american bandstand regulars who have died

Henderson remained the chief newsreader for Australia's Channel 9 until finally announcing his retirement in 2002. They were introduced as a result of an email sent to the Fifties Web. "We all did. It originally aired as simply "Bandstand" in 1952, shot at WFIL-TV's studios in Philadelphia and airing locally. She and her husband, Richard Spada, lived in Philadelphia and Lansdowne before moving to Newtown Square. I started going out to straight clubs.. As music styles evolved, American Bandstand incorporated more emerging genres. In March of 1970 we moved to New Jersey. The followed the trend of solo (open) dancing started by Chubby Checker and The Twist. Some solo dances had animal names, for example, The Pony and The Monkey; others were named for motions, for example, The Mashed Potato and The Loco-Motion. Two of the biggest record hits of the early 1960s, both of which received a huge boost from airtime onAmerican Bandstand, were Dee Dee Sharps Mashed Potato Time and Freddy Cannons Palisades Park.8, YetAmerican Bandstandsseven-year stint in West Philadelphia was about to end. First called Bandstand, the program premiered October 6, 1952, hosted by Philadelphia radio DJ Bob Horn (1916-66). Don Travarelli, from South Philly, watched American Bandstand in 1961 and spotted Bunny Gibson dancing. 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. They werent playing baseball they were DANCING. Rare photo above is a 1959 Press photo of Pat when she was writing for Teen Magazine. . These 14- to 18-year olds like Arlene and Kenny, Justine and Bob . Music by Charles Albertine 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. See more of American Bandstand Dancers on Facebook We have lived in NJ ever since. But he vividly recalls that one of his fellow gay dancers was thrown onto the El tracks outside the studio, and another popular regular who was gay and often danced with Sullivan was dangled over an elevator shaft.. Kenny Rossi and Arlene Sullivan, Bunny Gibson and Eddie Kelly, Pat Molittieri, Carmen Jimenz, Joyce Shafer. He kept his distance, she says. In February 2020, it was announced that Henderson had contracted kidney cancer and opted not to receive treatment. 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. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2012. "He made me feel that if you want something in life, you have to be serious about it.". . Special Features: They were on the cover of "Dick Clark's American Bandstand " and have done many Documentaries R.I.P. . Talevski, Nick. ", In a Time.com obituary for Dick Clark, who died April 18, 2012, a reporter wrote: "Lou DeSera, Carmen Jimenez, Carole Scaldeferri, Rosemarie 'Little Roe' DiCristo: they may sound like characters on The Sopranos, but they were just ordinary kids, with extraordinary luck of being in Philadelphia at the moment the old town lit the fuse for the rock explosion.". In other parts of the country, if you were a gay kid growing up, you were probably the only one in town who was gay, Sullivan said. And more than 250 fans too, a number of them quite young, who had just heard of the show and were curious. By then, he was a big-time television producer. . Normally, I do not forward mail to the Regulars. West Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, Jersey you learned the different styles of the same dances., The Regulars did the Pony, Jitterbug, Calypso, Cha-cha and a slow dance that she says wasnt exactly a waltz: The kids didnt stand in one spot. Many of the shows female dancers wore Peter Pan collarsa feature of their Catholic school uniformsand at one point this even sparked a nationwide trend imitating the look. Were goin hopin today American Bandstand: West Philadelphia's Seven-Year Wonder 1957-1964 Rachel Fuda and Dolores Catania Get Honest About What It Takes to Look Like a Housewife, JoJo Says Theres Definitely Parallels Between Her and, Mica Burton's Rebellion Against Her Dad, LeVar Burton, Was Being a 'Star Wars' Fan, 50% Off Pet Items for Amazon Pet Day - Starting Now, Rachel Fuda and Dolores Catania Get Honest About What It Takes to Look Like a 'Real Housewife'. June Bouche on November 20, 2018 at 9:12 pm . At the height of its popularity, it was watched daily by 20 million people (by contrast, "Dancing With the Stars" drew 13 million viewers weekly last season), with an estimated half of them adults; its teenage dancers got as many as 45,000 fan letters a week. He died on 5 August 2021 at his home in Sydney. I still have my HI-FI sitting against a wall between my living room and dining room. He was a brilliant man. Mickey Mouse Club [3] Jackson,American Bandstand, quote from unpaginated photo section. Joyce Shafer talks about herself and her dance partner, Norman Kerr, Norman was one of a kind, always making people laugh. BUT he was out for Clark., Sullivan claims there were four other popular girl dancers on the show whom she knew to be lesbians, and they hung out together. ), Lew Klein papers and Evening Bulletin Photographs Collection, Special Collections Research Center of Temple University Libraries, Charles Library, Eye to Eye: American Bandstand (CBS News, YouTube), Interview with Lew Klein, executive producer of American Bandstand (Temple University Television), Lesson Plan: A New "Twist" on Race Relations (ExplorePaHistory.com). Arguably, American Bandstand both contributed to racial integration and supported racial segregation. The kids who showed up every day (Bandstand aired every weekday afternoon for the first six years) knew all the most popular steps. A Philadelphia, PA 19133, BONUS PAGE These Regulars went on to receive mail, have fan clubs, feature magazine articles and dancer contests just like the previous groups. 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. Dick Clark 1929 2012, Dick Clark with Johnny Crawford. Clark, known as Americas oldest teenager, knew. It's handled with sensitive delicacy. When she heard the news of Clark's death Wednesday, Gibson immediately headed to Hollywood to be with other former Bandstand regulars at Clark's star on the Walk of Fame. After school in the late 1950s, millions of American teenagers raced home to watch the gyrations of fellow teens on their parents tiny black-and-white televisions in the living room. Norman passed away on December 6, 1990. (noted 9/12/21) . Early in 1964, the show moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, where it remained through its final season in 1989. She tracked them down for the new coffee-table book, Bandstand Diaries: The Philadelphia Years, 1956-1963. That was an emotional moment for both of us.". He spoke of his youth, of Bandstand and his favorite gal, Bunny. This included dances the Bop, the Twist, the Jitterbug, and the Stroll. Fiorentino, whose mother died when he was 12, said Clark became a role model. "It was in the original TV studio and it was amazing," says Cutler. sign up for our monthly Nostalgia e-newsletter or other e-newsletters tailored for boomers! The Bop. Clark was out for Clark, says Brancaccio. Fabian and Bobby Rydell Hang With American Bandstand Regulars By Rick SiegelFabian, the teenagers heart throb from the 50's, hob knobs along with the America. I was saddened to hear about Norman. 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. The most comprehensive, authoritative reference source ever created for the Philadelphia region. The show stayed on the air until 1989. He still had that in him until the evening before he passed away. They accepted me. On each broadcast day the line of teens hoping to appear on the show snaked around the block; some were granted entry and others denied. The soft, almost cooed vocals of singer Katie Haley bring a pop veneer. The History of "American Bandstand" - LiveAbout "He was the commander," Colanero said. In the early years of American Bandstand, African Americans were rarely seen on television. , True love In 2014, the National Enquirer interviewed Frank Brancaccio and Eddie Kelly, other series regulars. On Bandstand, she became lifelong friends with one of the celebrity guests, straight Annette Funicello, of Mickey Mouse Club and Beach Party fame. They even invented a few the Stroll, the Circle and the Chalypso. I knew all their names. We would roar, roll over with pain from laughing so hard. [6] Jackson,American Bandstand, 71; Jacksons description of Arlene Sullivan. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Another time, a dancer was thrown onto the subway tracks. "He wasn't no Bob Horn," Fiorentino said. My favorite dance was the Jitterbug the last dance where people danced together. He was 82. 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. American Bandstand Dancer Dottie Horner died yesterday. Where Are the American Bandstand Regulars Now? That really annoyed me, said Smith, Because quite a few of the Philadelphia dancers on Bandstand died of AIDS., According to Brancaccio, Clark didnt want racial integration on his show either. When I used to walk down the streets of Philadelphia and be recognized, Id be called a Bandstand f*****.. I said, In that case, Im staying. I was shocked. He debuted in Studio 3B at WFIL-TV, near the El train stop in West Philadelphia, in 1956 when he was a 13-year-old junior high school student. Barbara finally came back and said I had to come to the front because the back was only for colored people. 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. I imitated all the dance steps, sometimes with the refrigerator door as a partner. Black & White/Color (9/9/1967), Dick Clarks first day as host: 7/9/1956 Who died from American Bandstand? 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. This site is not endorsed by or associated with dick clark productions, inc. or its family of companies. I did notice the studio was not as full, allowing the Regulars much more camera time. The Seven-Year Itch: West Philly Loses American Bandstand She tracked them down for the new coffee-table book, Bandstand Diaries: The Philadelphia Years, 1956-1963. "It was arduous at first," she says. They also reported on the careers and whereabouts of many of the other regulars and several of the shows musical guests. Connecting the Past with the Present, Building Community, Creating a Legacy, TheEncyclopedia Not only was it extremely intelligent, but there was something moving about the mans story. American Bandstand - Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia In 2019, a trio of formerAmerican Bandstandregulars assembled a book on their experiences on the popular show. They joined Arlenes and Kennys fan clubs. Wed stay up all night talking about boys, said Sullivan. Clark suffered a heart attack while at St. John's. We followed their dance steps on TV and their personal lives in Teen magazines. A storybook ending to a tale that began with American Bandstand, albeit 40 years ago. It was a local show Philadelphia, Jersey, the Lehigh Valley [Pennsylvania]. "When I walked through those doors, that was the only place I wanted to be," said Gibson, 66, an actress who now lives in Los Angeles. He fell in love with her. Many other Bandstand alumni from the show's Philadelphia era were overcome with a rush of memories Wednesday. Teresa Bowling. This site does not collect any information from you. Read the review. When she was 10 years old, the woman now known as Sharon Sultan Cutler would rush home from school in the town of East Meadow on Long Island in New York. They were the squeaky-clean Kardashians of their era, and Bandstand could easily claim the title as the first reality show. Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." we were like a little family together, and we all had something in common, and we all stuck together, and that made it easier for us.. The marker stands opposite 4548 Market Street (not shown here), which once housed WFIL-TVand its Studio B, the original home of American Bandstand. 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.. we were like a little family together, and we all had something in common, and we all stuck together, and that made it easier for us.. Self - Interview 1 episode, 1965 . Delmont, Matthew F. The Nicest Kids in Town: American Bandstand, Rock n Roll, and the Struggle for Civil Rights in 1950s Philadelphia. News Shows The show then aired at 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, corresponding with the typical school days end. . And the one thing that really shocked me was that those boys who were 14 and 15 and 16 were sleeping with each other.. Soft Science extends that legacy on its third album, Maps (Test Pattern), and adds its own twists. She acknowledges that some of the other girls she knew on the show were also gay. New York: Ballantine, 1985. On December 27 Bunny Gibson, American Bandstand Regular from 1959-1962, married Duke Tirschel in Chattanooga , Tennessee. Norman had a very, very unique sense of humor, which made him so popular with all that knew him. Whose Culture? Fiorentino was known on the show as "Nicky Blue.". Like Rick Pierce, Bandstand dancer Sandra Mae Dawson, who died Feb. 25, 2008, at age 66, was into car racing. Arlene Sullivan, one of the most popularAmerican Bandstandregulars, presents another perspective on the shows closeted world. Making Philadelphia Safe for WFIL-adelphia: Television, Housing, and Defensive Localism in Postwar Philadelphia. Journal of Urban History, 38, no. Words by Barry Manilow and Bruse Sussman, Were goin hoppin (Hop!) The couple first honeymooned on the Chattanooga Choo Choo, the famed railway that was immortalized by Glenn Miller and was the first to run South to North. American Bandstand aired five days a week in live national broadcast until 1963, when the show moved west to Los Angeles and began a 24-year run as a taped weekly program with Dick Clark as host . 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. In front of the camera, Clark called the shots. Like The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on Facebook, Follow The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on Instagram, Like The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia on Facebook, Philadelphia, the Place that Loves You Back, (Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. He will never forget one of his first days on Bandstand. "For all those who knew her throughout her life and for those who watched her dance on American Bandstand, Carole was full of love and full of God. Bob Horn Host (Bob Horns Bandstand), Bandstand Boogie The program moved production in 1964 from Philadelphia to Hollywood, months after it began airing once per week. He danced on the show until Christmas 1959. She is a Marco Polo member of the Society of American Travel Writers, a past president of Virginia Professional Communicators and a member of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame. Clark "was very all-American, handsome, and nice, a father figure to us," she recalled. The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. How to Be a SuperAger in The SuperAging Revolution, Jumble for Kids and Adults: Cartoons and Twins. "After that, it was history.". Amanda McClain is Assistant Professor of Communications at Holy Family University.

4901 Lac De Ville Blvd Physical Therapy, Articles A