Attempts continue to launch a successful game show or sitcom", "Final American Bandstand: The Cover Girls", http://nicestkids.com/nehvectors/nicest-kids/bandstands-backyard, "Remembering American Bandstand's 50th [Photos]", Son of Svengoolie - 'Good Morning, Sven' (Opening,Show #218) (verse occurs at the 1:35 mark), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=American_Bandstand&oldid=1140855641, American Bandstand's 20th Anniversary (1973), American Bandstand's 25th Anniversary (1977), American Bandstand's 30th Anniversary (1982), American Bandstand's 33 1/3 Celebration (1985), American Bandstand's 40th Anniversary (1992), American Bandstand's 50th Anniversary (2002), The show was featured prominently in the 20022005, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 03:03. By clicking Consent you are authorizing advertisers to collect information to personalize the ads you see. They even invented a few the Stroll, the Circle and the Chalypso. I imitated all the dance steps, sometimes with the refrigerator door as a partner. 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. American Bandstandsrelegation to a weekly schedule stripped it of much of its power as a potential hit song exposer, writes the music historian John Jackson. But he feared that if the shows secret ever came out, Middle America would change the channel. They were introduced as a result of an email sent to the Fifties Web. "He made sure the guys wore suits and we were dressed properly. They were introduced as a result of an email sent to the Fifties Web. No way I will get in his way! "If you got in front of the camera too much, he'd call you back and tell you to circulate. The shows were usually produced in either Stage 54 or Stage 55 at ABC Television Center. Browse celebrity nostalgia on our website. Brancaccio says thats what attracted him to it. How a Beloved Tori Amos B-Side Transformed 'Of An Age'. Dancing was a major feature of Bandstand. Carole Ann Scaldeferri Spada, 70, of Newtown Square, a regular dancer on American Bandstand from 1957 to 1961, died Sunday, Dec. 8, of congestive heart failure at a Springfield hospital. YOUR FAVORITE LOGO SHOWS ARE ON PARAMOUNT+, "Those boys who were 14 and 15 and 16 were sleeping with each other., 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. But overall, their meet-ups remained a sanctuary. My mother thought I was nuts. The Twist the first dance to come out where people danced separately and the Monkey and Jerk came out after Id left.. American Bandstand played a crucial role in introducing Americans to such famous artists as Prince, Jackson 5, Sonny and Cher, Aerosmith, and John Lydon's PiLall of whom made their American TV debuts on the show. Clark "was very all-American, handsome, and nice, a father figure to us," she recalled. Bunny Gibson was a kid when Dick Clark came into her life - or, rather, when she entered his world in Studio B at 46th and Market Streets in West Philadelphia. Thats all we did dance and every part of the city had its own style. In other parts of the country, if you were a gay kid growing up, you were probably the only one in town who was gay, Sullivan says. But it was obvious to the teen dancers that he was set on a trajectory that would take him far from Studio B in West Philly. Fiorentino was known on the show as "Nicky Blue.". I think [the shows success] even surprised Dick Clark.. sign up for our monthly Nostalgia e-newsletter or other e-newsletters tailored for boomers. 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. The use of videotape allowed Clark to produce and host a series of concert tours around the success of American Bandstand and to pursue other broadcast interests. Mixed REGULARS Galleries. 4/8/1989 10/7/1989 Syndicated Clark joined Bandstand in 1956 and moved with the show to Hollywood in 1964. Clark claimed that the affiliates got greedy and took the time back to put their own material on where they got 100 percent of the revenue. I knew I was different early on, but being with all these [Bandstand] friends, I came to terms with my feelings," Bandstand star Arlene Sullivan writes in her memoir, Bandstand Diaries. Clark now eyed California as where the action is. And in February 1964 Clark moved to Los Angeles, where it would continue until 1989, though lacking its West Philadelphia spontaneity. View Our Classic TV Shows Directory To the left youll find original pictures of some of the Regulars. My favorite dance was the Jitterbug the last dance where people danced together. LogoTV and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. Mrs. Spada attended West Catholic Girls High School. This version introduced lyrics written by Manilow and Bruce Sussman, referencing elements of the series. She tracked them down for the new coffee-table book, Bandstand Diaries: The Philadelphia Years, 1956-1963. It featured teenagers dancing to Top 40 music introduced by Clark; at least one popular musical actover the decades, running the gamut from Jerry Lee Lewis to RunD.M.C.usually appeared in person to lip-sync one of their latest singles. Years later, when Clark was asked whether any of the dancers had died of AIDS, he stated that one had, Smith recalled. Bandstand originally used "High Society" by Artie Shaw as its theme song, but by the time the show went national, it had been replaced by various arrangements of Charles Albertine's "Bandstand Boogie", including Les Elgart's big-band recording remembered by viewers of the daily version. This site does not collect any information from you. Squeaky clean commercial pitchman and deejay Dick Clark inherited Bob Horns locally broadcastBandstandin July 1956 and revamped it for a national audience of teenage consumers as ABCsAmerican Bandstand, which first aired in August 1957. On December 27 Bunny Gibson, American Bandstand Regular from 1959-1962, married Duke Tirschel in Chattanooga , Tennessee. Everybody knew the names of The Regulars on Bandstand. We sent some 15,000 fan letters each week. I was trying to hit them over their heads with my pocketbook, but they just wouldnt give up. ", "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. Thankfully we've come a long way since those sad days. But to his credit and diligence, he brilliantly created his own myth, and he stuck to it for the rest of his life. Don and Bunny had two daughters: Angel and Maria and four grandchildren: Lea & Christopher Di Vello, Alexis Karanzalis & Nicole Weiss. Clark said this about Horn: This started with "'65", then "'66", "'67", "'68" and "'69" when each year arrived. Some of the stories I heard are heartbreaking, Sullivan recalls. I can honestly say that I was the most blessed person in the world the day I met Norman and he and I became steady dance partners., Meeting Norman . American Bandstand, abbreviated AB, is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions that aired regularly from 1952 to 1989, [1] and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the program's producer. Jerry Oppenheimer is a best-selling author. 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. we were like a little family together, and we all had something in common, and we all stuck together, and that made it easier for us.. After dispelling rumors of his death, which circulated on social media on Thursday, Blavat's representative confirmed in a Facebook post on Friday morning that he had died at 3:45 a.m. at. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), Spice on Her Favorite 'Drag Race' Season 15 Moment and Her Sweet Reunion With Sugar, "I did win the hearts of these girls somehow and the love was just so felt. When ABC picked up the game show Do You Trust Your Wife? . The followed the trend of solo (open) dancing started by Chubby Checker and The Twist. Some solo dances had animal names, for example, The Pony and The Monkey; others were named for motions, for example, The Mashed Potato and The Loco-Motion. Two of the biggest record hits of the early 1960s, both of which received a huge boost from airtime onAmerican Bandstand, were Dee Dee Sharps Mashed Potato Time and Freddy Cannons Palisades Park.8, YetAmerican Bandstandsseven-year stint in West Philadelphia was about to end. AB WALLET PHOTOS. She also mentions a gay dancer who was pushed in the train tracks, and another who was dangled over an elevator shaft. She was 36. The only singer to ever co-host the show with Dick Clark was Donna Summer, who joined him to present a special episode dedicated to the release of the Casablanca film Thank God It's Friday on May 27, 1978. In the meantime, have a wonderful week or two. Anna Russo, 2800 North 7th Street, Apt. Another time, a dancer was thrown onto the subway tracks. Special Features: American Bandstand will be back someday, I assure you. Colanero danced from 1959 to 1961. Jax Spills the Tea on That "Shocking" Lip-Sync LaLaPaRuza, "In those lip-syncs, I fend for myself. Give me some Thumbs UP!This is Bunny Gibson and the American Bandstand Regulars live at Sesame Park outside of Philadelphia on July 21,. I was trying to hit them over their heads with my pocketbook, but they just wouldnt give up. It was no secret. I knew when couples broke up. Clark eventually assumed ownership of the program through his Dick Clark Productions company. They also reported on the careers and whereabouts of many of the other regulars and several of the shows musical guests. 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. Dick Clarks tight control on the sexual expression of his cast extended to a denial years after the show had ended. She was a senior.and luckily on the Honor Roll. . From 1974 to 1977, there was a newer, orchestral disco version of "Bandstand Boogie", arranged and performed by Joe Porter, played during the opening and closing credits. Fundraiser for the renovation of the original American Bandstand Studio Floor 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. Fifty years later, Bandstand fan Sharon Sultan Cutler wondered what had become of the Regulars, the name given to the teens that showed up daily to dance. She tracked them down for the new coffee-table book, Bandstand Diaries: The Philadelphia Years, 1956-1963. While the teens, all homegrown talent, rocked onstage, two cameras homed in on them for close-ups. She told me she got so many letters from fans who thought I looked like her and [with our dark hair], we did look alike. In 2004, Dick Clark, with the help of Ryan Seacrest, announced plans to revive the show in time for the 2005 season; although this did not occur (due in part to Clark suffering a severe stroke in late 2004), one segment of the revived Bandstanda national dance contesteventually became the series So You Think You Can Dance. He was a brilliant man. He practiced dancing with his niece, Robin, but when he went down to the show, they wouldnt let him in because he was over the age of 18. When I used to walk down the streets of Philadelphia and be recognized, Id be called a Bandstand f*ggot, dancer Frank Brancaccio told the National Enquirer in 2014. Five-foot-two, brown-eyed, brown-haired Arlene and handsome Kenny, a year younger, were among the TV music shows elite, its stars, the vaunted regulars along with another couple often on camera pert, blond Justine Carrelli and suave Bob Clayton. Norman and I met in January 1959 while standing outside of the studio waiting to get inside. Known for her perky personality, Pat Moliterri is credited with inventing the dance, the Hop, by combining elements of the Slop and the Bop.Sadly, Pat died in in the mid-seventies of a heart attack. It was briefly shot in color in 1958 when WFIL-TV began experimenting with the new technology. In an online page marking her 68th birthday on Nov. 23, 2011, Bandstand "documentarian" Charles W. Amann III posted: "The name Scaldeferri and American Bandstand go hand-in-hand. 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. "Dick Clark introduced records, and the camera followed teenagers as they selected partners to dance," writes historian Matthew Delmont. "[40] WFIL defended these local associations in order to maintain support. Norman had a very, very unique sense of humor, which made him so popular with all that knew him. We would roar, roll over with pain from laughing so hard. and scheduled the program at 3:30pm ETalmost in the middle of Bandstand. This site is not endorsed by or associated with dick clark productions, inc. or its family of companies. 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. Sullivan was most frequently paired with a boy named Kenny Rossi, who was straight, but still subject to attacks for appearing on the show: One time, Kenny and I went to visit one of the other regulars up in North Philadelphia, and we were leaving her apartment and were headed to the El, and I heard car doors slamming, and I looked back, and all these guys were coming up the steps, and they started beating up on Kenny, Sullivan says. From September 13, 1986, to September 5, 1987, Manilow's version was replaced at the close of the show by a new closing theme arranged by David Russo, who also performed an updated instrumental arrangement of "Bandstand Boogie" when Bandstand went into syndication. 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. Finally, we got away and jumped over the turnstile. "I kissed a girl, and I liked it!. The typical production schedule consisted of videotaping three shows on a Saturday and three shows on a Sunday, every six weeks. Don Cornelius, the creator and host of Soul Train, along with Jesse Jackson, entered into a dispute with Clark over this upstart program, and it was canceled within a few weeks. That might have had something to do with the scandal that surrounded the departure of his predecessor, Bob Horn, who faced a drunken-driving arrest and morals charges. 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. We followed their dance steps on TV and their personal lives in Teen magazines. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. When he became a regular in 1959, Clark was only 30. Set pieces from Soul Unlimited were utilized by Bandstand for its 19741978 set design. Nicholas Fiorentino, 67, a South Philly native now living in Cherry Hill, said it was clear even to Bandstand teenagers that Clark was going places. As two or three stations grab it off, you get less clearance, therefore you get less rating, and its an endless cycle. This investigation targeted the practice of payola, and it was most likely triggered by rumors circulating that charged Dick Clark with promoting records in which he held a financial stake onAmerican Bandstandand taking kickbacks from record companies to include their records on the shows playlist. Never, did I ever think that I would be with him, holding his hand when he passed away. REGULARS Gallery 1. "This man had the strongest personality that I had ever seen as a young boy," he said. 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? e9 = new Object(); [8] On September 7, 1963, the program was moved from its weekday slot and began airing weekly every Saturday afternoon, restored to an hour, until 1989. ", California residents do not sell my data request. I had asked Norman to dance when it was a ladies choice. The dark-complexioned, wavy-haired Sullivan6bolstered American Bandstands image as a show dominated by Italian-American teens. He kept his distance, she says. . I still have my HI-FI sitting against a wall between my living room and dining room. Bunnys mom, Betty, made her promise that she would graduate. Instead of shortening or moving Bandstand, ABC opted to just begin Bandstand at 3pm, cut away to Who Do You Trust? [Clark] was a cool professional with an agenda from the beginning, an agenda for success that made him rich; he was a millionaire by the end of the 1950s. We'll see you the next time on American Bandstand. Sullivan and the other dancers often congregated in Rittenhouse Square, the historic epicenter of what is known as the City of Brotherly Loves Gayborhood. There even was chatter and fear that Clark, who died at 82 in 2012, sent members of his production staff to spy on them and report back the names of the suspected gay regulars. Bandstand debuted in Philadelphia in 1950 and took on its familiar format two years later. I'm David Hirsch and, on behalf of American Bandstand, I bid you, for the last time, goodbye. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Ross Media Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. From that dance on we became steady dance partners until I had to leave the show on my 18th birthday, which was in August of 1961., The Pony Contest . Like the rest of us, the 'Drag Race' Season 15 queen is crushing on Pedro Pascal. [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). And, for me, the kids on Bandstand were all I aspired to be. Score: 4.4/5 (45 votes) . Click here to see some of your favorites back in action. They were real kids from Philly, and if you watched every day, you could tell who was breaking up and who was making up. He spoke of his youth, of Bandstand and his favorite gal, Bunny. I kissed a girl, and I liked it! Sullivan, now 74 and long out of the closet, reveals in a fascinating self-published book, Bandstand Diaries billed as The Book Youve Waited Over 50 Years to Read!. "Saturday Bandstand retained the proven format of the now defunct weekday show, but it sustained a crucial loss of spontaneity as a result of being taped instead of shown live. and they put a drinking cup in front of him and said, This is your cup, and youre the only one who will use this cup. One friend of mine was kicked out of the house.. And the one thing that really shocked me was that those boys who were 14 and 15 and 16 were sleeping with each other.. However, the couple will shortly be returning to Los Angeles, which will be their permanent residence. Hey, our thanks to Laura Branigan for joining us here on American Bandstand today. Dick Clark Productions is credited as the show's co-producer, and longtime employee Allen Shapiro serves as co-executive producer. I have a Champion Samoyed show dog. One market not telecasting Bandstand was Baltimore, Maryland, as local affiliate WAAM (now WJZ-TV) elected to produce a local dance show in the same afternoon time slot. Bob Horn Host (Bob Horns Bandstand), Bandstand Boogie THIS & THAT 50s/60s. Duke is a premier photographer of the martial arts as well as being an expert. Its original host was fired after a DWI arrest and in July 1956 a young radio DJ took over. June Bouche on November 20, 2018 at 9:12 pm . Well, it's our last show here on Bandstand and I really want to thank the viewers who have kept American Bandstand on the air all these years. Those "American Bandstand" days were the best for all of us teenagers who followed the program, the regulars, the dances, the performers, etc. We were like sisters. The new legislation effectively ended payola in the music business.2, American Bandstandtoo weathered the payola storm. ", Songs she liked to dance to, Mrs. Spada wrote online in June 2010, included "Little Darlin'," "Sixteen Candles," "Tears on my Pillow," "Splish Splash," "Never on Sunday," and "Let's Do The Stroll.". John Lithgow filmed a mockumentary episode before it was c 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Influencer refuses to switch business class seats so family can sit together, Ousted Chicago mayor blames loss on racism, gender but not her tepid response to crime, Chaka Khan blasts Rolling Stone, Adele, Mariah Carey in podcast talk, Disgraceful Meghan, Harry provoked King Charles to evict them: royal expert, Kanye West and wife Bianca Censori look surprisingly happy on dinner date, Sunny Hostin Points Finger at China for COVID Crisis: Did Not Cooperate With the International Community, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle confirm they were asked to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage. 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. The 50 record albums are packed away for safekeeping., Normans passing The segment gave rise to the catchphrase "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it. This story has been shared 115,637 times. Remember, these Regulars werent paid actors or dancers. He is a man of God and over the years has established both karate and prison ministeries. Elgart's version was released as a single in March 1954 (Columbia 40180) as well as Curb's theme (by "Mike Curb & The Waterfall") in October 1969 (Forward 124). By then, he was a big-time television producer. Black music and black dances originating in Philadelphia neighborhoods contributed substantially to the success ofAmerican Bandstand; yetAmerican Bandstandsdancefloor and bleachers were racially segregated, and some of the shows most popular dances were adapted without attribution from black neighborhoods. Id see these kids dancing and instinctively I knew I could fit in with them. unsold game show pilots). "Two or three times during the show, Clark would introduce singers or groups who would lip-sync their latest hits." 2. Many other Bandstand alumni from the show's Philadelphia era were overcome with a rush of memories Wednesday. 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. But we were like a little family together, and we all had something in common, and we all stuck together, and that made it easier for us.. We'll see you then. Variety Shows . A Midlothian-based freelance writer, Martha Steger has received national awards for her journalism, essays, short fiction and poetry. The Buddy Deane Show aired on WJZ-TV until January 4, 1964. May, 1961. Sullivans co-author, Ray Smith, recently retired after 40 years as an Emmy-winning Today show producer. But I didnt have any crushes on any of the straight girls. Browse 1,010 american bandstand dancers stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The Philadelphia way Were goin drop in (Drop!) . These Regulars . She was one of the great stars of the Philadelphia years. The news hit hard. Dick Clark was a TV personality known for the shows 'American Bandstand,' '$25,000 Pyramid' and 'TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes,' among others. He was also reportedly involved in a prostitution ring and brought up on morals charges. American Bandstand first aired 5 August 1957 in the 3-4:30 afternoon slot. Give me some Thumbs UP!This is Bunny Gibson and the American Bandstand Regulars live at Sesame Park outside of Philadelphia on July 21, 1997 as recorded by OnlineTV.com and Rick Siegel.The Regulars were there to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of American Bandstand and the parties were relentless as were the memories. , Puppy love American Bandstand Fundraiser Pictures, To my knowledge, no VHS tape of American Bandstand is commercially available. Unlike Smith, she expresses no animosity toward Clark. SUBSCRIBE TO MY FEED! On all the music they play On the Bandstand.! This incarnation was an early version of the music video shows that became popular in the 1980s, featuring films that were the ancestors of music videos. I think after several decades he actually believed the myth. Bandstand Diaries: The Philadelphia Years, 1956-1963 shares the fascinating story of how Dick Clark's American Bandstand and its millions of viewers catapulted its teenage dancers (called "the Regulars") to fame. American Bandstand Regulars Interview Frank Spagnuola 280 subscribers Subscribe 746 Share 82K views 5 years ago This is the interview with Arlene, Kenny, Frank and Carole about their days on. Once a week, she goes to a hop thrown by another Bandstand original, 76-year-old Philadelphia radio and TV personality Jerry Blavat, who bills himself as The Geator with the Heater and The Boss with the Hot Sauce.. In an interview with the New York Post, Sullivan says that she and many of the gay male dancers would congregate in the Gayborhood, Rittenhouse Square, and there were rumors that Clark sent producers to spy on them. The couple first honeymooned on the Chattanooga Choo Choo, the famed railway that was immortalized by Glenn Miller and was the first to run South to North.
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