Bobby Darin Hosts The Big Beat, Part 1 of 3

[BobWXXI]

Bobby Darin shows what a talent he was even as a TV personality--he was only 22 at the time but already a polished performer. You can see why in later years he was succeeding as an NBC variety host at the time of his untimely death.

[cdeshon]

i was almost 13 yrs old when Bobby Darin passed away, and I remember that I cried. Used to watch his variety show back when I was a kid.

[apollowoman]

Bobby will get the GRAMMY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD ON Jan 30, 2010! Bobby was a true legend.

RIP Bobby : He passed away 36 years ago today December 20, 1973.

[tinamac916]

These segments with Bobby Darin are just priceless. Watching him dance through the group dancing to get off the floor and the Coke pitching were wonderful to see. Thanks for posting!

[kmc187274]

Go type in Bobby Darin Bigbeat and watch the clip part 1 clip. I dont believe its Frankie Lymon after I did my research! I was bamboozled!! haha But its pretty cool, watch when they start dancing. The white girl is dancing with a black cat!

[aldeb456]

@kmc187274 They say that's the reason the show got canceled!

[Rotis59]

Well, I think Tedddy was glad to even see the portion that you helped make viewing possible. I should find out his views in more detail on it this weekend.

[Rotis59]

It was great viewing this video! I passed this link on to my friend Teddy Randazzo, jr. who was just thrilled to see it! He told all his family about it (will see him tomorrow, actually).

[bobbyfan64]

That's great! I believe I had heard that Teddy Randazzo passed away a few years ago. I'm sorry that the footage of this show is missing the beginning titles and Teddy Randazzo's full song. As far as I know, it is just gone.

[nannyter]

What memories!!! I was a "regular" dancer on the Alan Freed show from 1958 until the last day. I then went on to be a regular on the Clay Cole show. What a terrific time we had meeting all the stars of the day. I wish we could bring back those "innocent" days. Terri

[bobbyfan64]

That's great! Did you meet Bobby?  Also, do you know which girl won the "Miss April

Showers" contest?

[nannyter]

I really didn't "meet" Bobby. He was on the show and always had a million people around him when the commercials aired. I did not know who won Miss April. I did go to the recording session that Teddy Randazzo did, I went to school with his then girlfriend. Also, I became pretty good friends with Jackie Wilson because we traveled together on the bus from Port Authority to the Clay Cole show in Newark. He was a tremendously spiritual person and a real gentlemen. Terri

[57highland]

It must be great to count such things among your memories. I'm just old enough to have recollections of the tail-end (1963) of that fantastic era and, of course, have often wished I'd come along a little sooner.

Three cheers for the golden age of rock and roll and everyone who experienced it!

[bmom56]

and this show is integrated! that's pretty great for that time period! makes me want to get up and dance "the fly"!! and i'm old enough to know that dance!! :^) thanks for ALL of the videos that you've put on...

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[bobbyfan64]

I also thought it interesting that this type of show was integrated in New York City when they weren't in other cities at the same time. John Waters' movie "Hairspray" is based on the fact the teen dance show in Baltimore was not.

[Trumpetmaster5504]

He's so young here! lol

[bobbyfan64]

Yes, he does look very young. I was also struck by how this video reflects a world that was just so much simpler and more innocent. To me, it almost seemed like something from a different planet.