I was 11 and watched American Bandstand often. I had a big crush on Arlene Sullivan. Was on a cruise last month and saw Arlene. I asked her to dance, it was surreal. My wife was gracious enough to video the dance. After doing the jitterbug with her Arlene commented "your good". It made my day!
I was in high school in the mid 1970's, but I always loved the fifties music the best, I remember on '50's day in high school the kids dressing in '50's styles and dancing to the oldies in the cafeteria at lunch, I remember "Get a job" and "At the hop" were some of the favorites played on a phonograph over and over lol.
I would love to watch again...I was young and planted to the TV dancing but butt off. Mom worked but she knew what I was doing. If she got home early she danced too.
Those were the greatest times of all! Love the dances. Learned to dance from AB and cousins. Love those dances. It will never be the same again. Wish go back there. RIP ALL who passed and of course Dick Clark. Loved him. .🥰😥
I WISHED THEY WOULD DO AMERICAN BANDSTAND FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END. BEING AT HOME RIGHT NOW WITH THE CORONAVIRUS, IT WOULD GIVE US A LIFT TO OUT MORALE. JUST SAYING!
I watched American Band stand every afternoon with my Mother. My precious Mother enjoyed watching as much as I did. This brought great memories when I was a teenager.
I watched this show all the time and learned to dance from it. I was born in 1949, so I grew up wit it. I used a door for my partner because it swung back and forth. My mom who was in her 20s would dance with me sometimes.
OMG I love this, born in 55 myself I wish I would have been a teen instead during this time UGHHH. This music and dancing was the most enjoyably in my opinion. I do remember as a child watching American Bandstand and loving it so much. My childhood in the late 50's and 60's was the best and full of awesome memories.
I was a teen the entire bandstand days. I went home every afternoon for 1and 1/2 hours to watch Harvey, Pat, Carol, Justine, Bob, Frankie, Arlene, Kenny, and more. Time has made us all old, bald, deceased, and I said it was sad because life is so short. There used to be a website that kept me caught up on their lives...But, the owner also died. The kids told all the good and also all the bad!!!
My sister and I would come home from school and watch the show everyday a nd we would dance with each other.I was born in 1950 and she was born in 1949.Our mother would even dance with.Love watching these clips.
ABC destroying the many TV tapes was thoughtless.They could have easily had over 2000 shows that new and older generations would have loved to watch through the years.No question there was great monetary value in those tapes that the bigwigs failed to grasp.Philly Bandstand was unique.
So super hearing from a real early dancer from bandstand!! I am 72 so just 7 when show started but remember you well!! Do you talk with Frank? Tell her how much people thought of her please!! I remember she was a pony dance winner!!
Arlene Sullivan is dancing with Harvey Levik(?) and Kenny Rossi is dancing with someone I can't identify. I remember asking why Arlene and Kenny were not dancing together. It was rare not to see them together. Kenny was cute but Harvey was funky. I never missed a show, ever. I would run home from the bus stop to make sure I was home when it started. I am proud to say I was an addict. Remember when Dick read Pat Moleteri report on the air?
The ten or so regulars were STARS! I always remember wanting them to be front and center. Pat, Frani and Arlene with their partners were the greatest. I thought Justine was too snooty but she was terrific nevertheless.
The slippery slope--This generation (1960's) brought on the onslaught of the crap we have today. You can have a person dressed up real nice in a suite or a nice dress but how were all these good decent white folks helping the blacks and American-Korean populations all across the USA at that time? The world has changed and not for the better because in the 60's it was all fake--all presented in such a way to lull people into thinking everything was alright.
The Silhouettes were from Philly and when this song came out in January 1958, these days in my view were the best and favorite days of American Bandstand. I would come home from school to watch every afternoon at the age of 8, and our babysitter Dottie Fenwick from Germantown and I would dance the Jitterbug/Bop and check out all the dancers various moves and turns. I think I saw the regulars Carole Scaldeferri and her partner, who both look about 14, do about 6 different moves and footwork on the Jitterbug. My favorites to watch were Arlene Sullivan and Sue and Mary Beltrante. So much fun to have a passion for dancing start when only 6 or 7, and still have the passion today at 65.
The song did not come out in January 1958. It was recorded in October 1957 and released in November 1957. It was originally released on the tiny Junior label and started selling really well. Junior couldn't keep up with the demand so they licensed it to Ember records that had a bigger distribution. It also filtered into the tentacles of the Dick Clark empire and deals were made for the record to be played on Bandstand and live appearances. It was already being played on Bandstand by December 1958 as apparent in this clip. It was already a local and regional hit - BIG HIT before it went national. You can still find original copies on the Junior label now and again but boy are they pricey! Bandstand gave it the exposure but it was the kids who liked it. It was a catchy single and danceable as hell. Every jukebox had Get A Job on it. Every teenager had a copy of it. It was a monster hit! Of course kids today have no clue what it is. You say "Get A Job" to anybody over 40 and they immediately respond. You say it to those under 40 and they don't have a clue what you are talking about. To them, the 1950's was Madonna. They don't know. They were never exposed to it.
Nick Roby I agree, the best thing about the rock and roll era(1954 to 1964)was the beat which encouraged jitterbug and bop dancing. However after 1964 and the British Invasion all that dancing was lost with the British beat.
Nick Roby The dancers on the Philly American Bandstand were terrific because they were mostly attractive teenagers who could really dance well together. The Philly Style bop and slow dance was perfect for the music of that era and most teens watching AB would never have admitted it but were somewhat envious of those dancers in that they looked so mature for 15 year olds while they were dancing. Philadelphia style dancing in the 50s was great and was copied all over the US because of AB.
Bunny Gibson I guess living back in the fifties and early sixties was like almost being in heaven I wasn't born till 1966 but I love that time frame to fit their fifties and early sixties I just think you would have been great
Carmen Jimenez and her sister Ivette had a blonde streak in their hair. They were my FAVS. I asked my Mom if she would do a streak in my hair. She did but she had to color it back in Sept. I attended a catholic grammer school. Such great memories and I am still dancing. (Dance Teacher💃🕺)...
Sorry guys, but PHILLY was the BEST...the kids in Cali need dancing lessons. I grew up there watching Bandstand in PHILLY...LOVED IT...my Dad got transferred to Jersey...and Bandstand moved to Cali, so disappointed very few of the kids had a clue on ANY type of dance. I am a dancing teacher to this day and I still love watching the old Philly regulars. I teach different types of dance my background was classical ballet of course started at 7 majored in dance in college!!!💃🕺🕴👯♂️ Thanks for running these old shows maybe ME TV would pick them up.
Bunny, I remember you. I am dancing in this youtube with a dark sweater tucked in and a grey skirt with a guy who was horrible to follow. My name then was Nancy Radice Howell
+Ernest Castro I watched my 4 years of high school which was 1958-59-60-61. It was a crime to me if I couldn't watch it everyday. lol The memories are so real and I am sad that the full programs aren't available. The kids were real celebrities and so popular.
I feel the same way about Dick Clark. He was never loyal to the kids or Jerry Lee Lewis. Pat Molitari (can't spell it) was my favorite. I was sick hering she was kicked off. Dick Clark took care of himself. Sorry for him. What good times after school watching it every afternoon.
Nancy....that is great......looked for you......and all these years later!!! My site Bunny Gibson com has more videos that will bring bacik memories.....Keep on dancing Nancy!
@@michaelmitchell5098 Michael, I'm still dancing and have been giving dance contests for foster children for 19 years......promise I'll do my best to hand around and want you to keep on dancing Michael !!!
Well, I am sure you must be correct. I have always thought his name was something like levik or sarted with the letter L. Thank you for letting me know. You would think I would know the right name for one of my faves. I stand corrected and appreciate you letting me know.
Thanking my lucky stars that those skirts were at least tight where it counted. Not that I knew what was going on at that time, but geez, who could've known that short skirts were going to come into fashion? Guess our hormones had to grab onto SOMETHING in those days...
American bandstand 1977 with in color Host by Dick Clark Performance by disco version of get a job by the spinners ( originally by the silhouettes) Who the lead singer sing get a job by the spinners ( Bobbie smith )
OH OK thanks. It seems to be they were joined at the hip for years. Do you know the story of when they were walking home together and three punk guys started picking at Kenny. Arlene grabbed the glasses off one of them and stomped them on the ground. The three guys ran off. Can you tell me how I can find the "Bandstand" boards you spoke of. Thanks again. Jim viewer 608
Could someone please tell me why they can't show whole programs? They say that they have been destroyed but, how do they get these individual dances then?
These clips are from the Dec 18, 1957 show. The entire show is available on a DVD. As far as I know, it is the only complete early years program which is available commercially to us.
Read my comments to coneyhead. It explains why you never see full episodes and you never will. They were not destroyed. They are owned by Dick Clark Productions. Dick had children - and they had children - and so on. The business gets handed down.
Who's the girl that drinks a Pepsi and she was dancing with the skinny boy with an envelope in the side pocket is the left side pocket who is she what's her name everybody knows please post it
That's the way the original pressing sounded. And with no echo. In later years when it was reissued they added an echo to it and faded the song out a little earlier. That's the version that you hear today. That's the version that's on all the compilation CD's. It's rare that the original version surfaces.
I do not know what his name is but, omg, I used to work with (& was friendly with) Jim Ciliberti who came from philly - damn I wonder if they were related, probably so, maybe brothes bc they were close in age ! wow
This episode was somehow taken home by a cameraman. It was a Kinescope. Maybe it was an extra copy. I've never learned the full details and may never because of Dick Clark's empire. The cameraman had it transferred to video tape in the early 80's. It was first available on DVD about 8 or 10 years ago I think. I bought it then. Dick Clark was trying to sue the company that released the DVD but lost the battle because that particular episode's copyright was not renewed and it became public domain. Dick Clark asked if he could have all the Kinescopes of the show when he was going to leave for California and WFIL told him no. As per regular practice they were going to be destroyed. Somebody that worked for WFIL called Dick and told him he had a ton of cans of film with Dick's name on it that were to be destroyed and would he like them. Dick said, "WOULD I!!?" So he had them shipped to him in California. They were constantly restored and transferred to whatever the current media format was. They are owned by Dick Clark Productions.
seywhut2985 Dick Clark was not a nice man and neither was his staff! I called them after I got a copy of the DVD. I didn't know where it had came from. At that time I didn't know the back story. But I innocently asked them if they would consider releasing more full episodes of the show. They pinned my ears back! To politely put it, they told me that Dick would NEVER release any of those shows to the public. He made much more money on leasing clips (mostly from the Beechnut Show) to Time Life, etc. for their commercials selling compilation CD's and the like. Nostalgia TV shows using the clips. I was treated very rudely. Yelled at for even having the balls to call. I lost all respect for Dick Clark at that moment.
seywhut2985 Dick Clark was a Czar. People were scared of him. He could make or break you. It's very interesting that after his death people have finally been coming out of the closet and talking about the REAL Bandstand history and the REAL Bandstand experience. Even the regulars that danced on the show. While he was alive they all talked about him like he with their big brother. After he died they changed their tune. It's very interesting. Very interesting reading books and studying about it. The reason he left for California is the government made him divest all his interests in the record business as a conflict of interest. So he got into the performing side and TV production side of it - movies, etc. Where was that all taking place? California! So many under the table shady deals were made in the 50's. Listen to Artie Singer talk about "At The Hop." Dick wouldn't play the record on Bandstand unless Artie gave him 50% of the publishing rights. Dick was a brilliant businessman and a very good actor and cunning capitalist. He knew how to work the system.
does anyone know the name of the girl coming into the bottom right of the screen at 2:28- 2:35 (twirling around)? she has short curled hair............I know, I know who cares, but watching/remembering these nice videos and the times associated with them is MUCH better than the drug/sex crazed junk on tv now.....thanks ........
Re: Anne Jackson comment, yes, it would have been good if Black teens could have been on, but not all Black people are necessarily good dancers or even better than these. The styles of dancing are different -- but better? Not. Besides, there's a big crowd of dancers here and to be polite they sort of have to dance in a subdued fashion. There are plenty examples of excellent jitterbug and swing dancers of every color on the Internet.
OK, a little harsh there. One decade's style isn't better than another, just different. Although everyone today seems to be focusing on dancing as a competition...an athletic endeavor, not so much art and style. Gene Kelly on steroids.
