who were the original dancers on american bandstand

On Thursday, for the first time in a quarter century, 27 of the original Bandstand dancers, including Joe, Kenny, Arlene, Carole, Flossie and Jim, reunited to rehearse their steps for a rock n roll celebration over Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia. First, they required that boys show up wearing suits and ties. All the photos from Horns last two years show nothing but white kids in the studio. Our Philadelphia program had a history of racial exclusion that was more complex and much more interesting. on Friday. When I took over the programming of Menefees afternoon show in the summer of 1953, Menefee attacked me on the air. PINK FLOYD Prog-rock started making its way into American living rooms via Bandstand in 1967. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. One, a district attorneys re-election campaign. Dick Clark took over as host in 1956, and the show made its network debut on ABC-TV on Aug. 5, 1957. Who was the first black dancer on American Bandstand? Bob Adleman, the public relations man for WPEN, arranged an elegant event at Longchamps Restaurant on Rittenhouse Square where Allison would accept the honor. Jimmie Rodgers, first solo country superstar, the undisputed Father of Country Music. The Inquirers publisher supported the work of the House Un-American Activities committee and its crusade against Communist sympathizers in the entertainment field. One man, convicted and fined fifty dollars, went on to a career as a philanthropist and supporter of political candidates up to the 21. century. When the program went on the ABC network, stations in the South, where racial segregation was the norm, objected to the fact that black dancers occasionally appeared on the dance floor. Annenberg asked Horn to confirm or deny that he knew the teenage girl who was cooperating with Blancs investigation. 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. He says that he would have loved to see blacks in the studio, so I could learn their dance steps. To discredit Loiss reputation, the defense produced a man, with no connection to Horn, who testified that Lois once accepted money to have sex with him. It reflected the fact that Horn played big band recordings by Harry James, Tommy Dorsey and other similar artists. The sad truth, though, is that the kids who danced to the records appeared to be almost all white. All rights reserved. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The station, where I worked at the time, fired him. WebAmerican Bandstand (1952-89) was a massively popular music television program with strong Philadelphia roots, storied national success, and the power to shape the music Although Clark was relatively new at his job, he took a strong stand and told the affiliates that hed make no changes to meet their objections and so blacks did appear, but infrequently. This is what Clark said about Horn: He was a man in his late thirties, was heavyset with a double chin, long, narrow nose and greased-back black hair. Horn asked his dancers to recommend new songs. But at one gathering, one guy didnt follow the rule and went all the way. What experience do you need to become a teacher? Jeryl Brunner Aug 8, 2017 In the summer of 1956, a teenager named Ray Smith stood in line before Philadelphias WFILs Studio B to be one of the lucky kids to earn a One singer who appeared on his show says Horn was a loud-mouth smart-ass with an appetite for girls. Other acquaintances use words like arrogant and self-centered. Barbara Marcen Wilston danced at the show from 1953 to 1959. He made national headlines when he shut down a Philadelphia movie theater that was showing Brigit Bardots , 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. See production, box office & company info, Bandstand Boogie (The Theme of 'American Bandstand'). The Boys. Now I only dance at weddings, said Carole, 42. Dick Clark later wrote that he kept that dress code when he took over because it made the show acceptable to adults who were frightened by the teenage world and teenage music. Some observers might say that he was making the show acceptable to people who were frightened by the appearance of blacks. Maybe he was on edge because the vice trial was about to start a few days later. He said Name your salary. So we asked our station manager for a release and he said hed talk to the stations owner. (Harris is the man who, in the western suburbs of Philadelphia, produced the film The Blob one year later.) I was asked to be a character witness at his trial and I testified that he never tried anything with us. This was her unique moral code. Models Inc. was based on a Senate investigation of modeling schools, and in its original form the film opened with a statement by U.S. To put this in perspective, when the later-to-become-famous Ed Rendell was elected District Attorney in 1977 his vote total was much less than Blancs only 212,000. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Because of the sex accusations, the drunk-driving and a jail term, there was no chance hed get another chance on the air in Philadelphia. For additional access to Steve Cohens writings on art, theater, music, books and travel, click here:https://tonywardstudio.com/blog/gehry/, To access Mr. Cohens web site, click here:http://theculturalcritic.com, Your email address will not be published. The. To avoid this, co-producers Horn and Tony Mammarella implemented two strategies. In addition, the show has performances by popular musicians and audience members rate songs.Dick Clark hosts a daily to weekly dance show that features the latest hit music for the attending teens to dance to. Blitz, author of , Other deejays of that time, however, were more gracious than Horn. Several wore miniskirts, others donned sneakers and pedal pushers. On the day that Allison was indicted, he was about to receive an award for public service from the City of Philadelphia. Stanley J. This is but one of the many bitter memories that I and many of the people that I grew up with have about American Bandstand.. She says there would always be a long line. Anyway, they havent performed in, like, five years, and they brought their band out from Nashville and LA, and it was one of the most fun nights of my life. Consequently, black teens were in effect erased from the national youth culture that formed aroundAmerican Bandstand.. As host of American Bandstand, Clark introduced rock & roll to many Americans. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. It was a revolving door of glam, Sofia explains. Every day after school, we would head for the TV studio which was near my high school , 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. The men sat on chairs against the walls of the studio and the girls sometimes knelt in front of them and satisfied them. PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ They twisted, coffee-grinded and jitterbugged their way into the nations living rooms on the original American Bandstand in the 1950s. Horn personally selected the committee, and he happened to choose only white kids to serve on it. Bandstand began as a local program on WFIL-TV (now WPVI ), Channel 6 in Philadelphia on October 7, 1952. Vic Blanc became a judge, then resigned when he developed mental lapses which would today be labeled as Alzheimers disease. American Bandstand/First episode date. We stopped going and so did the black girls, for the most part.. Horn ended his career working in Texas using a pseudonym. But he was an ambitious politician. 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.) Elliot asked Sofia to marry him in Hawaii after a year of dating. Elliot surprised me with a trip with all our best friends in April of 2022, Sofia remembers. David Bowie. Girls chased ya; the guys hated ya, said Fusco. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. I found her to be a cheerful person, eager to please, up to a point. She was 17 when I met her in 1956. When Dick Clark found out about it he was furious and banished them from attending his show forever. A trio of dresses was created by Chanel for her three major wedding-weekend events: the rehearsal dinner, which took place on Friday night at a private estate; the ceremony; and the after-party. The grind was a very sexy dance that you did on a slow record. The Mann Act was law, barring anyone from transporting a person across state lines for an immoral act, even when it was consensual. Other results: Some of the men were convicted of participating in unnatural sex. Others were charged with corrupting the morals of minors, but the judges in the majority of these cases decided that the men were dealing with girls who were already corrupted, so they either acquitted the men or gave them light punishment. Our parents didnt teach us what was going on.. They The teenage committee administered the reservation list. Black kids from Overbrook High would come also. These happenings would never have become known if one man had just listened to Maxines restrictive instruction. The man who introduced us told me that 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. Celebrities including Cameron Diaz, Benji Madden, Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Joel Madden descended upon the iconic hotel in the South of France for the whirlwind wedding weekend, which took both Instagram and TikTok by storm. His demeanor was haughty. Cuz Bongiorno became a regular at Bandstand early in 1953. American Bandstand 1961 4th Anniversary Show (Partial Episode) Former Dancers Not only was she a wedding guest, but shes a good friend and an amazing hairstylist, and it meant a lot to me to have a friend there, Sofia says. For the other two looks, Sofia collaborated closely with her stylist, Liat Baruch, and Douchez to scour through Chanel couture shows of the past and choose the Theres an El stop there and we used to watch the kids line up. And it was Frees, not any of the original Bandstanders interviewed Thursday, who remembered the words to the shows theme song, written by Barry Manilow. 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. But soon WFIL built the set that became famous, which is now on display at the Smithsonian Institution, simulating a corner of a music store. He asked me to be on the committee and be an example for others. Now 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. What were the results of this elaborate investigation? According to show-business contemporaries of his, Horn was a free-swinging, hard-drinking man who smoked several packs of cigarettes a day. In all, 27 men were arrested. Philadelphias broadcasting sex scandal of 1956 was an early object lesson. WebBrowse 1,013 american bandstand dancers photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more photos and images. Just out of school, I was apprenticing in public relations under his tutelage.) 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 Bandstandbuilt 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. Horn said he went to her home once for a party. 1964 - The Beach Boys - "Don't Worry, Baby". His career was brought down by a teenage girl, but she did not come from the studio audience at Bandstand. WebBy the shows 30th anniversary, almost 600,000 teenagers and 10,000 performers had appeared on the program. Allison said it never happened and Steves wife provided him with an alibi, consisting of a log she kept of his activities. This is but one of the many bitter memories that I and many of the people that I grew up with have about, Henry Gordon said in 1995 as he looked at an old photo of the kids at, Anything that looks like a black face in this picture is probably a white face in the shadows. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. I knew sooner or later I would get to go on the show. Also available in a computer colorized version. Allison thought this decision was reprehensible and criticized Annenberg for it. Bob got one of his friends to write a song for me, Since I Met Him at the Senior Dance, and Bob paid for me to take singing lessons. 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. We recapped the night and ordered big bowls of pasta along with every French food you could imagine, Sofia says. Ive always loved his timeless pieces, Sofia adds. There are no plans to televise the event. Record promoters, the men who came around and asked disc jockeys to spin their products, told me that he was more demanding of payola than anyone at any Philly station. Coincidence played a major role in this drama of entertainment history. At his trials, Horn said that he first met Lois when she came to his office at WFIL one evening in 1954 and after that he saw her frequently at the West Philadelphia restaurant where he ate dinner. Her husband, Richard Spada, said Mrs. Spada was recovering from a minor stroke she had suffered earlier when she became ill on the way to church. Fortunately for the station, the clean-cut Dick Clark was on staff and able to take over. Horns radio program was called The Bob Horn Bandstand, which had a nice, alliterative sound. I always thought Horn did a poor job relating to the kids. Well, Blanc won his election, and that was the reason for all this, wasnt it? Sofia collaborated closely with her stylist, Liat Baruch, and Madame Olivia Douchez, premire of haute couture salons at Chanel, to scour through couture shows of the past and choose the references that she loved. Victor Blanc, the DA, was investigating what he called teenage sex rings. He phoned Lew Klein, an executive at WFIL who was a lodge-brother of his, and warned him not to reinstate Horn because theres more to the story; this is only the beginning of Horns problems.. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Dick Clark, at podium at upper left, is surrounded by teen-age fans on his nationally televised dance show "American Bandstand" in Philadelphia in this June 30, 1958, file photo. Bourgeois Tagg. That becomes understandable when you learn that its original host led a sordid life that included a sexual affair with a teenage girl. So if you got on the show once you were assured of returning, as long as they liked you, ahead of people who phoned in or wrote in. The reunion gossip even included a love story. He usually brought some of his young clients with him and arranged dates photographic and otherwise for them. Also, the kids danced to Whitemans band, not to records. 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. And not only that, but we got to party with him all night., Rabbi Thomas Solomon officiated a traditional Jewish wedding that paid homage to the iconic surroundings of Hotel du Cap. Editors Note: This is a repost with permission granted by the author, Steve Cohen. Then I was ready to dance until the sun rose with my loved ones. With that in mind, the father of the bride performed two of his daughters favorite songs at the wedding. Within the dress are subtle details, including an embroidered heart to represent the love that Elliot and I share, as well as a blue embroideredS&E on the inside of the dress above my heart. Sofia wanted to do something unique for her veil, so she worked with the Chanel team to create a glistening piece adorned with resin water droplets that sparkled when she walked. A small table was next to the hosts platform, where guest performers would sit and sign autographs. When it came to the rehearsal-dinner look, the team worked to re-create a gown worn by Stella Tennant in the 1997 Chanel couture fall show. The engineers and announcers looked on with a mixture of envy and horror, and none of them reported what they saw to management. American Bandstand Broadcast History. It was filled with comedy. Dick Clark Working with Chanel was not only an honor but a true dream of mine, Sofia says. 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. Mayor Dilworth and his administration had a reputation for honesty, but the citys officials did socialize with media people and Blanc feared that information about his crusade with leak out. It was odd that Blanc replaced Kefauver in Teenage Models, Inc because Kefauver was the DAs role model. After awhile, the producers decided that they wanted to change the image of the show, so they created a new policy.
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