American Bandstand 30 Year Special - 1982 (2/11)

It premiered locally in late September 1952 as Bandstand on Philadelphia television station WFIL-TV Channel 6 (now WPVI-TV), as a replacement for a weekday movie that had shown predominantly British movies. Hosted by Bob Horn as a television adjunct to his radio show of the same name on WFIL radio, Bandstand mainly featured short musical films produced by Snader Telescriptions and Official Films, with occasional studio guests. This incarnation was an early predecessor of sorts of the music video shows that became popular in the 1980s, featuring films that are themselves the ancestors of music videos.


Horn, however, was disenchanted with the program, so he sought to have the show changed to a dance program, with teenagers dancing along on camera as the records played, based on an idea that came from a radio show on WPEN, The 950 Club, hosted by Joe Grady and Ed Hurst. This more-familiar version of Bandstand debuted on October 7, 1952 in "Studio 'B'," which was located in their just-completed addition to the original 1947 building (4548 Market Street), and was hosted by Horn, with Lee Stewart as co-host until 1955. Tony Mammarella was the original producer with Ed Yates as director. The short Snader and Official music films continued in the short term, mainly to fill gaps as they changed dancers during the show—a necessity, as the studio could not fit more than 200 teenagers.
On July 9, 1956, Horn was fired after a drunk-driving arrest, as WFIL and dual owner Walter Annenberg's The Philadelphia Inquirer at the time were doing a series on drunken driving. He was temporarily replaced by producer Tony Mammarella before the job went to Dick Clark permanently.

(extract from Wikipedia 2011)

• Category

  Music

[Pamela Boyd]

Rest easy, Dick...Thanks for bringing is the music...

[mofnn24]

Rest in Peace Dick Clark........you gave us joy !

[Ferry Godmother]

Lillie Bryant, formerly of Billie and Lillie performed on American Bandstand in 1958. Today Lillie is 73 and still going strong performing regularly. She is planning a Renaissance tour. She can be found on the web through her management, Ferry Godmother Productions.

[laminage]

You know what's so sad, so many of these Artists are gone.

[musiconfigure]

American Bandstand jitterbugging footage on youtube "Cannonball" by Pullman Standard. This was dancing!!!!!

[TheMikebreo]

as a teenager i always enjoyed watching american bandstand

[Thomas Dickensheets]

Who made this. Bad picture.

[Robert Hoffman]

LOL I used to trick or treat with Debbie Boone back in the 50's when her dad Pat lived on Sylvan Ave in Leonia NJ. Pat Boone was one of my fathers patients.

[Darion Reed]

i wanted to research this topic and searched it on youtube and i love this show i am 11 i cant stop watching this!

[Victor Bozic]

Thanks for the memories! Grew up on the West Coast, and enjoyed american bandstand!

[jsbach15]

Really nice of you Roy Gardnerra, to upload this piece of American History!

[Lanskee Shuru]

We took a bus trip to Philly Bandstand in 1957---got into a fight with Salvatorre and lost: blackeye.