HAPPY
80th
BIRTHDAY
DICK CLARK!!!
Mr. American Bandstand
11/30/2009
Dick Clark, is affectionately known as "America's Oldest Teenager," and celebrated his 80th birthday on November 30th.
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
(Debbi McKay Won a Contest in 1975 Which Awarded Her a Trip. Upon Her Return, She Was Asked To Appear On AMERICAN BANDSTAND In Las Vegas With DICK CLARK At the Old Thunderbird Through 1978!!!)
In 2005, Clark returned to his Dick Clark's New Year's Rocking' Eve special after missing the 2004 broadcast, due to a minor stroke which forced him to skip his first broadcast in 32 years.
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
Clark will once again be back in Times Square this year, along with co-host Ryan Seacrest, to ring in 2010. Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve airs on December 31st at on ABC. Check your local listings for stations and times.
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
(Left On the Sidewalk Holding the American Bandstand Jacket Is Bunny Gibson, Former Dancer On the Broadcast. To the Right Of the Group Photo Is Hal Landeau, Former Dancer & President Of the American Bandstand Alumni. Bunny Will Have To Identify the Other Two Dancers) |
Barry Manilow, one of Clark's many longtime friends and supporters, was proud of Clark's quick return to the airwaves following his stroke: "When one of those things hit, they stop you, and he's a real trooper. He's a real trooper. He'd much rather be up there producing this thing than sitting there and I think he was a real trooper."
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
Clark has played a significant role in helping shape the way America listens to and sees music. Clark was born in Mount Vernon, New York and started his career at age 17 working in radio. By 1952, he was on the air, hosting the Caravan Of Music, a local radio show in Philadelphia. At the time, the station's television affiliate had a teenage dance show called Bandstand, and in 1956, at the age of 26, Dick Clark took over as permanent host of the show.
With Clark's magnetic personality and love of music, the show became the highest rated program in its time slot in the Philadelphia area. These ratings led to the show being picked up by the ABC television network, who distributed it nationally in August 1957 as American Bandstand. The show became wildly popular with teenagers, who finally had an outlet to dance to the newest music and see some of the biggest acts perform live on the show.
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
(Bunny Gibson, Tom Dante, & Mrs. Dick Clark ~ Vine & Sunset In Hollywood, California ~ 30th November, 2009)
Over the course of the show's 30 years, artists who performed on American Bandstand included Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, the Beach Boys, Chubby Checker, Dion & the Belmonts, Buddy Holly, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, the Monkees, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson Five, the Doors, Donna Summer, Hall & Oates, John Cougar Mellencamp, Madonna, and literally hundreds of others.
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
(Tom LeBonge & Mrs. Dick Clark, Pat Clark, Their Son & Dancers & Musicians From AMERICAN BANDSTAND)
In 1964, American Bandstand moved to Los Angeles, where it would remain until 1989 when the show was canceled. It was in Los Angeles that Clark established Dick Clark Productions, which over the years has produced everything from music shows, including the American Music Awards, to sitcoms and game shows like the $10,000 Pyramid.
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
(David Sommerville of the DIAMONDS Recalling How Most Musical Careers Were Launched On AMERICAN BANDSTAND Because "DICK CLARK Gave People A CHANCE"...He Didn't Go Through Attorneys & Agents; If You Were Good & He Saw That Potential, You Got To Appear On AMERICAN BANDSTAND!!!)
In 1993, Clark was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer.
American Bandstand became one of television's longest running music series, and the first network series devoted exclusively to rock-and-roll music. A few years ago, Clark explained how much the music scene has improved since the 1950s: "Oh, music is a heck of a lot better these days than it ever was because there's so much choice. In the old days, we got what was delivered to us and the one radio station played everything. Now you can tune to a specific format and get exactly what you want when you want it."
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
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| (Everyone Is Happy Celebrating DICK CLARK DAY Officially In Hollywood Today ~ DICK CLARK's 80th BIRTHDAY Today ~ 30th November, 2009) |
Over the course of the show's 30 years, with the earlier years broadcast from Philadelphia, some of the local artists who guested dozens of times included Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, and Fabian.
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
(City Councilman For Hollywood, Tom LeBonge With Dick Clark's Wife Announcing Officially That Dick Clark's 80th Birthday Is DICK CLARK DAY In L.A. (30th November, 2009) At Dick's Star ReDedication On Vine At Sunset On the Hollywood Walk Of FAME)
Chubby Checker says the importance of Dick Clark and American Bandstand should never be overlooked or underestimated: "I went on Bandstand in Philadelphia and sang 'The Twist,' and the world changed that very moment, never to be the same again. American Bandstand is your first MTV, your American Bandstand is your first VH1, your American Bandstand is everything that dancing has become. I always say that Dick Clark's success is Chubby Checker's success. Why is that? Because history took place right on Bandstand and then dancing changed forever, and it never went back to where it was."
Bobby Rydell says that Dick Clark had an uncanny knack of being able to pick his hit singles: "Before 'Kissin' Time' came out, Bernie Lowe, the owner of the company would take dubs of my first three recordings and Dick would listen to them and he would say, 'No, it's not in the grooves.' And finally Bernie Lowe brought the dub down of kissin' Time' and Dick played the record and Dick said, 'This is a hit.' And then the record came out, Dick started playing it, y'know, on his TV show -- on Bandstand -- and the response to that it immediate!"
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
| (Bunny Gibson, Pat Clark, Mrs. Dick Clark, Tom Dante, David Sommerville, Tom LeBonge, Maria Gonzales, Hal Landau, DebbiMcKay Diaz, & Other Dancers, Council Associates & Musicians) |
Fabian remembered that auditioning for the host of American Bandstand was a somewhat intimidating experience: "Dick was a, and still is, a very interesting guy. He wouldn't let just anybody on his show, you know, so you had to go for an interview with him first. And he had to hear the record and he played it right in front of you (laughs) and then you would get the OK or you wouldn't get the OK. And I was so young, I didn't know what all that meant, but I do now, and he was very excited and I guess there was something about me that he liked."
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
| (Don't They Look FABULOUS?! Louie Novoa, Lisette St. Claire ~ "Disco Liz" ~ Debbi McKay (Diaz), & Somebody Please Tell Me the Name Of the Beautiful Lady On the Right!!!) |
Some time ago, Clark said that he's proud to have been part of so many people's New Year's memories: "I've always felt very honored to be connected with people's New Years because in all honesty, it's like being invited to somebody's Bar Mitzvah or wedding -- it's a very experience.
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
(This Is the Majority Of the Gathering Representing 'AMERICAN BANDSTAND', Including DICK CLARK's Wife & Son, PAT CLARK & Musicians & Dancers Who Appeared On His Broadcast Throughout Its' History On Television!!! Others included: Louie Novoa, Lisette St. Claire, Linda Gonzales, Who Requested the ReDedication CeremonyMarking Dick Clark's 80th Birthday Today & Dick Clark Day Officially In L.A., Dave Sommerville of the DIAMONDS, Bunny Gibson, Ron Dante, Lead Singer of the ARCHIES & Debbie McKay (Diaz), With Hal Landau& City Councilman For Hollywood, Tom LeBonge!!!)
(American Bandstand dancer, Bunny Gibson, talks about Dick Clark, Philadelphia music & dancing on Bandstand. Including footage from the 50th celebration of American Bandstand's first national broadcast.)
Thanks to "One call to City Hall" go to Linda D. Gonzalez for making November 30th officially Dick Clark Day!!! There was a celebration today as a "star" for the legend was "re-planted" on Sunset and Vine in honor of his 80th birthday and his great contribution to bringing many now famous musical artists into the limelight.
Photo Jeanie Black ITR - WCT California USA
| (This Is a Reproduced Photo Of the Gathering 2 Weeks Ago For Dick Clark's Party Commemorating His 80th Birthday ~ 30th November 2009) |
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