The Dick Clark Show

Summary

Given that the show ran continually year-round for over two-and-a-half years, resulting in 136 episodes, there were no seasons as such — however, the "first season" of 29 shows could be said to run from the premiere through August 30, 1958, the "second season" of 53 shows, September 6, 1958 through September 5, 1959, and the "third season" of 54 shows, September 12, 1959 through September 10, 1960.

Dick Clark, hosting throughout the entire series, introduced musical guests, who sang/performed (or, more often, lip-synced) their latest popular hit. Often, after a performance (and sometimes before), Clark interviewed the musician(s). Between performances on some shows, he also interviewed non-musical celebrity guests, usually a television or movie star — Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Tony Randall, and Chuck Connors, among others.

The show was staged live, in New York City, at Manhattan's Little Theater, 240 West 44th Street (except for one set of three shows broadcast remotely from Hollywood, California, August 22, 1959 through September 5, 1959, and another set of five shows broadcast remotely from various locations across the country, June 11, 1960 through July 9, 1960). For the Manhattan broadcasts, the audience sat in theater seats, rather than standing and dancing as in Clark's concurrent pop-music show, American Bandstand — this distinction is the best method to identify whether a video recording of an artist's performance is from this show, or from American Bandstand.

Top Ten

At the end of each show, Clark would announce the ten most popular songs from the current Top 40 in reverse order from #10 on down to #1, as the "American Bandstand Top Ten". On the first show, Clark played a brief soundclip from each top ten record as its title was announced. On each subsequent show, Clark played the soundclip only for those records which were "new" on the Top Ten that week. This ritual became so embedded in American culture that it was imitated in many different media and contexts throughout the years - a most-notable example being a nightly satirical piece during David Letterman's two late-night talk shows, Late Night and Late Show.

First show

The first show was broadcast February 15, 1958 with no sponsor — Beechnut began sponsoring the show the third week. Guests on the first show were:

Pat Boone (interviewed, and singing "Wonderful Time Up There", "It's Too Soon To Know")

Jerry Lee Lewis ("Breathless", "Great Balls of Fire")

Connie Francis ("Who's Sorry Now?")

Johnnie Ray (interviewed and plugging his latest single "Strollin' Girl")

Elaine Berman, President of a Jerry Lee Lewis Fan Club (interviewed)

Royal Teens ("Short Shorts")

Chuck Willis ("Betty And Dupree")

Guests

Guests included almost every popular American singer of the 1950s. Jackie Wilson and Bobby Rydell were the most frequent guests, each appearing on fourteen different shows. Frankie Avalon and Paul Anka, each with ten appearances, were the next most frequent guests. Next was Jack Scott, on nine shows. Bobby Darin, and Dion and the Belmonts were next with eight appearances each; Johnny Maestro (both solo and as a member of The Crests), Annette Funicello, The Four Preps, Freddy Cannon, and Fabian were next at seven times each. At six times each were Neil Sedaka, Anita Bryant, Conway Twitty, Lloyd Price, Duane Eddy, and Jimmy Clanton.

Excluding the names listed above, at least seventy-five other singers and musicians appeared on two or more shows. Among them, along with a sampling of the songs they sang (and when), were:

Johnny Cash sang:

"Guess Things Happen That Way" on the July 5, 1958 show

"It's Just About Time" on the December 20, 1958 show

"The Rebel — Johnny Yuma" on the March 26, 1960 show

Danny and the Juniors sang:

"Rock and Roll Is Here To Stay" on the February 22, 1958 show

"At the Hop" and "Dottie" on the June 21, 1958 show

"Twistin' U.S.A." on the September 3, 1960 show

Clyde McPhatter sang:

"A Lover's Question" on the November 15, 1958 show

"Since You Been Gone" on the July 4, 1959 show

Bill Haley and the Comets sang "Rock Around the Clock", "Shake, Rattle, and Roll", and "Tamami" on the February 20, 1960 show

Little Anthony & the Imperials sang

"Tears on My Pillow" on the August 23, 1958 show

"So Much" on the November 29, 1958 show

"Shimmy, Shimmy Ko-Ko Bop" on the January 2, 1960 show

Billy Bland sang

"Let the Little Girl Dance" on the April 23, 1960 show

"Pardon Me" on the August 6, 1960 show

The Chordettes sang:

"Lollipop" and "Mr. Sandman" on the February 22, 1958 show

"Lollipop" and "Zorro" on the April 26, 1958 show

"No Other Arms, No Other Lips" on the March 28, 1959 show

Everly Brothers sang:

"All I Have to Do Is Dream" and "Wake Up Little Susie" on the April 5, 1958 show,

"Cathy's Clown", "When Will I Be Loved??" and "So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)" on the July 9, 1960 Hollywood show

Frankie Lymon sang:

"Mama Don't Allow It" on the May 17, 1958 show

"Little Bitty Pretty One" on the August 13, 1960 show

Chubby Checker sang:

"The Class" on the May 23, 1959 show

"The Twist" on the August 6, 1960 show

Jimmie Rodgers sang "Honeycomb" on the May 3, 1958 show

Eddie Cochran sang:

"Summertime Blues" on the August 30, 1958 show

"C'mon Everybody" on the November 29, 1959 show

Sam Cooke sang:

"Lonely Island" on the March 22, 1958 show

"Win Your Love For Me" on the October 11, 1958 show

"Everybody Likes To Cha Cha Cha" and "You Send Me" on the March 14, 1959 show

"Only Sixteen" on the June 20, 1959 show

Fats Domino sang a medley of "I'm In Love Again", "Blueberry Hill", "I Want You To Know", "Ain't That a Shame", "Blue Monday", and "I'm Walkin'" on the March 29, 1958 show

La Vern Baker sang:

"I Cried a Tear" on the January 10, 1959 show

"I Waited Too Long" on the May 16, 1959 show

The Big Bopper sang "Chantilly Lace" on the September 20, 1958 and the November 22, 1958 shows

Chuck Berry sang:

"Sweet Little Sixteen" on the February 22, 1958 show (second of the series)

"Johnny B. Goode" on the May 17, 1958 show

"Back in the U.S.A." on the July 18, 1959 show

Jan and Dean sang:

"Baby Talk" on the September 5, 1959 show

"White Tennis Sneakers" on the April 16, 1960 show

Baby Talk" and "We Go Together" on the June 25, 1960 show

The Coasters sang:

"Yakety Yak" on the May 31, 1958 and August 16, 1958 shows

"Charlie Brown" on the March 7, 1959 show

Johnny Horton sang:

"The Battle of New Orleans" on the August 29, 1959 Hollywood show

"Sink the Bismarck" on the April 2, 1960 Manhattan show

Sandy Nelson performed "Teen Beat" on the October 3, 1959 show

Johnny Tillotson sang "Why Do I Love You So?" on the February 20, 1960 show

Dorsey Burnette sang:

"There Was a Tall Oak Tree" on the March 19, 1960 show

"Hey Little One" on the June 25, 1960 show

Dodie Stevens sang:

"Pink Shoelaces" on the February 28, 1959 show

"Miss Lonelyhearts" on the August 22, 1959 show

Among the single-appearance guests were:

Buddy Holly sang "It's So Easy" on the October 25, 1958 show

Brian Hyland sang "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" at the July 16, 1960 show

The Cadillacs sang "Peek a Boo" on the November 22, 1958 show

Roy Orbison sang "Only the Lonely" and "Uptown" at the July 23, 1960 show

The Ventures performed "Walk, Don't Run" on the August 27, 1960 show

The Isley Brothers sang "Shout" on the October 10, 1959 show

The Olympics sang "Western Movies" on either the July 26, 1958 show, or the August 2, 1958 show

The Teddy Bears sang "To Know Him Is to Love Him" on the November 15, 1958 show

The Shirelles sang "I Met Him On a Sunday" on the April 5, 1958 show

Bill Justis performed "College Man" and "Raunchy" on the February 22, 1958 show

The Chantels sang "Maybe" on the March 1, 1958 show

Teresa Brewer sang "There's Nothing As Lonesome As Saturday Night" and "Whirlpool" on the March 1, 1958 show

Ritchie Valens sang "Donna" on the December 27, 1958 show

Andy Williams sang "Canadian Sunset" and "Are You Sincere?" on the March 15, 1958 show

Notable episodes

February 22, 1958

Dick Clark interviewed Johnny Carson.

March 8, 1958

Dick Clark announced that viewers could receive in the mail an "autographed" 45 RPM single of Jerry Lee Lewis's latest hit Breathless by sending in five Beechnut Gum wrappers and fifty cents for shipping and handling. 48,000 requests were received. Sun Records sent out the promotional records, the song moved further up the Top 40, and sales of Beechnut Gum increased — the deal made between Dick Clark and Sam Phillips of Sun Records for this promotion drew some criticism and accusations of payola, but resulted in no scandal and no indictments.

May 10, 1958

Dick Clark interviewed Bob Hope — together, they lip-synced the Hope/Crosby song "Paris Holiday".

November 29, 1958

Because the show was being filmed the day before Dick Clark's birthday, Bobby Darin and other singers wished Dick Clark a happy birthday (but did not sing the "Happy Birthday To You" song).

January 3, 1959

David Seville and The Chipmunks performed "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" — eight days after Christmas.

May 3, 1959

A Western-themed show, with Dick Clark & guests in cowboy attire. Paul Anka ("Lonely Boy"), Jesse Belvin ("Guess Who?"), Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks (featuring drummer Levon Helm) ("Forty Days"), Johnny Horton ("The Battle of New Orleans"), The Skyliners ("Since I Don't Have You" and "This I Swear").

1959 summer-series of three consecutive remote shows broadcast from Hollywood, California

August 22, 1959
Fabian ("Got the Feeling", "Come on and Get Me"), Bobby Darin ("Mack the Knife", "Dream Lover"), Dodie Stevens ("Miss Lonelyhearts"), and Mitchell Torok ("Caribbean").

August 29, 1959
Johnny Horton ("Johnny Reb", "Battle Of New Orleans"), The Four Preps ("I Ain't Never"), Connie Stevens ("Why Do I Cry For Joey?"), Paul Petersen and Shelley Fabares (interviewed), The Diamonds ("Young In Years"), and Tab Hunter ("Our Love", "Waiting For Fall").

September 5, 1959
Duane Eddy, Jan & Dean ("Baby Talk"), Frankie Avalon ("Just Ask Your Heart"), and Anita Bryant ("Til There Was You").

December 31, 1959

Dick Clark hosts a special edition of the show on New Year's Eve, despite that day being on a Thursday. Because of the show's cancellation, it would not be reprised the next year. Clark would later return to ABC's New Year coverage in 1974, when he brought New Year's Rockin' Eve to the network; Clark remained in that role until his death, and that show still bears his name.

1960 summer-series of five consecutive remote shows

June 11, 1960 (broadcast from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Bobby Darin ("Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home", "I'll Be There"), The Crests ("Trouble in Paradise"), The Fendermen ("Mule Skinner Blues"), Paul Evans ("Happy-Go-Lucky Me"), and The Skyliners ("Pennies from Heaven")

June 18, 1960 (broadcast from Hollywood, California)
The Safaris ("Image of a Girl"), The Hollywood Argyles ("Alley Oop"), The Crosby Brothers ("The Green Grass Grows"), and Jimmie Rodgers ("Just a Little Closer Walk With Thee")

June 25, 1960 (broadcast from Treasure Island Naval Base near San Francisco, California)
The Olympics (Big Boy Pete), Jan and Dean ("Baby Talk", "We Go Together"), Dorsey Burnette ("Hey Little One"), and The Four Preps ("Got a Girl")

July 2, 1960 (broadcast from Chicago, Illinois)
Brenda Lee ("I'm Sorry", "That's All You Gotta Do"), Freddy Cannon ("Jump Over"), Tommy Edwards ("I Really Don't Want to Know"), and Jack Scott ("Burning Bridges")

July 9, 1960 (broadcast from Hollywood, California)
The Everly Brothers ("Cathy's Clown", "When Will I Be Loved?", "So Sad"), Jeanne Black ("He'll Have to Stay", "Lisa"), Deane Hawley ("Look for a Star"), and Larry Bright ("Mo-Jo Workout")

August 6, 1960

Chubby Checker introduced "The Twist" to America.

Final show

The last show was September 10, 1960. Highlights of the series were shown from past shows:

Bobby Darin ("Splish Splash", "Mack the Knife")

Connie Francis ("Lipstick on Your Collar")

Frankie Avalon ("DeDe Dinah")

Fabian ("Turn Me Loose")

Bobby Rydell ("Kissin' Time")

Annette Funicello and Paul Anka (Medley of hits)

Duane Eddy and The Rebels ("Rebel Rouser", "Forty Miles of Bad Road")