The program was permanently shot in color starting on September 9, 1967. e9.size = "300x250"; Kenny Rossi and Arlene Sullivan, Bunny Gibson and Eddie Kelly, Pat Molittieri, Carmen Jimenz, Joyce Shafer. Colanero danced from 1959 to 1961. [Clark] was a cool professional with an agenda from the beginning, an agenda for success that made him rich; he was a millionaire by the end of the 1950s. I went to Bandstand because I was gay and I was a misfit in my neighborhood. The bashing of Bandstand regulars, gay and straight, happened all the time, Sullivan and Smith reveal. In an online page marking her 68th birthday on Nov. 23, 2011, Bandstand "documentarian" Charles W. Amann III posted: "The name Scaldeferri and American Bandstand go hand-in-hand. Steve Colanero, 66, a West Philadelphia transplant in Palm Beach, Fla., posted on Facebook a picture from the 1980s of himself with Clark. ", California residents do not sell my data request. In the meantime, have a wonderful week or two. This investigation targeted the practice of payola, and it was most likely triggered by rumors circulating that charged Dick Clark with promoting records in which he held a financial stake onAmerican Bandstandand taking kickbacks from record companies to include their records on the shows playlist. Broadcast only on Saturdays after 1963, American Bandstand lost the homegrown vitality of the daily program in West Philadelphia. He needed a group to show up every day, she says, and nobody got paid. In July 1956, Dick Clark, a commercial pitchman and deejay with an unsullied reputation, inherited WFIL-TV's Bandstand from scandal-tainted Bob Horn and revamped it for a national audience of teenage consumers as ABC's American Bandstand, which first aired in August 1957.Clark's daily afternoon program pioneered in musical television by showcasing a range of black and white pop music . They wrote. She acknowledges that some of the other girls she knew on the show were also gay. 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 "Studio 'B'" measured 80 by 80 by 24 feet (24.4m 24.4m 7.3m), but appeared smaller due to the number of props, television cameras, and risers that were used for the show. Brancaccio says thats what attracted him to it. I tried my best to fill your shoes and I hope I have lived up to what you were expecting of me. 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. running a series on drunken driving. 1st song played on the national edition was Jerry Lee Lewis Whole Lotta Shaking Goin On.1st Guests: Billy Williams, ChordettesLast song on the ABC network was Laura Branigans Shattered Glass., See above pictureThe Stroll recorded by The Diamonds in 1958. Arlene Sullivan and Kenny Rossi on the cover of Teen magazine in 1959. Black & White/Color (9/9/1967), Dick Clarks first day as host: 7/9/1956 Another time, a dancer was thrown onto the subway tracks. . So fearful of the kids real behavior, [Clark] imposed a strict dress code: jackets and ties for boys, and nothing tight for girls. These experienced Regulars considered an infrequent participant or a first time visitor an amateur. I wonder what they would have thought about a kid in TV Land, practicing the new steps in front of her bedroom mirror and praying to God her little brother didnt catch her at it. "This man had the strongest personality that I had ever seen as a young boy," he said. unsold game show pilots). Thats all we did dance and every part of the city had its own style. 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. Artists would sing naturally to the studio audience over a background of their own disc, while viewers at home would hear only the original recording. As she puts it, being a Regular entailed holding a WFIL-TV Bandstand Club membership card and dancing every day on the show. They are extending the honeymoon in Stone Mountain, Georgia, where Duke has called home. She was one of five brothers and sisters; had a huge family vacation home in Sea Isle City where Regulars visited: and dated Frank Levins and Denny Dziena. Parents across America would never, NEVER have allowed their kids to put Bandstand on, she writes. She and her husband, Richard Spada, lived in Philadelphia and Lansdowne before moving to Newtown Square. "I kissed a girl, and I liked it!. She was now working at Neiman Marcus, and couldn't take off to join the Regulars and their fans at the Philadelphia American Bandstand studio. While occasionally black teens were allowed into the studio, they were generally boys. From 1963 to 1987 Bandstand was on only once a week, on Saturday. By then, he was a big-time television producer. 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. And while more openly gay performers are comfortable taking the stage these days, it's good to know we've always been thereeven if in silence. e9 = new Object(); LogoTV and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Ross Media Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. By clicking Consent you are authorizing advertisers to collect information to personalize the ads you see. On Bandstand, she became lifelong friends with one of the celebrity guests, straight Annette Funicello, of Mickey Mouse Club and Beach Party fame. EARLY BANDSTAND FASHIONS. The Saturday show would run until 1960. Bunny Gibson was a kid when Dick Clark came into her life - or, rather, when she entered his world in Studio B at 46th and Market Streets in West Philadelphia. But to his credit and diligence, he brilliantly created his own myth, and he stuck to it for the rest of his life. LGBT identities were hidden on the shows dancefloor. Some of the stories I heard are heartbreaking, Sullivan recalls. 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. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images), Spice on Her Favorite 'Drag Race' Season 15 Moment and Her Sweet Reunion With Sugar, "I did win the hearts of these girls somehow and the love was just so felt. They were the squeaky-clean Kardashians of their era, and Bandstand could easily claim the title as the first reality show. ", Meet the Global Glamazons of 'Queen of the Universe' Season 2. Who will walk away with the crown this time around? In fact, she was "the first female car racer at Cecil County Drag Strip," according. As Sullivan puts it: The boys danced. We would roar, roll over with pain from laughing so hard. Barbara finally came back and said I had to come to the front because the back was only for colored people. Unsure and fearful about her true sexual identity, Sullivan tried passing as straight. Clark now eyed California as where the action is. And in February 1964 Clark moved to Los Angeles, where it would continue until 1989, though lacking its West Philadelphia spontaneity. Sullivan was most frequently paired with a boy named Kenny Rossi, who was straight, but still subject to attacks for appearing on the show: One time, Kenny and I went to visit one of the other regulars up in North Philadelphia, and we were leaving her apartment and were headed to the El, and I heard car doors slamming, and I looked back, and all these guys were coming up the steps, and they started beating up on Kenny, Sullivan says. However unethical his behavior may have been, his federal income tax records seemed to be in order. But just like a lot of today's showmances are concocted, many of the Bandstand boppers were harboring a big secret: They were gay. History goes back and forth with the timing and motives of the integration, but nevertheless, American Bandstand socially impacted teenagers' opinions regarding race. And he has the one criteria required to attract Bunny Gibson. I was truly blessed in my life with wonderful family, friends and fans. Clark "was very all-American, handsome, and nice, a father figure to us," she recalled. One night at a party I met a girl who was one of the stars on American Bandstand I was blown away.. Where Are the American Bandstand Regulars Now? from CBS in November 1957, they renamed the program as Who Do You Trust? John Lithgow filmed a mockumentary episode before it was c 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Influencer refuses to switch business class seats so family can sit together, Ousted Chicago mayor blames loss on racism, gender but not her tepid response to crime, Chaka Khan blasts Rolling Stone, Adele, Mariah Carey in podcast talk, Disgraceful Meghan, Harry provoked King Charles to evict them: royal expert, Kanye West and wife Bianca Censori look surprisingly happy on dinner date, Sunny Hostin Points Finger at China for COVID Crisis: Did Not Cooperate With the International Community, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle confirm they were asked to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage. LOS ANGELES - APRIL 1960: Host of the television show 'American Bandstand' Dick Clark appears in a scene with Michael Callan from the movie 'Because They're Young' which was released in April 1960. I imitated all the dance steps, sometimes with the refrigerator door as a partner. Back in July, I received a most endearing email from Duke which told of his experiences in life. Browse celebrity nostalgia on our website. Clark pulled him within two feet of the camera and told America, "Steve is our newest regular, and he's going to lead us off with a spotlight dance. Norman and I met in January 1959 while standing outside of the studio waiting to get inside. The American Bandstand Regulars tell us what Studio B means to them today and yesterday, with special guest appearance by the American Bandstand Fan Club pre. They were hurting him. M Marsha Early American Bandstand Wallet type photos of Dancers/Regulars Sisters Mary Rosalie Susan 50s Susan Beltrante (on left) and Mary Beltrante on the right. The one thing that really shocked me was that those boys who were 14 and 15 and 16 were sleeping with each other," Smith told the New York Post. As previously mentioned, during the 1978 season of Bandstand, Donna Summer became the only music artist in Bandstand's history to co-host the program. NEW PAGE! The rest, as they say, is history. When I used to walk down the streets of Philadelphia and be recognized, Id be called a Bandstand f*ggot, dancer Frank Brancaccio told the National Enquirer in 2014. He spoke of his youth, of Bandstand and his favorite gal, Bunny. They were hurting him. Not only was it extremely intelligent, but there was something moving about the mans story. Fiorentino, whose mother died when he was 12, said Clark became a role model. All rock'n roll and most owned by Dick Clark himself. Years later, when Clark was asked whether any of the dancers had died of AIDS, he stated that one had, Smith recalled. A storybook ending to a tale that began with American Bandstand, albeit 40 years ago. We were like sisters. They married during her Thanksgiving vacation from Northeast High School. From the late 1950s and most of the 1960s, Clark's on-camera sidekick was announcer Charlie O'Donnell, who later went on to announce Wheel of Fortune and other programs hosted or produced by Clark, such as The $100,000 Pyramid. Wed stay up all night talking about boys, she said. [3] Horn was temporarily replaced by producer Tony Mammarella before the job went to Dick Clark permanently. Unlike Smith, she expresses no animosity toward Clark. The Hand Jive. Where things are poppin'(Pop!) [3] Jackson,American Bandstand, quote from unpaginated photo section. "[40] WFIL defended these local associations in order to maintain support. He fell in love with her. "It is with much sadness that we have lost one of the most loving and beautiful souls - Carole Scaldeferri Spada has passed away," Bunny Gibson, who identified herself as a "Bandstand buddy," posted on Facebook. Elgart's version was released as a single in March 1954 (Columbia 40180) as well as Curb's theme (by "Mike Curb & The Waterfall") in October 1969 (Forward 124). And while Smith knew he was gay, he was shocked to learn that most of the guys on Bandstand, so many of them, were gay, he told The Post. The program was broadcast live, weekday afternoons and, by 1959, the show had a national audience of 20 million. One time, Kenny and I went to visit one of the other regulars up in North Philadelphia, and we were leaving her apartment and were headed to the El, and I heard car doors slamming, and I looked back, and all these guys were coming up the steps, and they started beating up on Kenny, Sullivan says. Featured artists typically performed their current hits by lip-syncing to the released version of the song. Shoes and I hope I have lived up to what you were of. ] WFIL defended these local associations in order to maintain support, he. 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