Day: May 10, 2013

SATURDAY NIGHT BEECH-NUT SHOW WITH DICK CLARK

THE DICK CLARK SATURDAY NIGHT BEECHNUT SHOW, NEW YORK, 1958
1958: DICK CLARK’S SATURDAY NIGHT BEECH-NUT SHOW AT THE LITTLE THEATER IN NEW YORK

 

Beech Nut Chewing Gum was the sponsor of this short-lived Dick Clark production three-years on ABC-TV from February, 1958 through September, 1960 (Click inmage for larger view)
Beech Nut Chewing Gum was the sole sponsor of this short-lived (nearly three years) Dick Clark production. The show, out of NYC, was broadcast every Saturday on ABC-TV from February, 1958 through September, 1960. (Click image for larger view).

The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show was Dick Clark’s second attempt at a prime time show. His first, a prime-time version of American Bandstand, ran only 13 weeks. The Beechnut Show was much more successful lasting almost 3 years.

The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show was broadcast live Saturday nights from the Little Theatre in New York City. Every weekend, Dick Clark commuted from Philadelphia to NYC to do the “Beechnut” show. There was actually two shows done each Saturday. The first was a rehearsal show where the artists could sketch out their performances and Clark could line everything up. This would have a different audience then the second show which was the one that was televised.

Beechnut Gum was actually picked up as a sponsor for the third episode to the conclusion of the show’s run. The artists that appeared usually “lip-synched” to their records. Very few actually performed live.

This is the only show to be able to make the claim of having Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper as guests (though on different episodes). All three were killed together in a plane crash on February 3, 1959.

Amazingly, Elvis Presley and Ricky Nelson, two of the biggest stars of the period, never appeared on the show. The first show aired on February 2, 1958 with guests Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Willis, Johnny Ray and the Royal Teens. The final show aired on September 10, 1960. MORE

Dick Clark interviewing Fabian on the Beech-Nut Saturday Night Show
Dick Clark interviewing Fabian on the Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show in 1959.
Dick Clark interviews Bobby Rydell during one of his several performances on the show
Dick Clark seen here interviewing Bobby Rydell during the show in 1959.

Addendum: Above information provided by TV.com. For the complete 1958-1960 Dick Clark Beech Nut Show summary and artist-appearance listing for every show, go here to TV.com.

Motor City Radio Flashbacks will be showcasing many of these *rare* Dick Clark video presentations here on this website from time to time. In this first installment, we present four video classics (below) from the Dick Clark Beech-Nut show as was first broadcast on national television during that memorable late-’50s rock and roll era:

Edd Byrnes and Connie Stevens (April 04, ’59). Bobby Rydell (July 16, 1960). Frankie Avalon (March 14, 1959). Everly Brothers (July 09, 1960).

Beech-Nut Chewing Gum: sole sponsor for Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show over ABC Television 1958 - 1960
Beech-Nut Chewing Gum: sole sponsor for Dick Clark’s Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show over ABC Television 1958 – 1960

Dick Clark Beechnut Show logo

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WAY-BACK DETROIT RADIO PAGES: WWJ . . . SEPTEMBER 1, 1945

Motor City Radio Flashbacks logoFrom the MCRFB old radio scrapbook:

Scripps Dynasty Feature of WWJ Party Broadcast

 

 

 

 

 

FLASHBACKDETROIT, August 25 — Highlights of the WWJ silver anniversary show Monday (August 20) was probably the public realization for the first time that radio has come of age sufficiently to establish a real continuity of tradition. This was embodied in the variable dynasty of the Scripps family association with the station.

 

The Billboard, September 1, 1945
The Billboard, September 1, 1945

Two generations were present, William E. Scripps, president of the Detroit News, and his grandson, William J. Scripps, who was general manager of WWJ until entering the armed forces. Interest actually dated back still another generation to the late James E. Scripps,  father of William E. Scripps, and founder of The News, who, together with his son, provided the funds to establish an experimental wireless station here in 1902.

Thomas E. Clark, pioneer wireless inventor, who built an developed this station, resulting in the establishment of WWJ in 1920, was especially honored at the party at the Book-Cadillac Hotel which followed. Clark’s showbiz experience takes the pioneer history of radio still further back to the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1898, when he was in charge of the General Electric  exhibit. Clark there was intrigued by the operation of Nikota Tesla in early wireless, and returned to GE headquarters to begin his own experiments.

Entertainment program at the party following the broadcast included a 35-minute sketch roasting every well-known station character, with Joe Gentile of CKLW in the lead role. Event was attended by station staff, press and radio figures of the town, and their guests, crowding the grand ballroom of the hotel. END.

WWJ Detroit News 25th silver anniversary celebration, pictured here, August 20, 1945 at the Detroit Book-Cadillac
WWJ FLASHBACK: WWJ Detroit News 25th silver anniversary celebration, pictured here with the Scripps founders, August 20, 1945 at the Detroit Book-Cadillac. William E. Scripps is standing behind his grandson, William J. Scripps, shown here cutting the cake

(Information and news source: Billboard; September 1, 1945).

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