[citation needed] With an ear for music seasoned by many more years as a disc jockey than Clark, Deane also brought to his audience a wider array of white musical acts than were seen on American Bandstand. We usually hang out at: http://www.facebook.com/buddydeanecommittee . It was a fluke. Several local art contests were also held on the show, with viewers submitting their own art work. My mother wanted me to go, she took me down to the tryouts. Faced with pressure to integrate the show, something the station (and some Committee members parents) refused to allow, WJZ canceled Buddy Deane in 1964. At frantic meetings of the Committee, many said, My parents simply wont let me come if its integrated, and WJZ realized it just couldnt be done. My name is Tom Lowe, I went by the name of "Corky" while on the committe in 58 & 59, maybe into early 1960. My mother used to pick me up after school to make sure nobody hassled me., The adoring fans could also be a hassle. And there were a bunch of us on the rock-and-roll fence, eyes on Buddy Deane's show and ears on Paul "Fat Daddy" Johnson, the gifted and wild Baltimore radio disc jockey who introduced frenetic free-association poetry at unusual times. If you were a teenager in Baltimore in the late 1950s and early 1960s, you watched The Buddy Deane Show. When the final bell rang you sprinted home from school, saddle shoes smacking the sidewalk, knee socks sliding down your shins, until you skidded to a stop in front of your black-and-white TV and turned to WJZ Channel 13 to watch Marylands answer to American Bandstand. Chances are you wanted to be on The Buddy Deane Show, whose stars were ordinary teens turned local celebrities. Helen Crist Swift 1943 - 2007. Acts that appeared on the show first were reportedly barred from appearing on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, but if they had been on Bandstand first they could still be on The Buddy Deane Show. My black friends knew they could not be on the show because of segregation. It was a real kick! Her fame even brought an offer to join the circus. Arguably the first TV celebrities in Baltimore. "Where you been, boy?" Culture shock - Baltimore Sun . Dick Clark patterned his ABC-TV show, Where the Action Is, after local remotes done by Deane in Maryland. He was one of the first disc jockeys in the area to regularly feature rock-and-roll. I was just accidentally obsessed with something that was appealing to more people. Most of them are pushing 70 now. So the NAACP targeted the show for protests. The Buddy Deane Show went on the air on Sept. 9, 1957 and became the most popular local show in the United States. Deane died in Pine Bluff, Arkansas on July 16, 2003, after suffering a stroke. In mixed marriages (with non-Deaners), many of the outsiders resented their spouses pasts. The views expressed in this post are the author's own. And who could forget those great ads for the plastic furniture slipcovers that opened with the kids jumping up and down on the sofa and Royal Parker screaming, Hey kids! At her appearances at the record hops, kids would actually scream when youd get out of the car: Theres Mary Lou! Deane's show was one of the highest rated local television shows in the nation and girls didn't care as much for my corner jump shot as they did my ability to cha-cha or do the bop. The more hair spray, the better. There I was under the burning lights of the WJZ-TV studio, slow-dancing with a Buddy Deane Show committee member. And we became very close to Arlene. Maryland Public Televisions The Buddy Deane Show was the inspiration for the film and musical Hairspray, which will be performed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Jan. 25-27. You heard that they wanted to integrate. Deane, Kozak, Cahan, the . Linda Snyder (then Warehime): Buddy was the star . There were riots! Buddy Deane - Baltimore Sun Article - July 20, 2003 His 1988 film Hairspray went on to inspire a Broadway musical of the same name. You need to be logged in to continue. For those too young to remember this iconic show broadcast in Baltimore in 1957-1964, you certainly have heard of the movie inspired by the Buddy Deane Show known as 'Hairspray! I would see this again years later, stinky and scared young guys dancing to candlelight in a sandbagged Vietnam bunker, serenaded by a tropically-warped Temptations album. Joe remembers a sport coat I bought for $5 from somebody who got it when he got out of prison. But being a Buddy Deaner, or even a guest, moved a kid into a fantasyland, a world of teased hair, pointy-toed shoes and fashions by Lee's of Broadway. An then there was teased hair, replacing the 50s drape with a Buddy Deane look that so pervaded Baltimore culture (especially in East and South Baltimore) that its effect is still seen in certain neighborhoods of this great Hairdo Capital of the World. On the show: Gene joined in February 1958; Linda was on from September 1958 to February 1961. . And according to Arlene, Buddy encouraged one popular Committee member (Buzzy Bennet) to teach himself to read so he could realize his dream of being a disc jockey. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Buddy Deane Show (TV Series) The Movie Database (TMDB) The Buddy Deane Show (the name was changed) created what sociologist Craig Calhoun . Dance was a brief connection with home for us, time out from the insanity of war. She lives in Baltimore County. Kathy switched to a great beehive that resembled a trash can sitting on top of her head. . This is a home for all of the dancers from the Buddy Deane Era (1957 - 1964) to meet up and keep in touch. Its host was Winston "Buddy" Deane, who died in Pine Bluff, Arkansas after suffering a stroke, July 16, 2003. Im a typical housewife, says Peanuts. . I had trunks of it. Although the show has been off the air for more than twenty years, a nearly fanatical cult of fans has managed to keep the memory alive. At 21, I married a professional football player, Helen remembers, and he made me burn all the fan mail. They first made their mark as teenagers dancing on the afternoon TV show, wearing their outfits from Lees of Broadway and Etta Gowns and dancing the cha-cha and the jitterbug and the Madison. But most have settled down to a very straight life. The 25th anniversary of the movie Hairspray provides an opportunity for members of the dance group of Baltimores The Buddy Deane Show to get back together and reminisce about the TV show that the movie is based upon. . Shes been a Realtor for the past 20 years and lives outside Philadelphia. I took off my steady ring and threw it down. . John Waters: Mary Lou [Barber] told me once that a black girl couldve gotten on the show easier than a fat girl. . "You could go into any bar in the city and it would be on," remembers Kozak. It's so nice that we all have great friendships to remember & it's so great to sta y in touch. Hi all. . We answered everything back then, except people like Mary Lou, who got bags of fan mail. It was Reads, not Reeds. No videos, backdrops or posters have been added to Buddy Deane Show. Because Buddy Deanes competition was soap operas, the budding teenage romances were sometimes played up for the camera. No! she answers, with a conviction that gives me the chills. Every week she had a different dothe Double Bubble, the Artichoke, the Airlifteach topped off by her special trademark, suggested by her mother, the bow. But I was never a Deaner. WOW, I just found this site after all these years. Or the Bob-a Loop? Hairspray came to CCBC Essex's Cockpit in Court theater, and so did the real original castthose Committee members from the old Buddy Deane Show, whose moment in history became the premise for . Marie Shapiro (then Fischer): The first thing, theyd kind of look you over. When "The Buddy Deane Show" debuted on Baltimore's WJZ-13 on Sept. 9, 1957, it was an instant hit. The show ran on Broadway for a couple of seasons, and since then productions have played all over Americaand they're still going. . (It's featured in Waters' film. Get off that furniture!? Linda Snyder: We still love to go dancing. The Buddy Deane Show was a teenage dance party, on the air from 1957 to 1964. As well, a show was broadcast from a local farm in Westminster, Maryland. Committee members had to look sharp, have a style and be willing to appear on weekends for Deane's dances from Westmin-ster to Salisbury. But it was OK. We knew every kid in town wanted to be on the show. Here is the new video celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Buddy Deane Show and the former Catonsville Community College (now CCBC). What happened to the teen stars of The Buddy Deane Show after the program that made them famous went off the air? . Evanne and her brother run the John Brock Benson Dance Studios, in Pasadena, and have a line of dancers who appear at clubs all over the state. Many top acts of the day, both black and white, appeared on The Buddy Deane Show. Arlene Kozak, Buddys assistant and den mother to the Committee. . And if you dared to dance the obscene Bodie Green (the Dirty Boogie), you were immediately a goner. . The final episode aired on Jan. 4, 1964. For many of us, Deane will always be there, standing ramrod-straight, an electronic maestro with a microphone, introducing Brenda Lee or hyping sponsors like Kit-Kat and the Etta Gown Shop. Former dancers from the Buddy Deane Show: (l-r) Jerry Manowski, Charlie LoPresto, Lola Jones, Concetta and John Sankonis, Suzy Costello, Shirley Joyce, Linda and Gene SnyderAnne Boyer Tempera and Rich Tempera, Frani and Wayne Hahn. The Buddy Deane Show is a teen dance television show, similar to Philadelphia's American Bandstand, that . You could throw her down on the ground, and her hair would crack, recalls Gene. There I was under the burning lights of the WJZ-TV studio, slow-dancing with a Buddy Deane Show committee member. At school, we were just one of the other kids, but we used to get fan mail. She was sort of like a mother to us. Wayne Hahn: If you were late, you couldnt get in the door. I know he would love hearing from you! I was a square. . He had this dark olive green suit and I was thinking, Thats not what I expected, and then he opened up the jacket and it had red lining! And if I ever had to explain this to them, it was just, I couldnt. The ultimate reunion.From all over the country, the Deaners could rise again, congregate at the bottom of Television Hill, and start Madison-ing their way (Youre looking good. So was Aqua Net. . . These kids developed a huge following of fans and hangers-on in Baltimore who emulated their dance moves, followed their life stories, and copied their look. They all thought all the girls were pregnant by Buddy Deane, remember several. Pictures Just Added Taken Nov. 1983. Rumors would go about certain people. They were married in 1966 and have one daughter. If the Contours or James Brown came on, some would stop games of basketball, pinochle or pitching nickels and start dancing. Oddly enough, few of the Deaners Ive talked to went on to show biz. It was maddening: the Mashed Potatoes, the Stroll, the Pony, the Waddle, the Locomotion, the Bug, the Handjive, the New Continental, and, most important, the Madison, a complicated line dance that started here and later swept the country. In her home, near Allentown, Pennsylvania, she serves me a beautiful brunch, models her fur coats, and poses with her Mercedes. This was the adults, who didnt know what to do, so they shut the whole thing down.. Yet Joe was a dropout when he went on the show and then, once famous, went back to finish. Every rock n roll star of the day (except Elvis) came to town to lip-synch and plug their records on the show: Buddy Holly, Domino, the Supremes, the Marvelettes, Annette Funicello, Frankie Avalon, and Fabian, to name just a few. The 25th anniversary of the movie "Hairspray" provides an opportunity for members of the dance group of Baltimore's "The Buddy Deane Show" to get back . . Gene calls it a big loss. It was living in a fantasy world, says Helen. Fabian, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Darin, all of them. Seven year old's Egg My Yard! "When you dance be sure to hold her, hold her tight. Linda Snyder: After you made the dance audition, you went to an interview with the Committee members. Buddy returns on a pilgrimage from St. Charles, Arkansas, where he owns a hunting and fishing lodge and sometimes appears on TV, to spin the hits and announce multiplication dances, ladies choice, or even, after a few drinks, the Limbo. "Uhhh, I had a long basketball practice and I had to take extra foul shots," I lied. Buddy Deane, 78, the impresario of Baltimore's dance show from 1957-1964, died Wednesday of complications from a stroke near his home in Pine Bluff, Ark. Marie Shapiro: I remember sometimes there would be African Americans at the hops, and it was frowned upon to dance with an African American if you were a Committee member. ' And Evanne still shudders as she recalls, Once I was in the cafeteria. But as more and more kids (even Deane fans) did tum Joe College, many of the Committee made the mistake of not keeping up with the times. Everybody wanted to kick a Buddy Deaners a, says Gene, recalling thugs waiting to jump Deaners outside the studio. Today they seem opposites. MOJO Time Machine: The Buddy Deane Show Rocks Baltimore The committee members could dance with each other only every third or fourth dance: the other songs were reserved for dancing with the guests, 30 or so of whom appeared on the show every day. Very few "squares" or "Joe College" teen-agers were on the show. The pictures I've just posted are of the reunion dance for the Buddy Deane Committee Members with Buddy Deane playing the records. Mary Lou Raines received 100 letters a week. I wanted to dance., We had a saying: The show either makes you or breaks you,' says Kathy. The producers of Diner wanted to include Buddy Deane footage in their film, but most of the shows were live and any tapes of this local period piece have been erased. Before long I started getting lots of fan mail: I think youre neat. Mary Lou Barber: Arlene would throw a spotlight on you, and theyd throw questions at you: What do you like about yourself, what do you like about the show? And because a new dance was introduced practically every week, you had to watch every day to keep up. One of the first ponytail princesses was Peanuts (Sharon Goldman, debuting at 14 in 58, Forest Park, Chicken Hop), who went on the show because Deaners were folk heroes. She remembers Paul Anka singing Put Your Head on My Shoulder to her on camera as she did just that. Click here to login or here to sign up. I even named some of the characters in my films after them. Once a Deaner, always a Deaner, as another so succinctly puts it. From pinnacle to the pits in a few short seconds. Deaners seem to come out of the woodwork, drawn by the memory of their stardom. Now: The Hahns have stayed in Baltimore. He was one of the first to showcase rock and roll music on a continual basis. The boys were picked on, because boys didnt dance then. Gene and Linda Snyder met on The Buddy Deane Show as committee members in 1959 and have been married for 46 years. committeemembers - thecommitteetohonorbuddydeane - Google Sites It reminds me of the way people think now of gay marriage, how so many people are shocked about it and they dont agree with it. To qualify, first you needed a solid command of the day's dances -- the pony, Madison, jitterbug, bop, cha-cha, the stroll, the twist -- and there was even a "cool" style for slow dancing. And coming from John Waters, I thought, that is a really nice compliment! I thought I was running the world, so they developed a Board, and the Committee began governing itself. Being elected to the Board became the ultimate status symbol. Joanie, whose mother wanted me to be a child star, hit the show in early 57 at age 13 (you had to be 14 to be eligible, but many lied about their ages to qualify), followed a few months later by Joe, 17. We thought it was just so cool. The old Buddy Deane gang is still a hit, too, still getting recognized on the street, and still remembered with affection by a generation that spanned the Eisenhower and Kennedy years. He just didnt understand., But some have dealt with the problems in good humor. With the 1960s came a whole new set of stars, some with names that seemed like gimmicks, but werent: Concetta Comi, the popular sister team of Yetta and Gretta Kotik. And none are bitter. To a generation of Baltimore teen-agers, Buddy Deane was a pioneering rock 'n' roll disc jockey, host of a must-see television dance party in the '50s . You have to ease into it. The first stars I could identify with. John Waters: [The Deaners] were the most important people I wanted to like the movie. and later on, growing up, it was a definite blow: reality. I still have a whole box of fan mail, says Evanne. For the past 17 years, theve owned a travel agency, Francesca & Company Travel. Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of a Baltimore drugstore. . Now, no one would ever do a commercial for a profit company without getting some compensation. I'll send you Larry's info. On 'Hairspray's' 25th anniversary, 'Buddy Deane' Committee looks back Do you miss show biz? I ask her. If you couldnt do the Buddy Dean jitterbug, (always identifiable by the girls ever-so-subtle dip of her head each time she was twirled around), you were a social outcast. Hundreds of thousands of teens learned the latest dances by watching Committee members on the show, copying their personal style, and following their life stories and interactions. She is married and has a daughter, stepdaughter, stepson and six grandchildren. I had to get up there on time. I had to wear stockings and cha-cha heels. Im the biggest ham. Although she denies being conscious of the camera, she admits, I did try to dance up front. The Buddy Deane Show is a teen dance television show, similar to Philadelphia's American Bandstand, that aired on WJZ-TV in Baltimore, Maryland from 1957 until 1964. . The worlds oldest teenagers gathered Sunday in Baltimore County to illustrate once again that even the most uncomfortable moments in American history can be turned into something musical, good-natured, and profitable beyond imagination. The school tried to throw me out before. So many talented musicians and people who wanted to show their appreciation made the night truly special. Shake, Rattle and Roll: the Buddy Dean Scrapbook" Like many couples, Joe and Joan met through the show and became an item for their fans. Vicki Defeo: Ive tried to think this through, because it sounds ridiculous, but [integration] was a non-issue to us. Today, Concetta is married to another former committee member, John Sankonis. Im serious. Also included is the perhaps the final voiceover by the late Jack Gale who recorded his contribution 10 days before departing for home on January 23rd. You Can't Stop the Beat: The Secret History of Hairspray as Live TV No long hair, only pompadours, hurriedly combed during commercials. I think the guys had a harder time at it.
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