The dark-complexioned, wavy-haired Sullivan6bolstered American Bandstands image as a show dominated by Italian-American teens. Very sadly, Bob passed away 2 . A case in point is Arlene Sullivan, a popular Regular who has described her own emerging lesbian sexual orientation, which she says was masked by her dance partnerships with boys. But for the gay kids, the abuse at home was worse: When one dancer's parents learned he was gay, she told the Post, "they put a drinking cup in front of him and said, This is your cup, and youre the only one who will use this cup." Another was thrown out of the house. . ", 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.". He needed a group to show up every day, she says, and nobody got paid. On December 27 Bunny Gibson, American Bandstand Regular from 1959-1962, married Duke Tirschel in Chattanooga , Tennessee. and they put a drinking cup in front of him and said, This is your cup, and youre the only one who will use this cup. One friend of mine was kicked out of the house.. . "Dangerous". . Unlike Smith, she expresses no animosity toward Clark. The "ab" logo was replaced with the iconic stylized "AB" logo (shown at the top of this page) used for the remainder of the show's run. We call him Namron and yes, if you spell his name backwards it spells, Norman. They were the squeaky-clean Kardashians of their era, and Bandstand could easily claim the title as the first reality show. Determined, Don got Bunnys number from one of the regulars and he met his dream girl. We have lived in NJ ever since. The rest is American Bandstand history. 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. "My heart hurts," said Gibson, a regular from 1959 to 1961. (7/21/2011) I just received this from Bunny Gibson and certainly thought it was appropriate to mention here: Anna Russo, formerly Anna Banani, went to American Bandstand 1963 until AB left Philly for Los Angeles, lost both of her legs to diabetes and is in need. [6] Jackson,American Bandstand, 71; Jacksons description of Arlene Sullivan. The Bop. and scheduled the program at 3:30pm ETalmost in the middle of Bandstand. 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. That really annoyed me because quite a few of the Philadelphia dancers on Bandstand died of AIDS, Smith said. 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.. While occasionally black teens were allowed into the studio, they were generally boys. 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. The increase in competition hurt Bandstand and the variety of options for music on TV decreased its relevance. GALLERY 4. In 2004, Dick Clark, with the help of Ryan Seacrest, announced plans to revive the show in time for the 2005 season; although this did not occur (due in part to Clark suffering a severe stroke in late 2004), one segment of the revived Bandstanda national dance contesteventually became the series So You Think You Can Dance. I am on that stage just trying to do my own thing and turn the party. While the American series has aired sixteen seasons, its format was also replicated worldwide, from Norway (Dansefeber) to Australia (So You Think You Can Dance Australia). We also surmise that her mother was an Italian immigrant (she refers to her Italian mom), and her father of Irish descent. Prior to the move, Bandstand had sourced many of its up-and-coming acts from Philadelphia's Cameo-Parkway Records. At least three factors are important to note regarding the last three years ofAmerican Bandstandin West Philadelphia: the 1960 payola scandal, the reality behind the shows happy faces, and developments in the pop music industry that affected the show and compelled its relocation in 1964 to Los Angeles in a reduced version. 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. at 3:30pm, then rejoin Bandstand at 4pm. In August 1963, ABC reassigned American Bandstand to Saturday afternoon. Bandstand began as a local program on WFIL-TV (now WPVI), Channel 6 in Philadelphia on October 7, 1952. "He was the commander," Colanero said. One show from this first season (December 18, 1957, identified as the "Second National Telecast") is preserved in the archives of Chicago's Museum of Broadcast Communications. It became a national institution and Dick Clark a celebrity. For now, Dick Clark on ABC, so long. A storybook ending to a tale that began with American Bandstand, albeit 40 years ago. 1950s/1960s POLLS. 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. Dick Clark died on April 18, 2012, at the age of 82. Thanks for contacting us. The program that preceded Dick Clarks American Bandstand at WFIL-TV was deejay Bob Horns locally popular Bandstand. I went to coffee shops, but I also hung out in Rittenhouse Square and so did many of the dancers. On the other hand, they had each other. Whose Culture? I knew when couples broke up. Thankfully we've come a long way since those sad days. Wed stay up all night talking about boys, she said. REGULARS Gallery 2. Years later, when Clark was asked whether any of the dancers had died of AIDS, he stated that one had, Smith recalled. Mrs. Spada attended West Catholic Girls High School. He was six weeks shy of his 47th birthday. This version introduced lyrics written by Manilow and Bruce Sussman, referencing elements of the series. Set pieces from Soul Unlimited were utilized by Bandstand for its 19741978 set design. "I put a lot of my mom's makeup on and stuffed my bra," said Gibson. 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. Finally, we got away and jumped over the turnstile. ", "Forty years after 'Bandstand' debut, Clark and dancers celebrate", "ORIGINAL DANCERS WILL GRANDSTAND AT 'BANDSTAND' REUNION", "American Bandstand, Season 30, Episode 38: Laura Brannigan (Final ABC show)", "Dick Clark's On a Roll: He Tunes In to TV Trends", "Dick Clark celebrates American Bandstand's 35th", "RETRO: Fairbanks, Alaska (October 24, 1987)", "Retro: Northern Wisconsin, Sat. Remember, these Regulars werent paid actors or dancers. I was truly blessed in my life with wonderful family, friends and fans. [7] The Diary of Arlene Sullivan, in Sullivan, Smith, and Cutler,Bandstand Diaries, 43-63. It was briefly shot in color in 1958 when WFIL-TV began experimenting with the new technology. The rest, as they say, is history. At first, not knowing how to enter the show, she walked to the door the actors and singers used and announced to Bob the Cop, "I came here to dance." After Bandstand, Charlette became an accountant and was a business manager. They knew what was going on, but they never asked the question., Sullivan says there were at least four other popular girl dancers on Bandstand who she quickly learned were lesbians and we all started hanging out together. Browse 1,010 american bandstand dancers stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. I still really didnt know who I was. The Slop. running a series on drunken driving. Weekday afternoons were spent with the kids in Philly, the kids on American Bandstand. Dick Clark, wherever you are, we miss you. Featured artists typically performed their current hits by lip-syncing to the released version of the song. So Bandstand really did change her life in many ways. 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. American Bandstand Regulars Interview Frank Spagnuola 280 subscribers Subscribe 746 Share 82K views 5 years ago This is the interview with Arlene, Kenny, Frank and Carole about their days on. Teen idol Bobby Rydell, whose music career is still going strong 60 years after American Bandstand, wrote the books introduction; but former Regular Arlene Sullivan, who shares her memories and personal images, is a standout as well as a co-author of the book. In a nice way, he'd discipline us.". But I didnt have any crushes on any of the straight girls. Although the Regulars didnt perform in the South, Sullivans memory of a personal visit to Fort Worth, Texas, stuck with her: My friend Barbara [a fellow Regular] and I were visiting Barbaras friend there. Special Features: I was trying to hit them over their heads with my pocketbook, but they just wouldnt give up. Home Yesteryear Nostalgia Where Are the American Bandstand Regulars Now? They also reported on the careers and whereabouts of many of the other regulars and several of the shows musical guests. REGULARS Gallery 3. Fiorentino was known on the show as "Nicky Blue.". "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. https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Rock%20%27n%27%20Rock%20West%20Coast%20.jpg, https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Bandstand%20historical%20marker%20%281%20of%201%29.jpg, https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/National%20Register%20of%20Historic%20Places.JPG, https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Bandstand%20Regulars%20Marker.jpg, https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/sites/default/files/Rock%20and%20Roll%20Hall%20of%20Fame.jpg, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, American Bandstand: West Philadelphia's Seven-Year Wonder 1957-1964, American Bandstand, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Starting Local: WFIL-TV, Bob Horn, and Philadelphia's Bandstand, Going National: Dick Clark and ABC's American Bandstand, Whose Music, Whose Dances? Both were ratings disasters. KENNY AND ARLENE. Hosted by Bob Horn as a television adjunct to his radio show of the same name on WFIL radio, Bandstand featured short musical films produced by Snader Telescriptions and Official Films, with occasional studio guests. Clark moved the show to California in 1964, but many fans remember it as a Philadelphia phenomenon. He is a man of God and over the years has established both karate and prison ministeries. Director Goran Stolevski talks assembling his gay indie's stellar soundtrack, from The Cardigans to Nelly Furtado and more. I had asked Norman to dance when it was a ladies choice. . 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. 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