American Bandstand

American Bandstand On TVGuide.com

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Bob Horn (1952-1956)

Tony Mammarella (1956)

Dick Clark (1956–1989)

David Hirsch (1989)

United States

Dick Clark Productions | WFIL-TV

Hal Galli | Barry Glazer | John M. Toutkaldjian | Kip Walton | Ed Yates

883

October 7, 1952 – October 7, 1989

Daytime Emmy Awards

1988 – Won Daytime Emmy Outstanding Individual Direction for a Variety Series - Barry Glazer

1988 – Won Daytime Emmy Outstanding Special Class Program - Dick Clark (Executive Producer) | Larry Klein (Supervising Producer) | Barry Glazer (Producer)

1986 - Nominated Daytime Emmy Special Classification of Program Achievement - Dick Clark (Executive Producer) | Larry Klein (Supervising Producer) | Barry Glazer (Producer)

1985 - Nominated Daytime Emmy Outstanding Achievement in Directing - Special Class - Barry Glazer

1985 - Nominated Daytime Emmy Outstanding Special Class Program - Dick Clark (Executive Producer) | Larry Klein (Supervising Producer) | Barry Glazer (Producer) | Dick Clark (host)

1984 - Nominated Daytime Emmy Special Classification of Outstanding Program Achievement - Dick Clark (Executive Producer) | Larry Klein (Supervising Producer) | Barry Glazer (Producer)

1983 - Won Daytime Emmy Special Classification of Outstanding Program Achievement - Dick Clark (Executive Producer) | Larry Klein (Supervising Producer) | Barry Glazer (Producer)

1983 - Nominated Daytime Emmy Outstanding Individual Achievement in Any Area of Creative Technical Crafts - Art Direction/Scenic Design/Set Decoration - Bruce Ryan

1983 - Nominated Daytime Emmy Outstanding Individual Direction for a Variety Show - Barry Glazer

1982 - Won Daytime Emmy Outstanding Individual Direction for a Variety Series- Barry Glazer for episode on 18 April 1981.

1981 - Nominated Daytime Emmy Special Classification of Outstanding Individual Achievement - Directors - Barry Glazer for episode on 28 February 1981.

1981 - Nominated Daytime Emmy Special Classification of Outstanding Individual Achievement – Performers - Dick Clark for episode on 28 February 1981.

1980 - Nominated Daytime Emmy Special Classification - Program Achievements - - Dick Clark (Executive Producer) | Larry Klein (Supervising Producer) | Barry Glazer (Producer)

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Dick Clark’s American Bandstand is best known as the network’s longest-running (30 years) afternoon show for teens, but it did have a short run in prime time as well. The show had begun as a local dance program in Philadelphia in 1952, moving to the full ABC network as a Monday to Friday later afternoon entry in August 1957. Its immediate success prompted ABC to give it a brief run on Monday nights that fall.

The night time version was identical to its daytime counterpart. Clark hosted one or two guest performers whose records were currently on the pop charts. They lip-synched their hits, chatted about their careers and signed autographs. Most of these young singers and groups were at the beginnings of their careers and Clark wisely kept the tapes of their appearances and got full permission to use them in the future. These clips are often seen in rock music retrospectives today and in some cases are the only film available of some rock legends (and ‘one-shot’ wonders) early in their careers.

During the remainder of the show Clark played currents hits, while the studio audience danced to the music. There was also the infamous ‘rate-a-record’ feature (“Umm, it’s got a good beat…I’ll give it a 95”).

The daytime network version of ‘American Bandstand’ continued on ABC’s weekday lineup until August 1963 and then became a once-a-week Saturday afternoon show from 1963 to 1987. In the fall of 1987 it was finally canceled by ABC, but Clark continued production of original episodes for syndication, which were seen on many stations in the same time period – Saturday afternoons – for another year. In the spring of 1989 ‘Bandstand’ surfaced again, this time on the USA cable network, airing from noon to 1 P.M. on Saturday afternoons. Clark still produced the series but the host was now 26-year-old David Hirsch. The USA Network version of ‘American Bandstand’ lasted less than a year, leaving the air in late 1989. In the 1950s and early ‘60s the show (both daytime and nighttime versions) originated live from Philadelphia’ production moved to Hollywood in February 1964. For an illustrated history of the program see ‘The History of American Bandstand by Michael Shore with Dick Clark (Ballantine, 1985).

Dick Clark also produced and hosted a number of other prime-time rock music shows, including the Saturday night ‘Dick Clark Show’ (q.v.), which ran from 1958 to 1960.

At 37 years of continuous run, was the longest weekly popular music showcase TV program in the world. This record was not broken until 2001 when the BBC's "Top of the Pops" (1964) entered its 38th year.