Westport Public Library MOVIE & MUSIC Blog

I can still remember the day when my older cousin Deirdre appeared on the television show American Bandstand. That day, her sister Barbara and I sat in front of the screen and were mesmerized by the music and the dancing. She was one of the lucky ones who actually spoke to Dick Clark.

I am walking down memory lane as the 50th anniversary of the show's premiere approaches on Sunday, August 5. As many of us remember, American Bandstand started in Philadelphia in 1952 with a young disc jockey, Dick Clark. He became the host of the TV show which first aired on August 5, 1957. This show, which was the first TV show that was dedicated solely to rock 'n roll, adhered to a set format of dancing teenagers, popular entertainers singing their latest hits, and a listing of the week's top 10 songs. It lasted for over 30 years and finally was cancelled in 1989 six months after the departure of Dick Clark.

For those of you who would like to continue the reminiscences, the Library has Dick Clark and Fred Bronson's Dick Clark's American Bandstand, John A. Jackson's American Bandstand : Dick Clark and the Making of a Rock 'n' Roll Empire, Michael Shore's
The History of American Bandstand, and the video Dick Clark's Best of Bandstand: the Superstars.