“It was a local show – Philadelphia, Jersey, the Lehigh Valley [Pennsylvania]. The teen dancers on "Bandstand" were some of the United States' first reality TV stars. Dick Clark inherited the original set for American Bandstand from Bob Horn's Bandstand, the show Clark took over in 1956. Or sign up for our monthly Nostalgia e-newsletter or other e-newsletters tailored for boomers! “I did get to know Annette Funicello [a Mouseketeer on the original Mickey Mouse Club], who came to the show. Arlene Sullivan and Bunny Gibson went on to write memoirs about their time spent on "Bandstand" and growing up as members of the Baby Boom generation. Researchers Are Now Much Closer to Finding Out, Here’s How to Set Up a Livestream on Twitch. sign up for our monthly Nostalgia e-newsletter or other e-newsletters tailored for boomers. Browse celebrity nostalgia on our website. Who Were Regulars on "American Bandstand". Hundreds of kids lined up each day hoping to be one of the few lucky ones who got to dance alongside the Regulars and share part of the magic that was American Bandstand. Like nostalgia? American Bandstand Regulars 1958 American Bandstand 1950s Regulars. The first song to ever be played on Dick Clark's American Bandstand in 1957 was Jerry Lee Lewis "Whole Lotta Shakin Going On" The show's first guest was Billy Williams and The Chordettes" B.B. I said, ‘In that case, I’m staying.’ I was shocked. The boys—unlike most of the boys we went to dances with—could actually dance. She never saw much of Clark outside of the studio. 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 … The girls seemed brassy, totally sure of themselves. Kenny Rossi became a pop star in his own right, with hits such as "But I Do" and "Open Your Heart." “My friends went to church dances every Friday and Saturday night. We moved around the floor the way our parents did in the ’40s. American Bandstand Regular. Pat Molittieri also had a few hit singles before pursuing acting; she died in 1975. Where Are the American Bandstand Regulars Now? They both danced on American Bandstand from 1960-1963. In addition to appearances by big pop stars of the day, Sullivan’s on-screen romance with Kenny Rossi was a huge draw for the show. Fans have long wondered whatever became of Arlene and Kenny, Bob and Justine, Frani, Pat, Carole, Carmen, Frankie, Billy, Richie and so many more of those Regulars we loved. 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. Dick Clark gave her a “committee card,” which all Regulars had to have to get into the building. Horn became a radio personality at Philly’s WIP, then moved to WFIL in 1951 because that station offered more money and because ‘FIL had a sister TV station (part of the ABC network) and Horn hoped for a future on television. American Bandstand was a massively popular television dance program from 1952-1989, with its prime years being filmed in Philadelphia from 1952-1963. The painted background was that of a record shop of the late forties or early fifties, when records were big, clunky 78 RPMs. That’s all we did – dance – and every part of the city had its own style. We went downtown, and I ran to the back of the bus the way I always did in Philly – but Barbara and her friend kept telling me to come to the front. King was the only performer in history who did'n lip-synch on the show, American Bandstand " was such a part of Americana that Dick Clark's podium now resides in the Smithsonian Museum. Now, older and a little less svelte, they're back in the city where it all began to recapture their glory days. The program featured young people dancing to popular music. “American Bandstand” dancer Richard Pierce served in Vietnam before settling in Anchorage, Alaska, in the early 1980s. Did you know they were best friends since the 1st grade? Dick Clark hosts a daily to weekly dance show that features the latest hit music for the attending teens to dance to. Other dancers who regularly appeared on the show were Bunny Gibson, Eddie Kelly and Carole Scaldeferri. Then, when they turned 18, the mandatory age to leave the American Bandstand, they basically disappeared from sight, except for occasional reunions and news stories. From Grammarly to Hemingway, These Are the Best Free Grammar Check Software Options, The History Behind Harriet Tubman's Journey to the $20 Bill. Maybe it's hard for young people to understand just how popular these Bandstand dancers were. Dick Clark hosted the daily dance-party-themed show, and it began airing from Philadelphia in 1957. Articles & Shopping. A Rocky Start . Originally, Arlene went to the daily show to gain her mother’s attention and approval. Sullivan was almost 14, the required age for the show, when she became a Regular. The Bandstand dancers, on the other hand, were fond of him. In August 1957, American Bandstand, a new television show broadcast out of Philadelphia, PA, featured local teenagers dancing to the new rock ‘n roll music. We had fans, we had groupies," said Steve Colanero, 56, a dancer from 1959 to 1961 and now retired to Palm Beach, Fla. The Regulars, also known as “The Committee” were only a part of the Bandstand story. Here are Marilyn Brown and Diane Iaquinto. Barbara finally came back and said I had to come to the front because the back was only for colored people. “He needed a group to show up every day,” she says, “and nobody got paid. They twisted, coffee-grinded and jitterbugged their way into the nation's living rooms on the original ``American Bandstand'' in the 1950s. With Dick Clark, Charlie O'Donnell, Peaches Johnson, Stan Rodarte. “He kept his distance,” she says. 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. Clark was the host of American Bandstand in the late ‘50s through the mid-‘60s. Fans would frequently spot her on television as she knew precisely where the cameras were. "We were like miniature rock 'n' roll stars. Dick Clark did feature black recording artists as guests on American Bandstand – and he did so from his earliest days as host. The show had just “gone national” on the ABC television network on August 5th. Viewers who tuned in often got to know the dancers who appeared regularly and enjoyed noting who danced with whom, who avoided dancing with whom and so on. American Bandstand American Bandstand logo used from 1969 to 1987 Also known asBandstand Presented byBob Horn Lee Stewart Tony Mammarella Dick Clark David Hirsch Narrated byCharlie O'Donnell Country of originUnited States No. We ended up spending weekends together when she came to New York and D.C. to perform … We went to lunch together and had fun, but Annette had to rest and perform, so we didn’t have time for anything else.”, Sullivan never felt like a superstar, even when the Regulars averaged 100 to 150 fan letters a day. Exactly Why Is the Platypus So Weird? With its new young host, Dick Clark, the show aired every day at 3 p.m. for an hour-and-a-half. “It got me out of my shell, but I learned I was a regular teenager who happened to dance on a show that unexpectedly became very popular. Bandstand & Race. Courtesy American Bandstand. 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 wasn’t exactly a waltz: “The kids didn’t stand in one spot. They had cornered the market on eye shadow and hairspray. 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. When they started dancing on American Bandstand it would take them an hour to get to the studio by bus and train. The dancers that appeared on each show were … "American Bandstand" featured many regular dancers, including Justine Carrelli, Bob Clayton, Arlene Sullivan, Kenny Rossi and Pat Molittieri. The kids on the Bandstand were ballsy and urban. She wasn’t immediately successful, but with the help of a new southwest Philly friend, she eventually got in. Browse celebrity nostalgia on our website. They had four top 10 pop hits and "Don't Worry, Baby" was the B-side to their first #1 "I Get Around." Oct 17, 2014 - regulars, Kenny & Arlene, on American Bandstand Beach Boys on American Bandstand. Where Dick Clark brought Rock-and-Roll to America The American radio show host, television personality, and game show host televised the early years of American Bandstand, a major force in the development and dispersal of rock and roll music and television’s longest running musical variety program, from the WFIL Studio in Philadelphia. She tracked them down for the new coffee-table book, Bandstand Diaries: The Philadelphia Years, 1956-1963. To the left you’ll find original … We were all supposed to be demure, and they weren’t demure. Clark was known for integrating his audiences as well as his performers – unusual in the late ’50s. PHILADELPHIA (AP) - In the late 1950s and early '60s, everyone knew Bob and Justine, Kenny and Arlene, and Ed and Bunny. Originally titled "Bandstand," the first episode on October 7 featured New York transplant and former announcer Dick Clark playing records as the first-ever video DJ. 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. Sullivan puts it in perspective. We only had three channels in those days. She tracked them down for the new coffee-table book, Bandstand Diaries: The Philadelphia Years, 1956-1963. He was born Donald Horn in 1916 and grew up in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. My favorite dance was the Jitterbug – the last dance where people danced together. Eddie Kelly became an actor and dance and music consultant, while Carole Scaldeferri became a Realtor. Dick Clark was a TV personality known for the shows 'American Bandstand,' '$25,000 Pyramid' and 'TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes,' among others. The Twist – the first dance to come out where people danced separately – and the Monkey and Jerk came out after I’d left.”. After school in the late 1950s, millions of American teenagers raced home to watch the gyrations of fellow teens on their parents’ tiny black-and-white televisions in the living room. Other pairs were regular dance partners, but didn't become romantically involved. A daily dance show, Bandstand was the first national TV program directed at teenagers and starring teenagers. of episodes3,000 Production Running time90 minutes 60 minutes Production companiesDick Clark Productions WFIL-TV DistributorLBS Communications Release Original networkWFIL-TV ABC Syndicated USA Network Picture formatBlack-a… The shy Sullivan pushed herself forward with the contact because she wanted to get on TV to impress her mother. A Midlothian-based freelance writer, Martha Steger has received national awards for her journalism, essays, short fiction and poetry. American Bandstand Original Regulars. In addition, the show has performances by popular musicians and audience members rate songs. Later, in hindsight, I guessed that made me the first white Rosa Parks. In early October 1952, a dance show hosted by Bob Horn premiered on Philadelphia's WFIL-TV, taking from the popular "ballroom" live radio show format and pointing a camera at it. Clark's high podium, like a bandstand, set him apart from the dancers. Rossi was straight—but Sullivan, many … Other dancers who regularly appeared on the show were Bunny Gibson, Eddie Kelly and Carole Scaldeferri. The show was “American Bandstand,” and Dick Clark’s clean-cut style meant the program had parents’ stamp of approval. American Bandstand 1950s Dancer Carole Scaldeferri - YouTube "American Bandstand" featured many regular dancers, including Justine Carrelli, Bob Clayton, Arlene Sullivan, Kenny Rossi and Pat Molittieri. Dick Clark hosted the daily dance-party-themed show, and it began airing from Philadelphia in 1957. "That show was the first reality show that TV ever had. The Beach Boys were already the kings of surf pop by their first appearance on American Bandstand in 1964. Arlene Sullivan, now 74, is among them. Teen idol Bobby Rydell, whose music career is still going strong 60 years after “American Bandstand,” wrote the book’s 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. One night at a party I met a girl who was one of the stars on American Bandstand – I was blown away.”. American Bandstand hid the fact that many of its teenage dancers were gay, former stars of the show claim. They were some of the most famous kids in America, dancing every day on "American Bandstand." Arlene with singer Frankie Avalon at an American Bandstand event. 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. The Original Set. I think [the show’s success] even surprised Dick Clark.”. One couple on the show was a couple in real life; Justine Carrelli and Bob Clayton dated for three years. The American Bandstand dancers, nee Regulars, ... thus bringing him to the writing of his first book, The Princes and Princesses of Dance. of seasons37 No. Home » Yesteryear » Nostalgia » Where Are the American Bandstand Regulars Now? “The guy who had been in charge of the show before he took over was the subject of a scandal – a DUI, I think – so Clark wanted to be the clean-cut guy, and he was. They weren’t demure. April 19, 2017 Dick Clark’s secret: ‘Bandstand’ dancers were having a gay old time Closeted 'American Bandstand' duos danced their way into our hearts She is a Marco Polo member of the Society of American Travel Writers, a past president of Virginia Professional Communicators and a member of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame. What's an S&P 500 Fund and How Do You Invest in One? Although the Regulars didn’t perform in the South, Sullivan’s memory of a personal visit to Fort Worth, Texas, stuck with her: “My friend Barbara [a fellow Regular] and I were visiting Barbara’s friend there. Arlene Sullivan, a South Philadelphia native, was one of the most celebrated Regulars on American Bandstand from 1956 to 1960.

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