American, handsome, and nice, a father figure to us," she recalled. When he became a regular in 1959, Clark was only 30. They married during her Thanksgiving vacation from Northeast High School. "He presented himself as such a grown-up.". Score: 4.4/5 (45 votes) . . Clark "was a good man, but he wasn't as friendly with us as people may think," Colanero said. But . . Clark looked like one of the kids." (Horn was 40 when he left Bandstand and Clark was a babyfaced 27.) July 9th, 1988", "Retro Request: Sat 10/31 & 11/7 and Sun 11/1, 1987", "AB now in syndication: Jody Watley, Dan Hill, David Spade", "Clark ends long-playing spin on bandstand", "On 'Bandstand,' Dick Clark Says Goodbye", "AGELESS CLARK STILL STANDS FOR THE 'AMERICAN' BAND", "Hits Prove Hard to Find at Dick Clark Productions: Entertainment: Performance has been mediocre since the company went public in 1987. And while more openly gay performers are comfortable taking the stage these days, it's good to know we've always been thereeven if in silence. . Finally, we got away and jumped over the turnstile. At the time, being open about their sexuality would have meant the end for these young performers with stars in their eyes. There were occasional shows that were not hosted by Clark, in which case a substitute host (among them Rick Azar) was brought in.[6]. Clark was determined to keep the homosexuality of popular Bandstand regulars a secret, Smith said. Television host Dick Clark presides over the set of his show American Bandstand in 1957. [36] Clark remained as executive producer. 1st song played on the national edition was Jerry Lee Lewis Whole Lotta Shaking Goin On.1st Guests: Billy Williams, ChordettesLast song on the ABC network was Laura Branigans Shattered Glass., See above pictureThe Stroll recorded by The Diamonds in 1958. Dick Clark, in full Richard Wagstaff Clark, (born November 30, 1929, Bronxville, New York, U.S.died April 18, 2012, Santa Monica, California), American television personality and businessman, best known for hosting American Bandstand. Local radio disc jockey Buddy Deane was chosen as the host of The Buddy Deane Show on Channel 13, and began a daily two hour broadcast on September 9, 1957. I was a preteen, which is to say, I was a teenage wannabe. Wed stay up all night talking about boys, said Sullivan. She calls it her one night out.. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Ross Media Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ", "Forty years after 'Bandstand' debut, Clark and dancers celebrate", "ORIGINAL DANCERS WILL GRANDSTAND AT 'BANDSTAND' REUNION", "American Bandstand, Season 30, Episode 38: Laura Brannigan (Final ABC show)", "Dick Clark's On a Roll: He Tunes In to TV Trends", "Dick Clark celebrates American Bandstand's 35th", "RETRO: Fairbanks, Alaska (October 24, 1987)", "Retro: Northern Wisconsin, Sat. The Twist the first dance to come out where people danced separately and the Monkey and Jerk came out after Id left.. On December 27 Bunny Gibson, American Bandstand Regular from 1959-1962, married Duke Tirschel in Chattanooga , Tennessee. One show from this first season (December 18, 1957, identified as the "Second National Telecast") is preserved in the archives of Chicago's Museum of Broadcast Communications. . On September 13, 1969, the Bandstand set was given a complete overhaul and Les Elgart's big band version of "Bandstand Boogie" was replaced by the Mike Curb theme. We also surmise that her mother was an Italian immigrant (she refers to her Italian mom), and her father of Irish descent. It was horrible., Smith says he was lucky to have escaped a beating. He kept his distance, she says. [7] The Diary of Arlene Sullivan, in Sullivan, Smith, and Cutler,Bandstand Diaries, 43-63. When ABC picked the show up, it was renamed American Bandstand, airing its first national show on August 5, 1957. Clark moved the show to California in 1964, but many fans remember it as a Philadelphia phenomenon. Clark weathered the hearings by not being fully transparent, and he avoided being indicted for criminal behavior. . . I went to Bandstand because I was gay and I was a misfit in my neighborhood. However, advertisers do to enable personalized ads. 2023 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Clark was a disc jockey at the student-run radio station at Syracuse University (1951), and he worked at radio and television stations in Syracuse and Utica . I tried my best to fill your shoes and I hope I have lived up to what you were expecting of me. I didnt know what I was doing and decided I cant do this, and I called my dad and asked him to come get me, she says. Bandstand Diaries shares some public information and photos about Frani (page 84). One young performer was dangled down an elevator shaft. But to his credit and diligence, he brilliantly created his own myth, and he stuck to it for the rest of his life. These teenagers became the nation's first reality-TV stars--they received thousands of fan letters and were mobbed everywhere they went. We've received your submission. He had other irons in the fire. Hes a heckuva good dancer who does a mean jitterbug! Acts debuting on Bandstand appeared on Deane's program, but were asked to not mention their previous appearance with Clark while on the Baltimore show. you could do in half time - the hop, the bop, and the stomp," she wrote. Teen idol Bobby Rydell, whose music career is still going strong 60 years after American Bandstand, wrote the books introduction; but former Regular Arlene Sullivan, who shares her memories and personal images, is a standout as well as a co-author of the book. The show was American Bandstand, and Dick Clarks clean-cut style meant the program had parents stamp of approval. . Forget that. You eventually get cancelled.. And whereas 135 ABC-affiliated stations carriedAmerican Bandstandon a revenue-sharing basis in 1960, the stations were bailing out of this relationship in 1963. The Village People performed their legendary song, "YMCA" for the audience in Pasadena, California. Like the rest of us, the 'Drag Race' Season 15 queen is crushing on Pedro Pascal. West Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, Jersey you learned the different styles of the same dances., The Regulars did the Pony, Jitterbug, Calypso, Cha-cha and a slow dance that she says wasnt exactly a waltz: The kids didnt stand in one spot. Jax Spills the Tea on That "Shocking" Lip-Sync LaLaPaRuza, "In those lip-syncs, I fend for myself. . The show's popularity helped Dick Clark become an American media mogul and inspired similar long-running music programs, such as Soul Train and British series Top of the Pops. If it wasnt assaults from outside haters, some of the Bandstand kids suffered in their own homes. Soul Unlimited was not well-received among its target audience of African-Americans, ostensibly due to its being created by a white man (Clark), and because of its alleged usage of deliberately racial overtones despite this fact. Colanero danced from 1959 to 1961. [18][19][20] Dubbed as The New American Bandstand and distributed by LBS Communications, the series' tapings were moved from the ABC Television Center to the Hollywood studios of Los Angeles's PBS member station KCET,[21] with a new set was similar to that of Soul Train. In fact, it was dangerous. She knew Chubby Checker and Fabian from South Philadelphia High School. American Bandstand started life as a Philadelphia TV show in 1952, with Bob Horn as master of ceremonies. American Bandstand premiered locally in late March 1952 as Bandstand on Philadelphia television station WFIL-TV Channel 6 (now WPVI-TV), as a replacement for a weekday movie that had shown predominantly British films. [4] Ray Smith, Dancing on Air, in Arlene Sullivan, Ray Smith, and Sharon Sultan Cutler, eds.,Bandstand Diaries: The Philadelphia Years, 1956-1963(Chicago: Cony Island Press, 2019), 35. 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