Today, instead of posting an excerpt from my work-in-progress book, Bandstandland, which covers the Philadelphia years of America's historic teenage dancing program, I'm giving you a few tidbits about the show. Hopefully, you'll discover something new and interesting here.
Also, if you have any stories to share about your own Bandstand experience or have something you'd like to know about the show, let me know. I look forward to hearing from you. The Bandstand Bits:
1. When Dick Clark put together financing for his 1957 movie, Jamboree, Cameo Records founder (and Clark business associate) Bernie Lowe matched Clark's $10,000 investment. Another $10,000 investor was Sy "Pop" Singer, owner of the neighborhood drugstore that would become popular with American Bandstand dancers and fans in the years ahead.
2. Bob Clayton was one of the first popular male dancers in the early years of American Bandstand. But it was another Bob Clayton of Boston radio station WHDH who hosted Boston Ballroom before American Bandstand went on network TV.
3. Jimmy Church's Magicians released a record on the Verve label in 1958 titled Bandstand Polka.
4. The Contours' hit single, Do You Love Me?, features a false ending. But when the group performed the song on American Bandstand, someone in the control booth inadvertently stopped the record at the false ending, creating a brief moment of chaos in the studio.
5. Dick Clark's attempt at creating a national string of Bandstand Grille restaurants went bust a few years ago. Clark's first attempt at the restaurant business fell short, too, more than 50 years ago when he opened the Steer Inn on Camden's Admiral Wilson Boulevard.
Author Larry Lehmer's book about Dick Clark and American Bandstand -- Bandstandland: How Dancing Teenagers Took Over America and Dick Clark Took Over Rock & Roll --is available from Sunbury Press. Go here to learn the story behind the writing of Bandstandland or here to listen to the Pennsylvania Cable Network's interview with author Larry Lehmer.
Larry Lehmer's book about the last tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens -- The Day the Music Died -- is available at Amazon.
