Farewell, American Bandstand’s Dick Clark

Dick Clark, legendary host of music TV trailblazer American Bandstand has died at a Los Angeles hospital, aged 82. The importance of Bandstand is hard to overstate – regularly reaching 20 million American viewers. Despite the seeming squareness of Clark, the show authentically reflected teen tastes without judgment, and moved with the times: a kind of Ready Steady Go!, Top Of The Pops and OGWT rolled into one, but predating them all and outlasting most. To celebrate Clark’s work we’ve put together some of our favourite moments from a show that lasted over 35 years.

1. Frankie Lymon – It’s Christmas Once Again, 1957

Born in Philadelphia in 1952 (then simply titled ‘Bandstand’), the show went national – with its new host Clark – in 1957, and embraced the rock era, albeit decorously. Mind you, there’s something going on with the couple at 1.09.

2. Jerry Lee Lewis – Great Balls Of Fire, 1958

Soon enough, rock’n’roll had transformed American Bandstand, and its audience. Here, introduced by the head of his fanclub, The Killer whips up a frenzy.

3. Beach Boys – Don’t Worry Baby, 1964

The front-parlour innocence of pop music didn’t disappear entirely, though. Here, Hawthorne’s finest lip-synch awkwardly before taking part in an equally uneasy interview with Clark. Australians take heed: Mike Love is dissing you!

4. Captain Beefheart phone-in, 1966

Brilliant idea: get the fans to interact with the artists. Terrible idea (from the perspective of freak-hating sponsors): get them to interview Captain Beefheart. Good job Don didn’t unveil the real, penis-related source of his name, eh?

5. Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl, 1967

With audience figures regularly reaching 20 million, artists were fully aware of the importance of appearing on the show. There were exceptions, of course.

6. Stevie Wonder interview, 1969

In which Wonder tells Clark about the first song he played on a harmonica at the age of four: Three Blind Mice. Clark’s response? “You have a very unusual sense of humour.”

7. Rate A Record

A popular regular, in which Clark asked audience members to give their verdict on a new song. “I like the words and I like the rhythm,” offers one – can’t say fairer than that.

8. PiL – Poptones & Careering, 1980

Punk hits American Bandstand, as Public Image Ltd swap instruments and drag audience members on stage and generally assault the fourth wall. Priceless.

9. All-Star Jam, American Bandstand 30-Year Special, 1982

Its status as an American institution long established, the 30th anniversary of the show saw Mick Fleetwood, Al Jardine, Ray Parker Jr., Frankie Avalon and more close out in a fascinatingly flawed attempt to illustrate rock and soul’s roots and shoots. The show would run for another seven years, continually pulling in the biggest names in music, before finally ceasing production in 1989.

10. Madonna, 1985

In 1985, shortly before it did leave America’s screens forever, Clark interviewed a young Madonna, asking her if she was scared to go it alone in the music industry. “Not really,” she replied. “I think I’ve always had a lot of confidence in myself.”