# Speaking of Dick Clark - Anyone know this about American Bandstand?



## brebeans (Sep 5, 2003)

Hi:

I have done a lot of research on line, inquired at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and STILL can't find this....

Does anyone know if DVDs of the original American Bandstand exist and/or if there is a plan to release them?

I'm looking for full broadcasts, not clips of certain performers, etc.

I'm guessing Dick Clark owns them and is not releasing them, for whatever reason. Perhaps, they'll be released at 'some later point in time'? Or, perhaps, he'll bequeath the rights to someone/company?

Anyone know anything about this? Or do you even care?
I thought AB was one of the best shows on TV, for introducing new talent, showcasing a lot of different talent, introducing music, dance moves, and of course, was the "original"...."Dancing with the NON stars" or "So you think you can dance?". I know I'm showing my age when I want to re-watch a lot of these. But, hey, it was a special time in TV and rock n roll history.

Thanks!


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

This thread doesn't have a good beat, and I can't dance to it.


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## ciscokid (Jan 14, 2003)

Well, did you know that Dick Clark was NOT the original host of American Bandstand. A fellow by the name of Bob Horn, from Pine Grove, PA (Not too far from Philly) was the original host of "Bandstand" later renamed "American Bandstand" by ABC.

Check out the Wiki on this little known fact!


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

I wonder, as with a lot of old shows that didn't have syndication value after first viewed, if a lot of the tapes were erased and reused. This was common with sporting events in those days and could be the same with AE. So, full episodes just might not exist any longer.


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## VegasVic (Nov 22, 2002)

I never saw the show, did bands perform live? Did they lip sync? Were there major acts?


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## WO312 (Jan 24, 2003)

vertigo235 said:


> This thread doesn't have a good beat, and I can't dance to it.


LOL. Brings back a lot of memories. That was the standard answer, wasn't it?

Actually, now that I think about it, the reverse of that was the standard answer.


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

I agree with the pp, I'd be surprised if complete tapes exist for many (any?) shows. I have no idea if they even have the rights to release the music performances on video.


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## kmccbf (Mar 9, 2002)

Since the best method of recording in the early days was kinescope, basicly aming a 16mm camera at a TV monitor it was an expensive process. They might have used it for some of the really big groups that came on, but not for the whole show. Then you had various types of video tape. Some of which cannot be played anymore. These were also expensive tapes and if they recorded anything, it would be the perfomaces, not the show itself, at least until the costs came down. 

Some of the performaces footage can be found on youtube, so they do exist and I've seen some really bad footage of the rate-a-record segments. I know one exists of them rating Please, Please Me which lead to Dick Clark's company turning down The Beatles. 
And to answer VegasVic, There were often major acts and they always lipsynced usally with no effort to cover the fact up either. It was standard practice at the time on almost every show. Much easier to do that than mess with everything needed to get good sound.


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## brebeans (Sep 5, 2003)

Hi there:
Thanks!
I'm hoping that some footage exists somewhere. I keep thinking that there's a plan to wait until Dick Clark dies and then things will be released. It's hard for me to believe that someone with Dick Clark's business savvy would not have had things kept, in some fashion, if it was possible "in those days". Yikes, I guess I am that old!

Since I don't know the technical side of things, it's helpful to hear how things were recorded/taped.

When I went to the R&R Hall of Fame, I thought, for sure, they'd have a bit more info or perhaps, even some hard to find recordings, but, alas, no luck!

I want to see Kenny and Arlene again and hear some of those 'rate a record' and also watch some of the dance contests.... They were great!

Little Stevie Wonder doing "Fingertips"....remember it as if it was yesterday..even if it was lip-synced! Some great, great musical and tv moments.... I do hope they're not lost forever.


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## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

WO312 said:


> LOL. Brings back a lot of memories. That was the standard answer, wasn't it?
> 
> Actually, now that I think about it, the reverse of that was the standard answer.


Yup


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## DougF (Mar 18, 2003)

I would think music rights issues would have killed this before it ever even got started.

If you google "American Bandstand DVD", one link claims to be selling a DVD of the earliest known surviving show from '57. If that's true, everything before that is lost.


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## Chris Gerhard (Apr 27, 2002)

VegasVic said:


> I never saw the show, did bands perform live? Did they lip sync? Were there major acts?


A lot of major acts but mostly by pretend instrument playing and lip sync is how I remember it.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

I suspect I watched it when it was still in Philadelphia (and assumed it was in Los Angeles). I wonder if any of the Lloyd Thaxton show is left. He talked about lip synching like he may have invented it.


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## lambertman (Dec 21, 2002)

Somebody on the wiki notes there are 883 surviving eps.

If there's truth to that, it would mean roughly mid-1971 to the short-lived revival's end in 1989 was saved, with some leeway for scattered early eps that might have survived as well.

This is all guesswork.


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## That Don Guy (Mar 13, 2003)

I would be surprised if they have even considered releasing full episodes, if for no other reason than the music licensing costs would be high. This also tends to be the number one answer when anybody asks why there aren't DVDs of either _American Idol_ or _So You Think You Can Dance_ (which has, on occasion, had to dub in other music for some of the auditions).


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## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

It looks like the '80s episodes were at one point rebroadcast on VH1. There are some few clips on YouTube from these rebroadcasts.


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## trainman (Jan 29, 2001)

Even into the mid-1960s, a number of ABC affiliates in the South opted not to carry "American Bandstand" because the dance floor on the show was integrated. I know from my TV Guide collection that the ABC affiliate in my hometown of Tampa _did_ carry it back then, but I have a feeling it was less because they were atypically progressive on racial issues and more because they didn't have anything to replace it with.


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## bleen (Aug 9, 2008)

Very interesting topic - I never watched AB, but given the early days of SNL's music sound quality, I can't blame them for lip synching to the records  And speaking of that tangent, I'm surprised as many big time acts agreed to go on SNL given how badly their songs were certain to be butchered.

Hope you can find some good AB vids!


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## vman41 (Jun 18, 2002)

LoadStar said:


> It looks like the '80s episodes were at one point rebroadcast on VH1. There are some few clips on YouTube from these rebroadcasts.


I remember watching some of those, they may have gone back to the late seventies. One had and a performance by Prince and the interview afterward made it apparent he was always a bit of an arrogant d*ck.


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## mattack (Apr 9, 2001)

VegasVic said:


> I never saw the show, did bands perform live? Did they lip sync? Were there major acts?


Lip sync, at least in the 80s when I was watching it.

..just like they do for the vast vast majority of performers on the New Years Rockin' Eve show.


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## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

LoadStar said:


> It looks like the '80s episodes were at one point rebroadcast on VH1. There are some few clips on YouTube from these rebroadcasts.


They definitely were, I saw some of them at that time. One fairly memorable one was the Talking Heads from 1979. Dick asked them what they call the style of music they play, and Tina Weymouth responded, "80s Music."

Hah, here's a clip of it, but it doesn't have her saying that. Could I have remembered it wrong?






Greg


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## brebeans (Sep 5, 2003)

Thanks! Yes, I'm really looking for late 50's, 60's and, perhaps into the 70's.


I'll keep checking and did see a few DVDs for sale on line, but who knows the quality and whether or not they're 'clips' of shows.

Also, was the recording of AB significantly different than, say, Lawrence Welk ( I have NO interest in those broadcasts...although they are very funny if you've 'imbibed' too much!)?

Lawrence Welk is all over TV, or so it seems, these days with some very old episodes.

I'll post if I find anything new and/or significant!


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## Bob Coxner (Dec 1, 2004)

That Don Guy said:


> I would be surprised if they have even considered releasing full episodes, if for no other reason than the music licensing costs would be high. This also tends to be the number one answer when anybody asks why there aren't DVDs of either _American Idol_ or _So You Think You Can Dance_ (which has, on occasion, had to dub in other music for some of the auditions).


Or, even The Wonder Years. Music rights continue to block it from DVD, AFAIK.


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## markymark_ctown (Oct 11, 2004)

Funny - Howard Stern was talking about AB this morning in relation to NY Rockin' Eve. He mentioned the brilliance of Dick Clarks business plan is that he owns the clips to all of AB and now NY Rockin' Eve and that he used to replay AB clips as filler between "acts" on newer AB episodes. As such, I would suspect that tapes do exist. I wonder when/if he'll release any?


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## brebeans (Sep 5, 2003)

markymark_ctown said:


> Funny - Howard Stern was talking about AB this morning in relation to NY Rockin' Eve. He mentioned the brilliance of Dick Clarks business plan is that he owns the clips to all of AB and now NY Rockin' Eve and that he used to replay AB clips as filler between "acts" on newer AB episodes. As such, I would suspect that tapes do exist. I wonder when/if he'll release any?


Hi:
Yes, I suspect that tapes do exist, too. He is a brilliant businessman and marketer and I hardly think he wouldn't have figured out a way to archive those most memorable shows, tapes, performances, recordings, .....whatever. ( I know....I used a 'double negative' there!!).

Again, I wonder if they will be protected for quite awhile, at least until after his death, and/or 'bequeathed' to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or to some corporation or organization for use.

Thanks!


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## lew (Mar 12, 2002)

markymark_ctown said:


> Funny - Howard Stern was talking about AB this morning in relation to NY Rockin' Eve. He mentioned the brilliance of Dick Clarks business plan is that he owns the clips to all of AB and now NY Rockin' Eve and that he used to replay AB clips as filler between "acts" on newer AB episodes. As such, I would suspect that tapes do exist. I wonder when/if he'll release any?


We know they have clips (tapes) of many performances. The OP is looking for tapes of the complete shows.

I doubt Dick Clark Productions has the rights to release the music performances on DVD.

Dick Clark sold his company years ago.

Dick Clark is brilliant. I'm sure if he had tapes with high enough quality to release on DVD, and has the rights, he already would have released DVDs.


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## pdhenry (Feb 28, 2005)

Bob Coxner said:


> Or, even The Wonder Years. Music rights continue to block it from DVD, AFAIK.


It's on Netflix (or maybe Hulu+). But if the opening theme was sung by Joe Cocker when the original series aired, it's since been re-recorded.

ETA: Netflix.


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## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

I live in California so I saw integrated American Bandstand and the Nat King Cole show. Interesting, Soul Train was not integrated.


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## brebeans (Sep 5, 2003)

lew said:


> We know they have clips (tapes) of many performances. The OP is looking for tapes of the complete shows.
> 
> I doubt Dick Clark Productions has the rights to release the music performances on DVD.
> 
> ...


Please, say it isn't so! I keep hoping to hear different things or that someone will know someone who knows something different!

Thanks for the responses! 
In the Talking Heads clip, in the above post, that's exactly the kind of "clip" I'm not lookiing for. The banter is ok, but without the music and without the music and dancing, AB, is just not AB, if you know what I mean.

If anyone knows of any FULL episodes from the 50's 60's or early 70"s available, let me know. Perhaps I'll check in with DC Productions and see what they say, 'on the record'.


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## avery (May 29, 2006)

excerpt from website linked below:

"In June 2007, Daniel Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins professional football team and Six Flags amusement parks, and also a partner with Tom Cruise in a film venture, announced the purchase of Dick Clark Productions for $175 million. In the deal, Snyder became the owner of American Bandstand's entire library of televised dance shows stretching over 30-plus years."

http://www.pophistorydig.com/?p=159

(I only skimmed the site for general content but it seems like fun... a lot of other very 60s-centric stuff!)


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## Wil (Sep 27, 2002)

kmccbf said:


> Since the best method of recording in the early days was kinescope, basicly aming a 16mm camera at a TV monitor it was an expensive process. They might have used it for some of the really big groups that came on, but not for the whole show.


Videotape was replacing kinescopes at the beginning of the Dick Clark era, maybe a year or so of overlap (1956-57). ABC, though the poorest of the networks, had a history of involvement with videotape going back several years so I suspect they transitioned quickly. But tape cost around $300 per hour (in a day when that was real money) so tape was routinely wiped and reused.


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## brebeans (Sep 5, 2003)

avery said:


> excerpt from website linked below:
> 
> "In June 2007, Daniel Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins professional football team and Six Flags amusement parks, and also a partner with Tom Cruise in a film venture, announced the purchase of Dick Clark Productions for $175 million. In the deal, Snyder became the owner of American Bandstands entire library of televised dance shows stretching over 30-plus years."
> 
> ...


Thanks! I'll take a look at this and see if it provides me with any leads!


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## Waldorf (Oct 4, 2002)

avery said:


> excerpt from website linked below:
> 
> "In June 2007, Daniel Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins professional football team and Six Flags amusement parks, and also a partner with Tom Cruise in a film venture, announced the purchase of Dick Clark Productions for $175 million. In the deal, Snyder became the owner of American Bandstands entire library of televised dance shows stretching over 30-plus years."
> 
> ...


Interesting... I thought for sure Seacrest would try to pick up Dick Clark Productions. Maybe he was outbid? Those two have been thick as thieves since 2005 or so.


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## Steveknj (Mar 10, 2003)

Waldorf said:


> Interesting... I thought for sure Seacrest would try to pick up Dick Clark Productions. Maybe he was outbid? Those two have been thick as thieves since 2005 or so.


Seems like a low number for this, "only" $175 million?


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## Wil (Sep 27, 2002)

Ryan Seacrest is still alive?


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