American Bandstand - America's Teenagers Loved ItIn 1952 Dick Clark became a substitute host on "Bob Horn's Bandstand," a Philadelphia dance show on WFIL TV. He became regular host of the show in 1956. It didn't take Clark long to see that rock and roll was becoming the predominate choice of music for the younger generation and they were spending a lot of money on the music. He reformatted the show, concentrating on hot young acts. The show went national on August 5, 1957, airing weekday afternoons. It was a smash hit with kids. Soon the show was receiving 15,000 letters a week, more than any of ABC's other shows. Bandstand's purpose was to showcase pop music and it did that well, but more than that, it was recording the American pop culture landscape - its fashions, its politics and its changing mores. The last "American Bandstand" show aired on September 5, 1987, racking up a total of six thousand hours, sixty-five thousand records played and ten thousand acts. The "Regulars" were a group of kids who Dick Clark and the production team could count on to be there for every show. They also had to be very good dancers and not afraid of the camera. They were a rotating crew. As kids grew older, went away to school, got married, others were always there to take their place. There wasn't any pay, but the perks were huge. They were as well known as many of the performers, better known than some. They even received their own own fan mail and signed autographs. Kenny Rossi, Arlene Sullivan, Bunny Gibson and Eddie Kelly, Pat Molittieri, Joyce Shafer, Carmen Jimenz, Carole Gibson, Frank Spagnuola and countless others over the years were celebrities. American Bandstand was an afternoon live dance show. After school kids would line up outside the studio to have a chance at getting in. Knowing a Regular was the best way to get to the head of the line. Collecting American Bandstand memorabilia is has many avenues one could follow. Collecting signatures on original memorabilia such as posters, correspondence, magazines, and photos is a very real possibility. Much of the original printed material is still very affordable and shows up on eBay and other auction sites often. Many of the stars still sign autographs through the mail, and others play small venues and nostalgia shows where it is usually not difficult to autographs. I got several of the cards signed though the mail. Jan and Dean (Dean signed for both), Connie Francis, Helen Reddy, Freddy Cannon, Annette Funicello, Ray Stevens, Andy Williams, and Dick Clark signed. Cards are very easy and inexpensive to send though the mail, and they make nice displays when framed around a larger photo. Collecting Celebrity Autographs: Dick Clark
|
Another avenue for autographs are the Bandstand trading cards issued by Collect-a-Card in 1993. This is a 100 card set with some of the stars that appeared on American Bandstand plus a few of Dick Clark. Signed cards, 100 of each, from three talents were randomly inserted in the packs - Dick Clark, Smokey Robinson and Jerry Lee Lewis. I bought a box of these cards for five dollars at a toy store close-out a few years back. I found a Jerry Lee Lewis card in my box, signed in gold ink. Lewis is the most valuable autograph of the three (though Clark and Smokey might be more popular.)