American Bandstand
| American Bandstand | |
|---|---|
American Bandstand logo | |
| Starring | Dick Clark (1957-1989) David Hirsch (1989) |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of episodes | 883 (surviving) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 90 Minutes / 60 Minutes (originally two hours and fifteen minutes on WFIL-TV/Philadelphia only) |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC (1957-1987) Syndication (1987-1989) USA Network (1989) |
| Release | August 5, 1957 – October 7, 1989 |
American Bandstand is a television show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989. It is known not only for the emerging performers that it promoted (from Jerry Lee Lewis to Run DMC) but the many dance styles it featured through the decades.
Show Description
It premiered locally as a live show, Bandstand, on Philadelphia television station WFIL-TV (Channel 6, now WPVI-TV) on October 7, 1952 in "Studio 'B'", which was located in their just-completed addition to the original 1947 building (4548 Market Street), and was hosted by Bob Horn, with Lee Stewart as co-host until 1955. Tony Mammarella was the original producer with Ed Yates as director.
The measurements of "Studio 'B'" were 80'x42'x24'. It looked smaller than that due to the number of props, television cameras, and bleachers that were used for the show.The show was briefly shot in color in 1958 when WFIL-TV started experimenting with the then-new technology. The size of the studio made it possible to only have one camera (RCA TK-41) where three black & white models were used before (RCA TK-10). WFIL-TV went back to black & white two weeks later when ABC-TV refused to carry the color signal and management realized that the show lost something without the extra cameras.
The series originally featured Horn merely hosting two collections of filmed musical performances from both Snader and Official films (forerunners of modern music videos), but this was soon changed to the familiar format of having kids dance to hit records, an idea that came from a Philadelphia radio show, The 950 Club.
On July 9, 1956, Horn was fired for a drunk driving arrest. He was replaced temporarily by producer Tony Mammarella before the job went permanently to Dick Clark. After some badgering of the network by Clark, The show was picked up nationally by ABC (becoming American Bandstand) on August 5, 1957. The program was broadcast daily (first live, then on kinescope when Clark went on tour with the singers) until 1963 and then aired weekly until 1989. The show's popularity helped Clark become an American media mogul and inspired other similar long-running music programs, such as Soul Train and Top of the Pops.
Format
The show featured teenagers dancing to Top 40-type music introduced by Clark; at least one popular musical act would usually appear in-person to lip-sync one of their latest singles.
Clark would often interview the teenagers about their opinions of the songs being played, most memorably through the "Rate-a-Record" segment (to which the phrase "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it" is credited, perhaps apocryphally). In 1957, Patti Page was crowned American Bandstand's favorite female vocalist in its first nationwide audience poll.
Theme Music
Template:Sample box start variation 2 Template:Multi-listen start Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen endTemplate:Sample box end 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 "Bandstand Boogie" composed by Charles Albertine, including the big-band version performed by Les Elgart remembered by viewers of the daily version. From 1969 to 1974 "Bandstand Theme", a synth instrumental version written by Mike Curb opened each show. Moreover, from 1974 to 1977 an orchestral disco version of "Bandstand Boogie" arose playing during the opening and closing credits. Joe Porter was the music arranger and performer of this orchestral disco version of American Bandstand's theme song at this time.
From 1977 to the end of its ABC run in 1987, the show opened and closed with Barry Manilow's rendition of the theme, which he originally recorded for his 1975 album Tryin' to Get the Feeling. The song's new lyrics, which heavily referenced the series, were co-written by Manilow and Bruce Howard Sussman.
The Manilow version was replaced by an updated instrumental arrangement of "Bandstand Boogie" when Bandstand went into syndication.
From 1974 onward, Bandstand featured another instrumental at its mid-show break -- Billy Preston's synth hit "Space Race".
Changes
The show moved from its weekday slot to Saturday afternoons on September 7, 1963.
Production of the show moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles on February 8, 1964, which coincidently was the same weekend that WFIL-TV moved from their 46th and Market location to their new facility located on City Line Avenue. Color broadcasts began for good on September 9, 1967.
Bandstand moved from ABC to syndication on September 19, 1987, and to cable's USA Network on April 8, 1989 with a new younger host, comedian David Hirsch. Clark remained executive producer. The show ended on October 7, 1989.
In 2004, Dick Clark announced plans to revive the show in time for 2005 but it did not happen. Clark's plan to revive American Bandstand eventually did come to fruition, just not in the way that was expected. The revived "Bandstand" was to feature a national dance contest, but after several tries to come up with a workable format, they decided to go just with the dance contest component which became So You Think You Can Dance. Dick Clark Productions is credited as the show's co-producer and longtime DC employee Allen Shapiro serves as co-executive producer.
American Dreams
The show was featured prominently in the 2002-2005 NBC-TV drama series American Dreams, which like Bandstand was executive produced by Dick Clark. In a 2005 episode of American Dreams, Eddie Kelly and Bunny Gibson -- one of the most famous couples to appear on American Bandstand in the Philadelphia years -- were the only two to make cameo appearances on the acclaimed TV series. Along with that, Eddie Kelly and Bunny Gibson were named a number of times in the script and Eddie Kelly referred to in the last episode.
Trivia
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (May 2007) |
- Charlie O'Donnell, then a very young Philadelphia radio DJ, landed his very first network announcing assignment on Bandstand, a job he would hold until the late-1960s.
- The old WFIL-TV building in Philadelphia is currently being used as a business incubator program, The Enterprise Center, and the original "American Bandstand" studio is now a large meeting room.
- The weekly ABC version did not air in the Boston market. WNAC did not air it, neither did WCVB when ABC affiliation in the Boston market switched in 1972 because WCVB's weekly airing of Candlepin Bowling at noontime where it has been since it was WHDH channel 5 which pre-empted Bandstand, although prime time specials did air. It also didn't air in the Houston market on KTRK-TV, starting in 1959, when they had their own local dance show hosted by Larry Kane from 1959-71. After which, KTRK would have local community shows in place of Bandstand. And on September 1, 1984. KTRK finally carried the last three years of American Bandstand after 25 years.
- People who lived in Boston saw American Bandstand on WTEV Channel 6 in New Bedford-Providence (now WLNE) and WMUR-TV Channel 9 in Manchester, NH. But when WTEV Channel 6 and WPRI Channel 12 switched affiliations in 1977. WPRI Channel 12 didn't carry American Bandstand.
- Bandstand was also not carried in Baltimore, Maryland. Instead ABC affiliate WJZ-TV carried the local Buddy Deane Show, the inspiration for the movie Hairspray. Reportedly, the Baltimore station "blacked out" Bandstand because Black teenagers were allowed to dance on the program (although Blacks and Whites were not allowed to dance together).
- It was customary on the show to have Clark perform a mini-interview with the guest band members. Clark says the most difficult interview he performed was with Prince, an unknown at the time of his appearance. Prince was unresponsive and would generally answer his questions with only a hand gesture or a single word. Clark in fact asked Prince how many instruments he played; Prince responded with, "A thousand."
- Another famous mini-interview Clark is famous for is one with Madonna, who, when asked what she would like to do 20 years from now, answered coyly, "To rule the world!"
- B.B. King and Jerry Lee Lewis were the only recording artists to actually sing on the program. They were uncomfortable with miming their performances and requested that they just perform the songs live on the set.
- In 1980, singer John Lydon of Public Image Limited refused to mime on the show; the musicians continued the charade for a while as though they were actually performing "Poptones", but when the time came for their second song, "Careering," the band gave their instruments to the audience, who had swarmed the stage at Lydon's urging.
- In 1961, Tony Orlando performed his then-hit song "Bless You" with his trousers zipper open.
- The first rap/hip hop performance in the history of television occurred in 1981 when the Sugar Hill Gang performed their hit song "Rapper's Delight" on the show.
- Eddie Kelly was the only individual Regular to be singled out for an individual lot (An image of him/paper doll/Lot 202 Page 48 of the catalog) in Dick Clark's Auction held in New York City on December 5th and 6th, 2006. The only other lot was a couple, Regulars, Bob Clayton and Justine Carrelli, of their signed recording, "Drive-In Movie" (Lot 17 Page 14).[1]
- In 1957, Simon and Garfunkel performed their first hit, "Hey Schoolgirl," immediately after Jerry Lee Lewis's "Great Balls of Fire." The song hit #49 on the Billboard Charts when they were just sixteen years old.
- Pro wrestler Sylvester Ritter better known as the Junk Yard Dog appeared on the show to sing his theme song "Grab Them Cakes" from The Wrestling Album
- Dave Johnson appeared on the show numerous times with a female partner doing his famous "Peppermint Twist".
The return of American Bandstand
ABC have plans to bring American Bandstand back from this autumn, the biggest stars and bands are set to include |Beyonce feat. Jay-Z, Linkin Park, Avril Lavigne, and many more. It will be hosted by American Idol stars Ryan Seacrest & John O'Hurley, will be airing the first of the 89 episodes. Which after the recent Top Of The Pops finished in the U.K. which will be from the Season 2007-08 season on October 13, 2007
AMERICAN BANDSTAND CELEBRATED IT'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY ON AUGUST 5TH 2007. A PARTY WAS ATTENDED BY CHUBBY CHECKER, CONNIE FRANCIS, THE DOVELLS, CHARLIE GRACIE, JERRY BLAVAT AND SOME OF THE REGULARS WHO DANCED ON THE SHOW BETWEEN 1957 AND 1963. THE OLD WFIL STUDIO, NOW THE ENTERPRISE CENTER UNVIELED A MURAL DEPICTING THE SHOW IN THOSE GLORIOUS DAYS.
References in popular culture
- In 1988, the popular John Waters film Hairspray's The Corny Collins Show is a mix between this and Baltimore's Buddy Deane Show.
- In 2001, IGT created and developed a slot machine based on the show's popularity.
- In 2004 the band Low released the compilation album A Lifetime of Temporary Relief: 10 Years of B-Sides and Rarities, featuring the track "Peanut Butter Toast And American Bandstand" which mentions the show.
- In 2005, rapper Bow Wow came out with the featured single Fresh Azimiz from the album Wanted. The song, produced by Jermaine Dupri mentioned the popularity of American Bandstand in the line, "I'm goin' down in history like American Bandstand."
See also
References
- ^ Dick Clark Auction December 5 & 6, 2006. The Dick Clark Auction Catalog A division of Barlan Enterprises LTD copyright Guernsey's 2006
<www.marshasvintage.com> American Bandstand History 1958-1963
External links
- Articles with trivia sections from May 2007
- American Broadcasting Company network shows
- Variety television series
- Dance television shows
- USA Network shows
- WPVI-TV
- Music television series
- First-run syndicated television programs
- 1952 television program debuts
- 1989 television program series endings
- 1950s American television series
- 1960s American television series
- 1970s American television series
- 1980s American television series