This set and theme music were used until September 1974, with the arrival of a brand new set and the second, updated version of "Bandstand Boogie". PublishedDecember 28, 2022 at 7:00 AM EST, See stories by Sheldon Zoldan/Special to WGCU, Some California mountain residents could be snowed in for another week, Tom Sizemore, 'Saving Private Ryan' actor, has died at 61, He visited Disneyland 2,995 days in a row. That really annoyed me because quite a few of the Philadelphia dancers on Bandstand died of AIDS, Smith said. Dick Clark They had four top 10 pop hits and "Don't Worry, Baby" was the B-side to their first #1 "I Get Around." Arlene Sullivan and Kenny Rossi danced together n American Bandstand for a little more than a year. They werent playing basketball. Carmen Jimenez, a regular from 1957 to 1961 who now works as a social worker, remembered the strange sensation of having fans, including one who started sobbing at the sight of the dancers in a hamburger joint. Michael Jackson, a frequent Bandstand guest, performed Karen Hardie. My favorite dance was the Jitterbug the last dance where people danced together. But he feared that if the shows secret ever came out, Middle America would change the channel. The name most associated with American Bandstand is that of Dick Clark, but when it premiered locally in Philadelphia on October 7, 1952 (as "Bandtstand") the host was Bob Horn. 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. He still treats me like Im the queen of the hop, Justine said. Come and join us two weeks from today for an hour version of American Bandstand on Saturday, September 19. Justine said yes. Unfortunately, that was the beginning of their separation. She was in that category.. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. They will always be my favorite couple. No other dancers or couples even came close to comparing to them!!! running a series on drunken driving. That was the start of our romance, Jim said. Famous Americans. The show had just "gone national" on the ABC television network on August 5th. 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. "Dangerous". Justine was the one who caught my eye, he said. passed away at home on November 6, 2016. Unsure and fearful about her true sexual identity, Sullivan tried passing as straight. Upset, but knowing what he wanted to do, Kenny told Arlene he would miss me and the show. host of American Bandstand. After a ten-month hiatus,[27] Bandstand moved to cable on USA Network[28][29] on April 8, 1989,[30] with comedian David Hirsch[31][32][33][34][35] taking over hosting duties. Justine Carrelli-Miller wasnt even a teenager in 1956 when she used her sisters birth certificate to get on American Bandstand. The show was live five days a week from Philadelphia, Dick Clark had yet to become the host and it had yet to go national. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Ross Media Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. But Molittieri eventually returned to her Philadelphia roots, where she married and had two daughters before dying at age 32 of either a heart attack or a stroke. Clark regularly asked teenagers their opinions of the songs being played, through the "Rate-a-Record" segment. If it wasnt assaults from outside haters, some of the Bandstand kids suffered in their own homes. Today. At the height of their popularity, they received as many as 500 letters a day. 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? 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! Sullivans co-author, Ray Smith, recently retired after 40 years as an Emmy-winning Today show producer. For a brief time in 1973, Bandstand alternated its time slot with Soul Unlimited,[10] a show featuring soul music that was hosted by Buster Jones. There were occasional shows that were not hosted by Clark, in which case a substitute host (among them Rick Azar) was brought in.[6]. This couple was one of the top 2 couples who danced as Regulars on American Bandstand late 50s/very early 60s. JUST TO WATCH AMERICAN BANDSTAND. "The whole thing was like a grand party," she said. In addition, the show has performances by popular musicians and audience members rate songs. the use of any copyrighted material is used under the guidelines of "fair use" in title 17 107 of the united states code. We use cookies to give you the best experience. 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. Who wrote the theme song to American Bandstand? PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Justine and Bob were a popular teen couple from Philadelphia who flickered on black-and-white TV screens in the late 50s, wearing the latest clothes, doing the latest dance steps, listening to the latest rock `n roll. Picture indicates this was in the 1970s. When Dick Clark died it came to mind what happened to Justine, again, Jim said. 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. They dont look at middle school kids or junior high kids, he said. Hey, our thanks to Laura Branigan for joining us here on American Bandstand today. Justine got in, and along with her dance partner and soon-to-be-boyfriend, Bob Clayton, became one of the shows most popular couples. Loved the show at 15 I learned to dance also copied dress and hair style. ``This is like I died and went straight to heaven, he said. When we think back on #AmericanBandstand, the #DickClark years usually to mind. Although the Regulars didnt perform in the South, Sullivans memory of a personal visit to Fort Worth, Texas, stuck with her: My friend Barbara [a fellow Regular] and I were visiting Barbaras friend there. Thank you. Tom Ridge and Mayor Edward G. Rendell helped unveil a state historical marker outside the studio after dancing ``The Twist with Checker. In Philadelphia, however, WFIL opted to tape-delay the game show for later broadcast in another time slot, and to continue on with Bandstand, though only for the local audience. This version introduced lyrics written by Manilow and Bruce Sussman, referencing elements of the series. Clark eventually assumed ownership of the program through his Dick Clark Productions company. These teenagers became the nation's first reality-TV stars--they received thousands of fan letters and were mobbed everywhere they went. 1960s. LOT OF 8 American Bandstand Trading Cards 1993 - $5.43. Clark, known as Americas oldest teenager, knew. He was married to Tahitian dancer Mireille of the Mai-Kai Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. 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. Philadelphia. and scheduled the program at 3:30pm ETalmost in the middle of Bandstand. American Bandstand - Broadcast History: Bandstand began as a local program on WFIL-TV (now WPVI), Channel 6 in Philadelphia on October 7, 1952. Sullivan was almost 14, the required age for the show, when she became a Regular. Bob 'Showboat' Hall . 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 didnt have time for anything else., Sullivan never felt like a superstar, even when the Regulars averaged 100 to 150 fan letters a day. 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. "When I first met Kenny Rossi he was sitting way up in the stands I noticed his curly black hair, blue suit, beautiful brown eyes. The Top 40 hits that everyone heard were matched with fun routines performed by relatable teenagers. Here is a short recap of her recollections. Dick Clark, wherever you are, we miss you. Then it was hosted by Bob Horn and was called Bob Horn's Bandstand.On July 9 of 1956 the show got a new host, a clean-cut 26 year old named Dick Clark. To recognize the anniversary, Gov. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Oldies. They wrote thousands of Rauw Alejandro Tattoo (Video Oficial) Suscrbete al canal: https://goo.gl/Cqxmma Sigue a Rauw: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rauwalejandro Facebook: https . Self - Harlem Globetrotter 1 episode, 1961 John Laws . And "American Dreams" (Sundays, 8 p.m., Channel 2) definitely isn't it, despite being in the most prime . [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. It's now a Guinness World Record, Collier County issues burn ban; Fire fought on Wilson Boulevard. ", "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. Clark was determined to keep the homosexuality of popular Bandstand regulars a secret, Smith said. 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. I tried my best to fill your shoes and I hope I have lived up to what you were expecting of me. Browse celebrity nostalgia on our website. They got married in 2014, something both said they would never do again. My friends went to church dances every Friday and Saturday night. Bandstand Diaries co-author Arlene Sullivan wrote about meeting Kenny in script. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The Saturday show would run until 1960. They won the first jitterbug contest when the show went nationwide in 1957. sign up for our monthly Nostalgia e-newsletter or other e-newsletters tailored for boomers. PHILADELPHIA (AP) - In the late 1950s and early '60s, everyone knew Bob and Justine, Kenny and Arlene, and Ed and Bunny. Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (born December 12, 1937), [2] known professionally as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. He kept his distance, she says. At just 13 and 16, respectively, the twosome became regulars on the Dick Clark-hosted show, dancing as a couple for almost three years before they . He called her but when he received a recording he hung up without leaving a message. Remember the audience's common response "I Like the beat". Connie Francis. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. He found her selling real estate in Dolan Springs, Arizona, population 1,989. The other reason was that American Bandstand was pre-empted on many occasions by televised college football games (which expanded greatly in number in the wake of a court-ordered deregulation in 1984) which were becoming huge ratings successes, as well as occasional special presentations (i.e. 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. ``It was like having a New Years party every day, and when it was over I missed it _ the camaraderie, the dancing _ there was a void.. Jim joined the military, went through several jobs after getting out, got married, had three kids, became a widower at a young age, spent 23 years working in San Diego and moved to Venice, Florida to retire. I said, In that case, Im staying. I was shocked. You are bidding on a Lot of 8 American Bandstand Trading Cards 283952355685 The typical production schedule consisted of videotaping three shows on a Saturday and three shows on a Sunday, every six weeks. wordlist = ['!', '$.027', '$.03', '$.054/mbf', '$.07', '$.07/cwt', '$.076', '$.09', '$.10-a-minute', '$.105', '$.12', '$.30', '$.30/mbf', '$.50', '$.65', '$.75', '$. This show was on for 32 . Dick Clark did feature black recording artists as guests on American Bandstand - and he did so from his earliest days as host. The afternoon soon turned into the cocktail-hour, so they went out for drinks. 1 Who were the most popular dancers on American Bandstand? Dick Clark died on April 18, 2012, at the age of 82. In another format shift, it was shot outdoors at Universal Studios Hollywood. At the end of each school day, they trooped to the former WFIL-TV studio in West Philadelphia, while young viewers across the nation tuned their sets to watch them. Arelene, whose mother was a devoted fan, claims she danced on the show "to get my mother's attention." Within three months, Arlene was a regular appearing five days a . Watch American Bandstand 1950s: Justine Carrelli and Bob Cayton highlighted . Jim Miller was in junior high, living on Long Island, New York, when Bandstand became a national hit. Featuring guest artists who lip-synced to their latest tunes, and a teenage audience whose members danced for the cameras, the show launched a conga line of dance crazes, fashion and hair trends, and sent the latest teen . This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Kenny Rossi became a pop star in his own right, with hits such as But I Do and Open Your Heart. Pat Molittieri also had a few hit singles before pursuing acting; she died in 1975. On July 9, 1956, Horn was fired after a drunk-driving arrest, as WFIL and dual owner Walter Annenberg's The Philadelphia Inquirer were then Bobby Rydell and Fabian, two other rock n roll celebrities with Philadelphia and ``Bandstand roots, recalled how a gig on the nationally broadcast show meant enormous exposure that led to movie contracts and other TV appearances. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. They were a beautiful couple, I named my daughter Arlene in 1958, I enjoyed watching them so much, would hurry up and come home from school to watch AB. Once the program went national upon its move to Los Angeles, new host Dick Clark decided that integration was the most responsible move. In fact, it was dangerous. The whole country watched those lively teens tear . She was in that category.. Total playing time approx. Nov 17, 2013 - A formal Justine & Bob American bandstand girl. And then they leave the show, go up on the El, go home to their neighborhoods, they then had to run to their door because somebody was always waiting there to beat them up.. WUSF 89.7 depends on donors for the funding it takes to provide you the most trusted source of news and information here in town, across our state, and around the world. Lers. Blanche Keastead, N.J.Bob and Justine share their memories of the late Dick Clark and moreA: Though they split in 1960 after three-plus years of jitterbugging on the Dick Clarkhosted show, they were happy to see each other at the 40th reunion in 1992. The rule was you had to be 14 to get on the show. Sometimes, he would come home from school and turn on the show. [2] Freddy Cannon holds the record for most appearances, at 110. Jim, on his ride back to his hotel room, decided he wanted to see her again, so he phoned her, and they arranged to have lunch the next day. They enjoyed walks in the park , and going to the drive-in movies with Barbara Leveick and her boyfriend at the time. He sometimes wondered what happened to Justine, especially around New Years Eve when he would watch Dick Clark host his special. American Bandstand: With Dick Clark, Charlie O'Donnell, Peaches Johnson, Stan Rodarte. We had fans, we had groupies," said Steve Colanero, 56, a dancer from 1959 to 1961 and . While the American series has aired sixteen seasons, its format was also replicated worldwide, from Norway (Dansefeber) to Australia (So You Think You Can Dance Australia). Jim explained he had been a fan and wanted to have lunch with her on his way to California. Years later, when Clark was asked whether any of the dancers had died of AIDS, he stated that one had, Smith recalled. To see more, visit WGCU. I got stopped at the door and said to the cop, but Lucille and Diane got in and theyre in my class, she said. He had no idea if she was married. As WFIL grew financially and the account became less important, Stewart wasn't needed and was eventually dropped from the program. Philadelphia In the late 1950s and early '60s, everyone knew Bob and Justine, Kenny and Arlene, and Ed and Bunny. My parents were always there for me. 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. I was surprised how short she was, he said. The show's most popular dance team of Bob Clayton and Justine Carrelli even cut their own record. It became a staple in homes and heavily influenced American society culturally, musically, and socially. On their drive to lunch, Jim asked what was on her bucket list. The young dancers on American Bandstand were the reality stars of the 1950s and '60skids nationwide rushed home to watch their every move and chatter about their relationships and exploits. American Bandstand Dancers Justine Carrelli and Bob Clayton. Arlene and Kenny first danced to Why Dont You Understand by George Hamilton IV. Browse 1,010 american bandstand dancers stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. 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. I hope you've had a good half-hour. It turns out she was only 10 months older. The Monday-night version aired its last program in December 1957, but ABC gave Clark a Saturday-night time slot for The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show, which originated from the Little Theatre in Manhattan, beginning on February 15, 1958. At just 13 and 16, respectively, the twosome became regulars on the Dick Clark-hosted show, dancing as a couple for almost three years before they parted ways. American Bandstand will be back someday, I assure you. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Justine started dancing on Bandstand in 1956, when she was still in junior high school. Sullivan & Rossi forever!!! 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. Themselves - Dancers 1 episode, 1962 Tony Brady . Like Rick Pierce, Bandstand dancer Sandra Mae Dawson, who died Feb. 25, 2008, at age 66, was into car racing. He sometimes wondered what happened to Justine, especially around New Years Eve when he would watch Dick Clark host his special. His latest book, The Kardashians: An American Drama, will be published in September. Like nostalgia? Justine Carelli and Bob Clayton . Like Smith, she believes that if her true sexual preference and that of others on the show had become public in the days before Stonewall and todays LGBT power, Bandstand would have been taken off the air. 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. Jim joined the military, went through several jobs after getting out, got married, had three kids, became a widower at a young age, spent 23 years working in San Diego and moved to Venice, Florida to retire. . David Raymond Frees, born (June 14, 1947) in (Reading, PA) and also known as "Pop Frosty" is a rock music and contemporary dance lover, best known for his longest-running American Bandstand Fan Club founded in November, 1960 and recognized by Dick Clark as. Pinterest. One couple on the show was a couple in real life; Justine Carrelli and Bob Clayton dated for three years. Barbara finally came back and said I had to come to the front because the back was only for colored people. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Ray Smith was one of the shows secretly gay dancers. The first syndicated episode aired on the weekend of September 19, 1987[26] but this run was short-lived; The New American Bandstand ran until the weekend of June 4, 1988. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. So I went on the computer and Googled Justine Carrelli.. 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. Dance Art. They were some of the most famous kids in America, dancing every day on "American Bandstand." "We were like miniature rock 'n' roll stars. When she was 13, a boy the same age became smitten with her from his living room in Middletown, Conn. Richard Spada drew a picture of Carole and sent it to the show; Dick Clark held it up on the air. Kenny loved to sing. Dick Clark hosts a daily to weekly dance show that features the latest hit music for the attending teens to dance to. Thats all we did dance and every part of the city had its own style. . 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. History goes back and forth with the timing and motives of the integration, but nevertheless, American Bandstand socially impacted teenagers' opinions regarding race. Justine Carrelli. The whole thing was like a grand party, she said. 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. (1957), Kenny Rogers and Arlene Sullivan were my favorites on American Bandstand. in the 50s and 60s passed today. . My family, friends and co-workers all remember Saturday's weekly TV series American Bandstand back in the 1960's and 1970's when it was THE ONLY music related theme show that could compete each week with the popularity of the following evenings Sunday night TV's Ed Sullivan show. . However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Courtesy American Bandstand. such material remains the copyrig. The lunch was a success. Sullivans co-author, Ray Smith, recently retired after 40 years as an Emmy-winning Today show producer. Who was the first black dancer on American Bandstand? What is causing the plague in Thebes and how can it be fixed? I was so afraid that I started trying to talk myself into being straight. Jim explained he had been a fan and wanted to have lunch with her on his way to California. Televisions shows had meaning and was part of our family as well. Arlene asked him to dance and thus Arlene and Kenny happened. Dick Clark, the Rock & Roll Icon and. Finally, we got away and jumped over the turnstile. 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. 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. They went back to her office to look at old photos on the computer. Taking center stage each week was superstar Bandstand couple Justine Carrelli and Bob Clayton, two of the show's most popular dancers. We moved around the floor the way our parents did in the 40s. They split their time between Dolan Springs and Venice. After being told by Dick Clark that as a recording artist a professional he could no longer dance on American Bandstand. They accepted me. 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