In this new setting, a greater number of kids could dance while the music played. This part goes far beyond just one television program and concerns the entire entertainment and political communities. 95K subscribers Subscribe 10K 415K views 1 year ago Happy 60th anniversary of. Once or twice on each program, Horn would intone: Weve got company and a recording artist would appear on the set to lip-synch to his or her record. He announced that the luncheon was being postponed because there was a labor dispute at the restaurant and city officials didnt want to cross any possible picket line. Maybe he was on edge because the vice trial was about to start a few days later. Also in 1956 a 19-year-old model named Marion Melet accused vocalist Joe Valino (a Sinatra sound-alike whose real name was Joe Paolino) of getting her pregnant then taking her to an abortionist to have it taken care of. These men were, you might say, realists. These kids invented new dance steps and made The Bunny Hop and The Bristol Stomp popular. On the other hand, Blancs total and Blancs margin of victory was not anywhere near what his predecessor, Richardson Dilworth, had achieved in 1951. They enjoyed walks in the park , and going to the drive-in movies with Barbara Leveick and her boyfriend at the time. For those of you that question or challenge this, please try and recall a scene from the shows in Philadelphia where the girls were not wearing Catholic school uniform dresses and the boys were not wearing the white shirt and tie Catholic school boys uniform. Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater, Branson, Missouri. He also played show tunes and interviewed Harold Rome, the composer of the Broadway musical Fanny when it played its pre-Broadway try out in Philadelphia in 1954. Harvey Sheldon, a white high school student who later became a songwriter, reported that he jitterbugged with a black girl on the show in 1952 or 53 and no one said anything about it. I am not sure of girl on the far left--looks like Betty Romantini but not positive). Hi Carmen, I'm 74 years old. For more about your favorite dancers and show, read Bandstand Diaries. Egyptian American Society - Bay Area - First Picnic of 2023!!! American Bandstand aired between 1956 and 1963 on ABC in Philadelphia Its teenage stars danced in pairs and some formed on-screen partnerships Many, including Arlene Sullivan, were gay but hid. With Clark, the program became more popular than ever. Blanc had a love-hate relationship with show business, and even got personally involved in it. When Blancs campaign was launched, friends of Walter Annenberg hoped that the DA would find some dirt on WPENs popular night-time talk host, Steve Allison, because Allison often criticized Annenberg and the Inquirer. His 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. radio show took place in a club-like setting where food and drinks were served, so it was a magnet for playboys, for girls who wanted to taste show biz glamour, and men who wanted to arrange introductions and get some action. Why did the station move so quickly to dump Horn? American Bandstand (1952-89) was a massively popular music television program with strong Philadelphia roots, storied national success, and the power to shape the music industry and society. (I was in his office as he wrote it. For those that don't like the watermark or the timer on the screen, please send your complaints on the back of an envelope or postcard to American Bandstand, Philadelphia, PA. Tallulah Dancier is a black woman who started watching the show around that time: I would hurry home and watch Bandstand as I did my homework. It became a national institution and Dick Clark a celebrity. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. After awhile, the producers decided that they wanted to change the image of the show, so they created a new policy. The marker stands opposite 4548 Market Street (not shown here), which once housed WFIL-TVand its Studio B, the original home of American Bandstand. I danced there until 1972 and the policy remained the same. Her husband, Richard Spada, said Mrs. Spada was recovering from a minor stroke she had suffered earlier when she became ill on the way . By coincidence, it relocated to Los Angeles the same week in February 1964 that the Beatles flew to New York for their first appearance on Ed Sullivan. Classic - My Photos Mix Photo. PT. This was her unique moral code. Blancs secret headquarters was at 1927 Chestnut Street while my fathers optical store was a block away at 1835 Chestnut. The TV program AmericanBandstand was an icon in the entertainment industry, and an important driver of popular culture. When cute young teenagers Arlene Sullivan and Kenny Rossi slow danced together on "American Bandstand" back in the late '50s and early '60s, kids across the country swooned. Steves a one-man F. B. I., Fearless Broadcast Investigator. #americanbandstand #bandstanddiaries #nostalgia #patmolliteri, Co-author Arlene Sullivan as a Regular opening some of her fan mail delivered daily to the show. Horn bragged to song-pluggers that he had to shove this music down the throats of station management, but he was unjustly trying to claim credit for himself. Seven months after his first DUI incident, and just before he was to go on trial on the morals charges, Horn was charged again with drunk-driving when he sped his Cadillac the wrong way up a one-way street in North Philadelphia. In July 1956, Dick Clark, a commercial pitchman and deejay with an unsullied reputation, inherited WFIL-TVsBandstandfrom scandal-tainted Bob Horn and revamped it for a national audience of teenage consumers as ABCsAmerican Bandstand, which first aired in August 1957. We werent very worldly. Both of these women admit they were naive kids who even gave out their home addresses to fans without fear of being stalked. Dick ClarksAmerican Bandstand, a popular though controversial TV program targeted toward teenage consumers, marked Philadelphia as the national epicenter of pop music during its seven-year run at ABCs affiliated WFIL-TV at 4548 Market St. ABC-affiliate WFIL-TV at 4548 Market St. broadcast Dick ClarksAmerican Bandstandto a national audience of teenage consumers from 1957 to 1964. American Horror Story Clown Psycho Killer Adult Costume, WOMENS LADIES QUILTED PADDED PUFFER BUBBLE FUR COLLAR WARM THICK JACKET COAT NEW, LAND'S END 40s Poplin Long Sleeve Cotton Dress Shirt Traditional Fit Men 15 34, Vintage 1978 Grease National Bandstand Dance Off Hot Peel Iron On Transfer. Most people around the station found him less than charming. American Bandstand 1960s Dance Partners Barbara Warchol & Bruce Richard As a teenager in the late 1970s I always enjoyed watching American Bandstand on Saturday afternoons. In this part of the story well see what Bob Horn did that caused the ABC network and its Philadelphia affiliate to ignore the 50th anniversary of the programs start. You had to line up at the end of each show and the producer picked whom he wanted to come back, so you had to please him. 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. Makes a great holiday gift for that American Bandstand fan you know! Personal life. From the start I was also terrified because what had happened to Horn. I never saw black people dancing on the show early on, but that didnt faze me. late 1950s American Bandstand Regulars. My friends Famous Hooks and Lori Montgomery were told they could no longer be dancing partners because of our racial difference., Hooks confirms the story: The producer told us very nicely that it was okay with him personally, but some stations wouldnt like it, so please dont do slow dances together. While on the show he often danced with Susan Beltrante and Ivette Jimenez. I was so innocent that I thought they wouldnt stand in our way. Teenagers and young adults ran home from school to watch them jitterbug and stroll while they copied their fashions, fads and dance moves. Appearing in the very FIRST episode of the show in 1952, read all about his experience. At least three factors are important to note regarding the last three years ofAmerican Bandstandin West Philadelphia: the 1960 payola scandal, the reality behind the shows happy faces, and developments in the pop music industry that affected the show and compelled its relocation in 1964 to Los Angeles in a reduced version. 100% Money-Back Guarantee. For more on friendship read Bandstand Diaries: www.bandstanddiaries.com #americanbandstand #bandstanddiaries #bestfriends #nostalgia #fashion #book #vintage, Here is Anna Russo Bonanni who was one of the last Regulars who danced on Philadelphia's American Bandstand in 1963. Horn asked his dancers to recommend new songs. He had become District Attorney when Richardson Dilworth resigned that office to successfully run for mayor in 1955. Race and American Bandstand, The Seven-Year Itch: West Philly Loses American Bandstand, Report accessibility issues and request help. Clipp called Grady and me to his office, Hurst related, and asked us to start in two weeks. That's why Elvis Presley and Ricky Nelson would never appear on the show, but movie stars - Jeff Chandler, Tab Hunter, Sal Mineo - came." Dancing came naturally to Sullivan, the way it did to all Regulars, she says. Horn played mainstream singers like Peggy Lee and Frankie Laine. American Bandstand Regulars Elvis Presley Dancers Bobbi Backstage Clark Dick Bobbi Young appeared on Bandstand and American Bandstand from 1953-1958. He said If you care enough to want to go to my dances, Ill drive you., Jerry Blavat started coming to the show in 1953 when he was only 13. She met Elvis backstage before the show! He later became a Hollywood screenwriter. One of the gifts from them was Lois. Menu. Blanc decided to go on a crusade of his own and he chose entertainment celebrities as his target. SUCH MATERIAL REMAINS THE COPYRIGHT OF THE ORIGINAL HOLDER AND IS USED HERE SOLEY FOR THE PURPOSES OF EDUCATION, COMPARISON, AND CRITICISM ONLY.NO INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS INTENDED.I DO NOT OWN THE COPYRIGHT TO ANY OF THE BACKGROUND SONGS OR MUSIC. Las Vegas; Location. It was common for promo guys to give bottles of whiskey as Christmas gifts. A small table was next to the hosts platform, where guest performers would sit and sign autographs. ES. (My knowledge about this comes from the fact that I worked as record librarian at two Philadelphia stations while I was in school, and then was Night Operations Supervisor at WFIL.). One night he asked one of his models to put on something white, then introduced her to Allison. 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. Clark looked like one of the kids. (Horn was 40 when he left Bandstand and Clark was a babyfaced 27.) When Horn was arrested for drunk-driving on June 21, 1956, hardly anyone aside from station staffers and music industry insiders knew about his sexual life, and it didnt come to light even then. She enjoyed seeing the TV series American Dreams, produced by Dick Clark in 2002, because it recalled one of the best periods in her life. Valino was convicted and his singing career virtually ended. In this, he was way ahead of his time and ahead of whats seen in the show Hairspray. This log was entered as evidence at Allisons trial, and this self-serving document combined with a parade of civic leaders and city officials as character witnesses got Allison a not-guilty verdict. #arlenesullivan #americanbandstand #bandstanddiaries #travel #vintage #nostalgia, American Bandstand Regulars Frani Giordano & Carole Gibson outside Pop Singer's place. He took my friend Adam and me out fishing on his boat, along with some of his record-company friends, and asked us for ideas to improve the show. Horn described his custom of hanging at a bar with song-pluggers and music publishers every evening after Bandstand finished, from 6 to 8 p.m., then going to a restaurant for dinner. Show me a guy who hasnt done that and Ill show you a queer.. Clark revamped Horns show for national broadcast by ABC. 24 talking about this. Accordi per American Bandstand 1968 - TOP 10 - Love Is Blue, Paul Mauriat & His Orchestra. Jerry Blavat, then a youngster on the committee, reports that he turned Horn on to Sh-Boom by The Chords, Little Darling by the Gladiolas and Earth Angel by The Penguins (all were black groups.) Not long thereafter, it began broadcasting taped shows . Dick Clarks American Bandstand was the offspring of deejay Bob Horns Bandstand, which WFIL-TV broadcast daily from 1952-56 from a WFIL studio at 4548 Market St. Maxine hollered rape. American Bandstand Srie. Prosecutors decided there werent strong enough grounds to indict the man for that, but Maxines story about what went on at the party triggered Philadelphia District Attorney Blancs investigation of sex involving radio and TV personalities. He said Name your salary. So we asked our station manager for a release and he said hed talk to the stations owner. I lost my dad this week, Tuesday, July 27, 2021. Homage to The Jackson 5-"I Want You Back" from American Bandstand! American Bandstand 1950s Dance Partners 1 ABdancers 6.85K subscribers Subscribe 33K views 6 years ago As a teenager in the late 1970's I always enjoyed watching American Bandstand on Saturday. Every day after school, we would head for the TV studio which was near my high school West Philly High. Wordens parties included nudity and sexual promiscuity. He asked a bunch of us to be on a committee to act as examples to other teenagers, and he gave birthday cakes and Christmas gifts to all of us on the committee. A black man who grew up a few years after that is Thomas E. Kennedy: I grew up at 47th and Haverford, two city blocks from the studio. Walter Annenberg, who owned WFIL and the Philadelphia Inquirer and TV Guide, asked his station manager, Roger Clipp, in the summer of 1952 to try a dance program aimed at teenagers. The show would air immediately after school when kids were home without parental supervision. For more read Bandstand Diaries. He kindly wrote a piece about his American Bandstand experience: being on the show, the Regulars and Dick Clark. But at one gathering, one guy didnt follow the rule and went all the way. Sort of healthy trouble. Clark said this about Horn: He was a man in his late thirties, was heavyset with a double chin, long, narrow nose and greased-back black hair. She liked to pose for photos the kind you could not take to your drugstore to get developed and she would do some other things, but would not allow sexual intercourse because she had a boyfriend and didnt want to cheat on him. So Horn, in a way, was the good guy who had no ethnic prejudice and who had blacks and whites in equal numbers in the early days of Bandstand. Allison differentiated himself from Bob Horn as a performer, saying he was not a disc-jockey but, instead, a man who discussed issues on the air. On Sunday at 2am, construction of the Berlin Wall will officially begin. After Bandstand, Charlette became an accountant and was a business manager. Bob Horn complimented me on my dancing ability and for the way I dressed. 2023 Getty Images. Horn was kind and fatherly to these teenagers. One day a group of American Bandstand dancers went to Harmony Park, a popular club in Anaheim, and got drunk. Coincidence played a major role in this drama. One example is Bob Menefee, the top-paid disc jockey at WIP. Rest in peace dad. In the course of his probe Blanc discovered connections between many disparate people. Some people have criticized Dick Clark for keeping blacks out, but clearly the policy was started by Horn, before Clark. American Bandstand built a national youth culture around the pop music records Clark played on the show and the commercial products his sponsors targeted to this $9 billion consumer market. For more, read Bandstand Diaries. Get them now In 1950 WPEN moved into a modern new building at 2212 Walnut Street. When Dick Clark found out about it he was furious and banished them from attending his show forever. On the Billboard Hot 100 this week 1) Tossin and Turnin Bobby Lewis 2) I Like It Like That Chris Kenner 3) The Boll Weevil Song Brook Benton 4) Dum Dum Brenda Lee 5) Hats Off To Larry Del Shannon 38) Stand By Me Ben E. King The Bandstand Top 10 today (I can only see the first 8) 1) Lets Twist Again Chubby Checker 2) School Is Out Gary (U.S) Bonds 3) Last Night The Mar-keys 4) Dum Dum Brenda Lee 5) Pretty Little Angel Eyes Curtis Lee 6) Hats Off To Larry Del Shannon 7) Tossin and Turnin Bobby Lewis 8) I Like It Like That Chris Kenner Thank you for watching!_______________________________ This is dedicated to my dad who, through our long car trips together listening to oldies radio (950 KJR Seattle) and by listening to his Turtles (and other) records when I was a kid, first inspired my passion for the wonderful music of the 1960s. There he worked for Anchorage Chrysler "as a mechanic specializing in. Bunny Gibson 9:08, Frani Giordano, 15:23As mentioned in the video, Id like to give a huge thank you to Uncle George and @jthyme for getting me this rare clip. Horn personally selected the committee, and he happened to choose only white kids to serve on it. petite, less than 100 pounds, with a big bosom. When the program moved to California, it presented its first regular dancer who was black. It was an innocent time, says one of them. The longstanding popular belief aboutAmerican Bandstand, promoted by Dick Clark in the later years of his career, is that the Philadelphia version of the show racially integrated the Studio B dancefloor and bleachers.