", Caroline's mother, Iona, went to Eddie and Polly's wedding. I'm sure I missed several of the regulars that are featured here today in the open. "American Bandstand" was one of the most popular television shows for teenagers. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. He said he had plans to see an old friend, so he was coming to visit Nashville. Teenagers dance on an episode of Dick Clark's television program, 'American Bandstand,' 1950s. When American Bandstand became the most popular daytime television program in the late 1950s, a group of ordinary Philadelphia high school students who loved to dance suddenly became a national phenomenon. she said to herself. Bradford Brady and John Maron write the weekly On The Record column. "I took fire," he said. In 2013, following the release of their third album, Melophobia, Parrish decided to leave the band and try his hand at production work. On Sunday at 2am, construction of the Berlin Wall will officially begin. See more of American Bandstand Dancers on Facebook. He made a lot of stars. What a tragedy, Clayton, 70, says. Q: I was listening to a classic rock station recently when the DJ said that he was going to play a song that featured members of Pink Floyd, the Who and Led Zeppelin. Clark was "determined" to keep the homosexuality of popular "Bandstand" regulars a secret, Smith said. These Regulars . Forgot account? When she won the pageant, "I was walking on air," she said. While on the show he often danced with Susan Beltrante and Ivette Jimenez. 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. Showcasing all of the Top 40 tunes and singing sensations of the day, the show premiered locally in an afternoon time slot to attract after-school viewership in late September 1952, originally titled as simply "Bandstand" on Philadelphia television station WFIL-TV Channel 6 before later becoming broadcast nationally via ABC. Actress Lena Dunham ("Girls") and actor Robert Pattinson are 28. 8,366 people like this. "I didn't like it.". Contact American Bandstand Dancers on Messenger. Bradford Brady and John Maron are freelance music writers based in Raleigh, N.C. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. 4151 Prospect Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027 4151 Prospect Ave Los Angeles, CA, CA 90027. So he continued to call. Eddie put a hospital bed in their house. American Bandstand, abbreviated AB, is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired regularly in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the program's producer.It featured teenagers dancing to Top 40 music introduced by Clark; at least one popular musical actover the decades, running the . As he slid into her passenger seat, she thought he looked strong and strapping. You have permission to edit this article. Jan 26, 2019 - Kenny Rossi--one of the most popular Regulars/Dancers to dance on early American Bandstand ( years late 50s/early 60s) 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. They had been married 12 years. In addition, the show has performances by popular musicians and audience members rate songs. Bassist Mickey Madden of Maroon 5 is 35. A: Premiering in 1952, Bandstand (as it was originally called), began life as a local program on Philadelphia-based WFIL, which broadcast both radio and television programs. Dick Clark hosts a daily to weekly dance show that features the latest hit music for the attending teens to dance to. The band released their first self-titled album in 2009. As for Arlene, she didn't say whether or not her experience as a teen sensation on the show was anything like the competitive "cutting-a-rug" depictions as shared in the 1988 film "Hairspray.". Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. "It was everything I dreamed of," she said. Caroline knew her well. Bassist Wylie Gelber of Dawes is 26. He invited her to a Friday night football game. George Kennedy died in 2001. She and Polly had been friends at West High. She had several jobs as a young woman. On their third phone call, he told her he loved her. You can cancel at any time. Log In. ", Mineo's big breakthrough as an actor was his role in the 1955 film "Rebel Without a Cause," opposite James Dean and Natalie Wood. What she did tell me was the most exciting days during the show's taping was when famous names of the day dropped by to promote music, TV and film projects. Besides being on Back to the Egg, Rockestra Theme can be found on Wingspan, the two-disc collection of McCartneys post-Beatles material, which was released in 2001. Caroline said it didn't feel right. "Why couldn't my children have his bone structure?" After an invitation from a . Airdate: May, 30, 1970Which couple did you like best?Here is your first (and unfortunately last) look at all of the 1970 Dance Contest finalists from across the country. "I was so close to Eddie," Caroline said. He had a going-away party, and she came. Local Business . She worked as the host of a Saturday morning television program called "Out Front." You have permission to edit this article. Do you know what song he was talking about? "I was her caretaker," he said. Please subscribe to keep reading. She was a beauty queen (Miss Nashville 1959), and he was a fly boy who would amass 5,000 hours as a pilot/bombardier in a career that included a tour in Vietnam. Their most recent album, Social Cues, was released last year and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Album. He drove her home and asked her permission to kiss her on the steps of her parents' house. She dried her eyes and called Eddie. Steven and Sterling went on to form a singing group in the late 70s called the Triple S Connection. ``Bandstand first aired for a national audience on ABC on Aug. 5, 1957. 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. Drummer Andy Williams of Casting Crowns is 42. "She probably doesn't remember me," he thought. As a teenager in the late 1970s I always enjoyed watching American Bandstand on Saturday afternoons. In the news this week..Tomorrow, Saturday, August 12, Walter Ulbricht, leader of East Germany, will sign an order to close the border with West Germany. I had to stop listening to the radio before I could hear the song. Matthan Minster (keys/guitar) and Nick Bockrath (lead guitar) round out the band. Sullivan, who came out decades ago, spoke of one particular young man, now deceased, who was a victim of Clark's campaign. We had fans, we had groupies," said Steve Colanero, 56, a dancer from 1959 to 1961 and now retired to Palm Beach, Fla. "I spread the Beehive across America," said Bunny Gibson, 56, on the show from 1959 to 1962. You can cancel at any time. Bunny Gibson 9:08, Frani Giordano, 15:23As mentioned in the video, Id like to give a huge thank you to Uncle George and @jthyme for getting me this rare clip. "But I never got hit.". 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. The Beach Boys were already the kings of surf pop by their first appearance on American Bandstand in 1964. In fact, she was "the first female car racer at Cecil County Drag Strip . There had been so much drama in those six-plus decades marriages, children, war, careers, heartache and death. Sullivan,70, is busy working on a new book about her "Bandstand" days with fellow "Bandstand" regular Bunny Gibson (also one of the most popular regulars on the show) assisted by authors Sharon Sultan Cutler and Cookie Tischler, the latter duo being the scribes behind the tome "Once Upon Our Times (Because Life Isn't A Fairytale): 65 Years Growing Up Baby Boomer." (Steven 1952-2015, Sterling 1952-2003, RIP) The young lady in couple #4 from Oklahoma City, Beth Freeland, commented here a few months ago as well. On Aug. 5, 1957, American Bandstand (as it was now called), debuted to a national audience. On April20, 2023, Caroline andEddie wereback in Nashville for a high school reunion luncheon. Actor Harvey Keitel is 75. Teenagers and young adults ran home from school to watch them jitterbug and stroll while they copied their fashions, fads and dance moves. She tracked them down for the new coffee-table book, Bandstand Diaries: The Philadelphia Years, 1956-1963. 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. This is the link to the first part. What does that lyric mean? We lost a brilliant man. After four dates, he married Martha "Polly"Pipper. In an age where young couples were getting married before they turned 20, Eddie wouldn't give Caroline his high school ring. Singer Stevie Wonder is 64. She is overseeing a redesign. The Philadelphia high school Regulars who danced on Dick Clark's American Bandstand in the late 1950s and early 1960s became national celebrities and America's first reality stars. I know there are a lot of American Bandstand fans that will be very excited to see this. The show stayed on the air until Clark retired as host in 1989, making it the longest-running music program in television history. (Mineo's life ended decades later after he was arriving home after a rehearsal on Feb. 12, 1976 and was stabbed to death in the alley behind his apartment building in West Hollywood, with the knife blade striking his heart, leading to immediate and fatal internal bleeding.). His military career was notable because he was part of the nuclear team that was ready during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. 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. Just like he had the last time she had seen him. But she said she only had one happy year. Finally, he called a mutual friend who called Caroline to explain that phone number from California with the 951 area code was Eddie Lamm. She cried in front of her cat "Shortstop." Stevens daughter (@Cheenjoo Pearl) commented here a few months ago and said that, sadly, both Steven and Sterling had passed away. Eddie and Polly moved to California and had two sons. At just 13 and 16, the twosome became regulars on the show, dancing as a couple for almost three years. FYI:onceuponourtimes.com. Arlene Sullivan and her dance partner, Kenny Rossi, became teen idols after TV cameras and fan magazines captured their dancing and would-be romance antics on the show "Bandstand," later called "American Bandstand," hosted by Dick Clark. "It gave me a whole different outlook on life and death. unfortunately he passed on Apri. In the show's later years, it became a weekly Saturday morning staple broadcast. #americanbandstand #bandstanddiaries # . [The knowledge about the dancers] would have destroyed himand the . In 1959, she entered the Miss Nashville pageant, stitched up a short red costume and did a dance routine to "Won't You Charleston With Me" ending with a jitterbug to "Sweet Georgia Brown." American Bandstand: With Dick Clark, Charlie O'Donnell, Peaches Johnson, Stan Rodarte. Kennedy was 19 years older than Caroline and taught her to fly a Cessna 310. Actor Buck Taylor ("Gunsmoke," ''Gods and Generals") is 76. In 2020, Eddie noticed Polly's head drooping. Q: I really like the band Cage the Elephant. She picked up her high school sweetheart at the Nashville International Airport. That was when she picked him up from the airport. Rest in peace dad. Caroline's first marriage, she said, didn't go well. She worked in the travel industry in Nashville. The songs "Near You" and "Time in a Bottle" played. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). That ring "was too precious," she said. Im happy to add their names here in the description if you give them to me, but please include the time marker so I can ID them. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. I lost my dad this week, Tuesday, July 27, 2021. But this time, she had his ring. However, a bizarre chance encounter with a stranger following a show lead them to change their name. According to Schultz, the man came up to him and kept repeating the phrase, You have to cage the elephant! over and over. "I just quit," he said. While in Atlantic City earlier this month, I got to spend some time with Arlene Sullivan, one of the teen magazine favorite faces, along with her dance partner, Kenny Rossi. Not now. She was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease). Up Around The Bend is at #5 today on the Billboard Hot 100 and will peak at #4 next week. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Another time, a dancer was thrown onto the subway tracks. These teenagers became the nation's first reality-TV stars--they received thousands of fan letters and were mobbed everywhere they went. This site is maintained by American Bandstand Dancers Hal L. Landau, Linda D. Gonzales & Bunny. This is a montage I created of one of my favorite dance . But on Dec.24, 1961, he had dropped another kind of bomb. 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