American bandstand
American Bandstand was a music dance show on American television. It was broadcast from 1952 to 1989. Long-time presenter and producer was Dick Clark . The show was based on the concept that young people in the studio danced to the records put on by the presenter. The programs were garnished with performances by popular artists.
American Bandstand first aired on Tuesday, October 7, 1952, on the Philadelphia- based local television station WFIL-TV. After its first host, the show was initially called Bob Horn's Bandstand . As the theme song was high society of Artie Shaw selected. In 1956 the 26-year-old Dick Clark took over the moderation, the new producer was the 32-year-old Tony Mammarella. A year later, the show was taken over by the ABC television station and renamed American Bandstand . The show, which was still produced in Philadelphia, was then broadcast throughout the USA, for the first time on Monday, August 5, 1957. American Bandstand became a regular program item on all weekdays and was broadcast at 3:30 pm. Charles Albertine composed the new signature tune Bandstand Boogie . During these years, American Bandstand specifically promoted Philadelphia-based record companies and their interpreters, such as Chancellor with Frankie Avalon and Fabian , Cameo Parkway with Chubby Checker and Bobby Rydell or Swan with Freddie Cannon . In 1960 American Bandstand was involved in the so-called Payola scandal, which involved corruption in the rating of music titles in the US hit lists.
From September 1963, the show was only broadcast on Saturdays and on February 8, 1964, the production moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles . From 1967 American Bandstand was broadcast in color, from 1983 on with stereo sound. In 1987 the comedian David Hirsch took over the moderation of the now 57-year-old Dick Clark. In the same year the show was transferred to Syndicated TV station. In April 1989 there was another switch to the USA Network cable station , which finally discontinued American Bandstand on October 7, 1989.
literature
- Jim Miller: History of Rock & Roll . Rolling Stone Press 1980, p. 369, ISBN 0-394-51322-3
