Most of Ohio’s larger cities had some type of locally produced TV show during the 1960s, when these shows were common throughout the US. Prior to the British Invasion, the TV shows that featured rock and roll or R&B acts were almost always variety shows which would include (usually) teenage groups amongst a wide range of performers. After the British Invasion, shows catering to a teenage / top 40 audience were started up to meet the explosion of demand. These shows, depending on location and access to performers, would include dancing to current hit records played over a PA system to a studio audience, performances by local/regional groups doing covers of current hits, performances by local/regional groups to promote a released (sometimes pending) recording, or touring national recording groups. Only shows in the largest cities were able to land recognizable national acts. By the late 1960s, changing musical tastes and demographics lead to the end of almost all these types of shows.
Most of these shows were taped, or aired live, from the local TV station studio. Unfortunately, almost none of these shows survived in any form. Many of them, if recorded, were simply taped over for another show. Upbeat, with its wide syndication network (requiring multiple tape copies) is the only 60s show that has survived in any quantity. The only drawback is that many of the syndicated versions of Upbeat were half hour (the show was intended to be an hour) and the local band footage was left out. Occasionally some forward thinking people (for example, the Edicates from Dance Party) had a copy made back in the day and hung onto it.
Cleveland
· Upbeat – the biggest, most
famous, and longest lasting of these shows from Ohio. Upbeat started in
April/May 1964 as the Big 5 show, broadcast on WEWS (channel 5, ABC
affiliate)
and airing at 5PM on Saturday. In the fall of 1965 the show was
syndicated to places
like Cincinnati and over the next year the syndication network grew to
over 60
stations, including Boston, New York City, and Denver. Around the time
syndication started the name was changed to Upbeat to be more
universal. In
June 1967 the show went all color. Don Webster was the host for the
entire run.
The show’s network started to contract through 1970/1 and the last show
aired sometime in 1ate 1971 or early 1972, we’re not sure. At its peak
in
1967-8, Upbeat was nearly as famous as American Bandstand, the
granddaddy of
these shows. Upbeat was an hour long and the acts were taped Friday
afternoon
for broadcast the next day. The syndicated shows were delayed by
one-two weeks
for tape transit – no ‘satellite networks’ back then! Because
of its popularity Upbeat was able to get many national acts on the
show, but
there was always a
couple slots for local/regional
bands to perform. Some point during our lifetimes we will try to put
together a
complete list of Upbeat show performers as they were listed in the
Cleveland
papers (not always in the TV guides).
· Jerry G show – started as a
rival to Upbeat by WKYC channel 3. Ran 1965-7 and hosted by Cleveland
DJ Jerry
G. Half hour show had
local and national acts. When
Jerry G left Cleveland, the show continued as the Big Jack show
· Big Jack show –.Starting Feb 11, 1967, Big Jack took
over
the Jerry G show after Jerry left Cleveland. Big Jack was WKYC radio DJ
Jack
Armstrong, formerly of WIXY.
· World Of Soul aka Ken
Hawkins’ World Of Soul – On WEWS (channel 5), airing late Saturday
night for one hour. Ken Hawkins was a DJ on WJMO and hosted this show
which was
primary soul/R&B performers. The show featured national talent
as well as
local groups. In addition to groups like the Imperial Wonders, Intertains, and the Sensations,
white greaser bands like
the Naturals and the Originals were also featured. The show first aired
on
August 19, 1967, and the lineup included the O’Jays,
Jackie Wilson, Norma Jenkins (Detroit soul singer) - and B.J.
Thomas and Bobbie
Gentry! The show lasted until late 1968 or so. The show was videotaped
but the
tapes were reused and nothing is known to survive.
Akron/Mid Ohio
· Chippewaction – On WAKR (channel
23), this show aired during the summers of 1967 and 1968. It was
partially
filmed at Chippewa Lake park.
Youngstown
· unknown
Columbus
· Dance
Party aka Jerry Rasor’s
Dance Party aka Dance-O-Rama – Started
1964 by Columbus DJ Jerry Rasor,
Dance Party was the
second longest and probably the second most famous show in the state
behind
Upbeat. The show aired on WLWC (channel 4), Saturday 11AM
for an hour. During the summer shows were taped on location at local
outdoor
teen dance spots. Dance Party included local and national acts. The
show was
not syndicated and most of the material was not saved.
Dayton
· unknown
Cincinnati
· Bob Braun’s Bandstand – possibly the earliest show
of its type from Ohio, originating in 1957. Bob Braun was a local DJ
and
started the show at the dawn of rock-n-roll. The show aired on WLWT,
Sundays at
1PM.
List of shows compiled by the editors