Remember hurrying from school in the 50's and turning on that old black and white tv at 4'oclock to watch all those kids dance on "American Bandstand" live from Philadelphia, The show first began as a local program in the cramped quarters of Studio B at WFIL Tv channel 6 at 46th and Market streets in Philadelphia on October 7, 1952.
The show was first hosted by Bob Horn and was called Bob Horn's Bandstand . On July 9,1956,the show got a new host .Dick Clark .who brought the show to national attention on ABC TV on Aug 5. 1957.
Hundreds of kids each day would line up after school at 46th and Market streets in Philadelphia , hoping to be one of the lucky ones who got to dance alongside the regulars on the show, The regular dancers were real kids from Philly not paid actors,
If you watched the show every day five day's a week, , just as I and my twin brother did in Ripley.W.va on "Old Ravenswood Pike" you could about tell what kids were breaking up and who was making up.
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. 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.
Whatever happened to all those regulars on the show that received more than 15.000 fan letters a week? In the early 1990s I was able to track down a few of them to write this article.
Remember Justine and Bob ? I can remember them as if it was only yesterday, Justine Carrelli went on to write a screen play titled "It Wasn't All Dancing" recollecting her days on "American Bandstand " her romance with Bob Clayton and the difficulties they faced when "American Bandstand" was finally over for them.
Justine today lives in Las Vegas with her husband ,Woody Bosco. Bob Clayton and his wife own gift shops in Wilmington .Delaware.
Remember Kenny and Arlene? Kenny Rossi owns a construction business in Philadelphia. Arlene Sullivan is married and lives in Atlantic City .New Jersey.
What ever happened to Bunny Gibson and Eddie Kelly? when writing this article in the 90s Bunny was living in Los Angeles. dividing her time between acting, modeling . aiding the homeless and perserving the memorabilla of "American Bandstand" Bunny if you remember was chosen for inclusion in Peter Jenning's book "The Century" . Eddie Kelly who was hard to track down is records manager for a law firm in New York City, He is often called upon to provide information on the show,
Rember Pat and Carmen? Pat Molitteeri was credited with inventing the dance, "The Hop" by combining elements of the Slop and the Bop, Pat died in the mid -1970s of a heart attack at age 36, Carmen Jimenez still lives in Philadelphia today and recollects the fun she had being on the show.
Other Partcipants on the show included Joyce and Norman, better known as Joyce Shafer and Norman Kerr.
Joyce told me on the telephone when interviewing her in the 90s that her longtime friend and dance partner Norman died on December 6. 1990 . six weeks shy of his 47th birthday, She said Norman was one of a kind. always making people laught . She said he still had that in him, holding his hand when he passed away,
Joyce said she met Norman in January 1959. while standing outside the tv studio in Philadelphia waiting to get inside, She had asked Norman to dance with her when Dick Clark announce ladies choice. from that dance on .she and Norman became steady dance partners until she had to leave the show on her 18th birthday in August 1961.
She said the most memorable day for her and Norman was April 13.1961 .the day they won second place in the pony dance contest. They each won a a hi-fi and 50 record albums. She said she still has the hi fi still sitting in her living room today and the records packed away for safekeeping.
Today, Joyce and her husband live in New Jersey and own a champion Samoyed show dog. Namron, Namron ,she says, spelled backward spells Norman, her first love,
No part of this article can be published without the written consent of Larry Koon . copyrighted 1994
The show was first hosted by Bob Horn and was called Bob Horn's Bandstand . On July 9,1956,the show got a new host .Dick Clark .who brought the show to national attention on ABC TV on Aug 5. 1957.
Hundreds of kids each day would line up after school at 46th and Market streets in Philadelphia , hoping to be one of the lucky ones who got to dance alongside the regulars on the show, The regular dancers were real kids from Philly not paid actors,
If you watched the show every day five day's a week, , just as I and my twin brother did in Ripley.W.va on "Old Ravenswood Pike" you could about tell what kids were breaking up and who was making up.
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. 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.
Whatever happened to all those regulars on the show that received more than 15.000 fan letters a week? In the early 1990s I was able to track down a few of them to write this article.
Remember Justine and Bob ? I can remember them as if it was only yesterday, Justine Carrelli went on to write a screen play titled "It Wasn't All Dancing" recollecting her days on "American Bandstand " her romance with Bob Clayton and the difficulties they faced when "American Bandstand" was finally over for them.
Justine today lives in Las Vegas with her husband ,Woody Bosco. Bob Clayton and his wife own gift shops in Wilmington .Delaware.
Remember Kenny and Arlene? Kenny Rossi owns a construction business in Philadelphia. Arlene Sullivan is married and lives in Atlantic City .New Jersey.
What ever happened to Bunny Gibson and Eddie Kelly? when writing this article in the 90s Bunny was living in Los Angeles. dividing her time between acting, modeling . aiding the homeless and perserving the memorabilla of "American Bandstand" Bunny if you remember was chosen for inclusion in Peter Jenning's book "The Century" . Eddie Kelly who was hard to track down is records manager for a law firm in New York City, He is often called upon to provide information on the show,
Rember Pat and Carmen? Pat Molitteeri was credited with inventing the dance, "The Hop" by combining elements of the Slop and the Bop, Pat died in the mid -1970s of a heart attack at age 36, Carmen Jimenez still lives in Philadelphia today and recollects the fun she had being on the show.
Other Partcipants on the show included Joyce and Norman, better known as Joyce Shafer and Norman Kerr.
Joyce told me on the telephone when interviewing her in the 90s that her longtime friend and dance partner Norman died on December 6. 1990 . six weeks shy of his 47th birthday, She said Norman was one of a kind. always making people laught . She said he still had that in him, holding his hand when he passed away,
Joyce said she met Norman in January 1959. while standing outside the tv studio in Philadelphia waiting to get inside, She had asked Norman to dance with her when Dick Clark announce ladies choice. from that dance on .she and Norman became steady dance partners until she had to leave the show on her 18th birthday in August 1961.
She said the most memorable day for her and Norman was April 13.1961 .the day they won second place in the pony dance contest. They each won a a hi-fi and 50 record albums. She said she still has the hi fi still sitting in her living room today and the records packed away for safekeeping.
Today, Joyce and her husband live in New Jersey and own a champion Samoyed show dog. Namron, Namron ,she says, spelled backward spells Norman, her first love,
No part of this article can be published without the written consent of Larry Koon . copyrighted 1994
Really enjoyed reading your article Larry , I also grew up in the 50s watching American Bandstand, your article brought back so many memories of the good ole days growing up. love your blog keep up the great articles , G.R. Ripley W.va
ReplyDeleteGreat article Larry love your antiques blog . Teresa Bowling. Marietta. Ohio
ReplyDeletegreat article, in the late 1950s i wouldnt miss watching the show for anything , I still have some of those records that bring back a lot of memories, my boyfriend and i won a lot of dance contests at Marietta high dancing to the "Mashed Potatoe" by Dee Dee Sharp and the Twist by Chubby Checker: really love your column in the Marietta Times every Monday , keep up the great articles. H.E. Lowell. Ohio
ReplyDeleteI do hope you continuing writing about the bandstanders. I met Joyce and Norman at the Steel Pier one summer and found them both to be so nice. I was saddened to hear about Norman.
ReplyDelete