Jackie Cooper & Dale Young – Detroit Bandstand – 1956
15 thoughts on “Jackie Cooper & Dale Young – Detroit Bandstand – 1956”
Thanks for publishing this picture. I din’t remember Cooper appearing as a guest on the show. People always said I lloked like Jackie Cooper, but side by side, there isn’t a lot of resemblance.
Hi Dale,
How are you? I was wondering about Roberta and how long you were married to her. I recall visiting you two and there was a baby.
I am living in Hamilton, MT.
Many thanks and take care of my hero!
Joe Tursi
I was on Detroit Bandstand twice. #1 I had to dance in the back cause I had no male partner, # second I worked my way to the front cause I had a male partner. It was between 1957/58. Yea you did look like him.
Dale emceed a “Junior achiement” dance at the Rosedale Park Comminity Center in ’58 or ’59. He danced a “slow one”with Jean Eby who was one of our 2 eighth grade sex goddosses.
I loved watching the Detroit Bandstand show every day. I lived in Flint at the time and remember some of the ” regulars ” from the show coming to dances at the Flint Armory and dancing with us kids from Flint. It truly was a highlight in my youth. Thanks for the memories.
12 of us from Lincoln Park were chosen to be regulars on Detroit Bandstand. It was exciting to actually meet the current popular singers who gave us those 8X10 autographed glossy photos. Dale Yound and his wife were very nice to us all.
This is one of Detroit’ s original TOP Rock n Roll Bands ” The Thunder Rocks ” who performed at all Dale Youngs Dances every Friday Night at Roma Hall in Then East Detroit plus All his Dances throughout Michigan, Ohio and Canada in 1959 ” What’s the Word ” Dale was the Voice on Johnny Sax
Many of our Records and Album plus CD is on U Tube Plus history of our Group Get Hip Records Cincinnati , Ohio
I came on the show to promote a dance that was going to be held in Flint, sponsored by the All-Parochial Club. The club was an amalgam of 4 kids from each of the eight Catholic schools whose job was to put together funds from events that would eventually pay for a central Senior-Junior Prom. The club was monitored by Father James Kavanaugh, at the time, who went on to leave the church and become an author of the book, “A Modern Priest Looks at His Outdated Church”.
The dance was intended to draw a huge crowd of kids from the Catholic high schools and make enough money to fund the eventual Prom that year. The initial group of two junior boy-girls and two senior boy-girls was selected by the nuns or priests from each parish, as some of their best school representatives. In the first school year of 1957-58, the clubs officers were appointed by simply drawing names out of a hat by Father Kavanaugh. He reasoned that since each of the kids were the best of the crop, any one of them would be a winner as President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer. I was lucky to be selected as Secretary.
Father Kavanaugh always encouraged the group to think big, so I had the bright idea to try to get Dick Clark to DJ our dance. An event for that many schools combined was a big deal. somehow I was able to find the telephone number of the Philadelphia studio for American Bandstand, and I actually called and talked to Dick Clark from our home phone out in the entry way. He responded that he would love to be able to do our dance but he was previously booked for the J-Hop at Michigan State University on the same date of our dance. He suggested to me that I call Dale Young of Detroit Bandstand, and gave me the number.
The rest was a magic experience for me. Dale Young accepted the gig with enthusiasm and suggested that I come onto the show with a poster to promote the event. He said that he would also bring some of his show’s “regulars” to the dance. I selected Barbara Gugala, my class’ best dancer to go with me and we drove down and arrived at the studio three minutes late. We were ushered onto the dance floor immediately and we did our thing. She was a great dance partner and I was no slouch, either. Dale showed the poster and mentioned the dance while the show was in progress.. When the show was over Barbara and I were about to leave when Dale tapped me on the shoulder and asked up to stick around for a minute.
We had no idea what was to come but when Dale returned to us he dais that he thought we were terrific dancers and would we like to become “regulars” on the show. I introduced the two of us to him and when heard heard my name he did a double take and said, You’re the Ron Smith that booked me for the Flint dance?” I replied affirmatively and he then said, “That proves how fair we are in selecting our regulars. We just pick the best dancers that come onto the show, however they were invited. We get a lot of back talk about using some sort of favoritism to pick the lucky kids, and you two are the perfect example of our fairness policy.
To finish the story, we told him that we would love to become regulars but didn’t know how often we would be able come drive down the 60 mile from Flint on any regular basis. He then told us that we would be the only card carrying “regulars’ outside of the Detroit area and could come onto the show any time we wanted — an open invitation. Of course our story was one to flabbergast all our friends when we returned home, but sure enough Barbara and I received our official Detroit Bandstand Regulars cards in the mail the next week. I was able to return for one more appearance on my December 23 birthday that year and Dale brought me up to the podium, had the kids sing “Happy Birthday” to me and then asked me what song I would like for the next dance. I replied “Manhattan Spiritual”, by Reg Owen and that’s what we danced to.
P,S. The dance was so successful and made so much money that Father Kavanaugh asked me who I would suggest for the orchestra for the Prom. I suggested a local band led by a man named Brom Ward. Father replied, “Think big, Ron”. I said, “OK, how about my favorite, The Glenn Miller Orchestra.” Father “K” replied, “Now you’re talking!” and he proceeded to attempt the booking. The next day he called me to say that The Glenn Miller Orchestra was already committed for our date but he was able to book The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, led by Warren Covington. How many kids can say that they had The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for their Prom? The event was held on the floor of the biggest venue in the city, the I.M.A. Auditorium and the parents were allowed to come and view the affair from the seats in the upper area.
When the officers were selected the next year Father Kavanaugh suggested that now that the All-Parochial Club had a year’s experience under its belt there should be an election. I was chosen President unanimously and my head still hasn’t shrunk from that accomplishment. The years of this story were 1957-1959. The band for the second Prom was the Ralph Marterie Orchestra, another big band favorite of the time, and I was given the honor of leading the grand march.
Hi, Dale Young saw me dancing at the moose lodge in Royal Oak on a weekend gig and gave me a pass to the show and then a pass to be a regular for a couple of months. The girl I was with, Sue Stone was a great dancer we went together to the show then she lost interest. I loved my time on the show. I hope Dale is still alive and had a happy life.
Reads like some more racist 50’s BS as “Detroit Bandstand” seemed to emulate “American Bandstand” with only white dancers .To me,”Club 1270″,”Swingin’ Time” and “Teen Town Time”,all hosted by Detroit DJ legend Robin Seymour,were MUCH MORE relevant,as black as well as white kids bopped to the latest sounds and bands.(Truthfully,I didn’t know there was “Detroit Bandstand” until a few moments ago.) I’m 71 and wish teen dance shows existed in 2024.
Thanks for publishing this picture. I din’t remember Cooper appearing as a guest on the show. People always said I lloked like Jackie Cooper, but side by side, there isn’t a lot of resemblance.
Hi Dale,
Please let me know if you’re still chasing the ladies etc. What great times!
Joe Tursi
Dale,
How do I contact you? Please email me at tamref@msn.com
Joe Tursi
Hi Dale,
How are you? I was wondering about Roberta and how long you were married to her. I recall visiting you two and there was a baby.
I am living in Hamilton, MT.
Many thanks and take care of my hero!
Joe Tursi
I was on Detroit Bandstand twice. #1 I had to dance in the back cause I had no male partner, # second I worked my way to the front cause I had a male partner. It was between 1957/58. Yea you did look like him.
Dale emceed a “Junior achiement” dance at the Rosedale Park Comminity Center in ’58 or ’59. He danced a “slow one”with Jean Eby who was one of our 2 eighth grade sex goddosses.
I loved watching the Detroit Bandstand show every day. I lived in Flint at the time and remember some of the ” regulars ” from the show coming to dances at the Flint Armory and dancing with us kids from Flint. It truly was a highlight in my youth. Thanks for the memories.
Hi,
Are there any videos of Detroit Bandstand? My father in law was a regular and my family would love to see him dance.
Thank you,
Amy Fucinari
12 of us from Lincoln Park were chosen to be regulars on Detroit Bandstand. It was exciting to actually meet the current popular singers who gave us those 8X10 autographed glossy photos. Dale Yound and his wife were very nice to us all.
Does anyone have a list of the dancers on Detroit Bandstand?
This is one of Detroit’ s original TOP Rock n Roll Bands ” The Thunder Rocks ” who performed at all Dale Youngs Dances every Friday Night at Roma Hall in Then East Detroit plus All his Dances throughout Michigan, Ohio and Canada in 1959 ” What’s the Word ” Dale was the Voice on Johnny Sax
Many of our Records and Album plus CD is on U Tube Plus history of our Group Get Hip Records Cincinnati , Ohio
I came on the show to promote a dance that was going to be held in Flint, sponsored by the All-Parochial Club. The club was an amalgam of 4 kids from each of the eight Catholic schools whose job was to put together funds from events that would eventually pay for a central Senior-Junior Prom. The club was monitored by Father James Kavanaugh, at the time, who went on to leave the church and become an author of the book, “A Modern Priest Looks at His Outdated Church”.
The dance was intended to draw a huge crowd of kids from the Catholic high schools and make enough money to fund the eventual Prom that year. The initial group of two junior boy-girls and two senior boy-girls was selected by the nuns or priests from each parish, as some of their best school representatives. In the first school year of 1957-58, the clubs officers were appointed by simply drawing names out of a hat by Father Kavanaugh. He reasoned that since each of the kids were the best of the crop, any one of them would be a winner as President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer. I was lucky to be selected as Secretary.
Father Kavanaugh always encouraged the group to think big, so I had the bright idea to try to get Dick Clark to DJ our dance. An event for that many schools combined was a big deal. somehow I was able to find the telephone number of the Philadelphia studio for American Bandstand, and I actually called and talked to Dick Clark from our home phone out in the entry way. He responded that he would love to be able to do our dance but he was previously booked for the J-Hop at Michigan State University on the same date of our dance. He suggested to me that I call Dale Young of Detroit Bandstand, and gave me the number.
The rest was a magic experience for me. Dale Young accepted the gig with enthusiasm and suggested that I come onto the show with a poster to promote the event. He said that he would also bring some of his show’s “regulars” to the dance. I selected Barbara Gugala, my class’ best dancer to go with me and we drove down and arrived at the studio three minutes late. We were ushered onto the dance floor immediately and we did our thing. She was a great dance partner and I was no slouch, either. Dale showed the poster and mentioned the dance while the show was in progress.. When the show was over Barbara and I were about to leave when Dale tapped me on the shoulder and asked up to stick around for a minute.
We had no idea what was to come but when Dale returned to us he dais that he thought we were terrific dancers and would we like to become “regulars” on the show. I introduced the two of us to him and when heard heard my name he did a double take and said, You’re the Ron Smith that booked me for the Flint dance?” I replied affirmatively and he then said, “That proves how fair we are in selecting our regulars. We just pick the best dancers that come onto the show, however they were invited. We get a lot of back talk about using some sort of favoritism to pick the lucky kids, and you two are the perfect example of our fairness policy.
To finish the story, we told him that we would love to become regulars but didn’t know how often we would be able come drive down the 60 mile from Flint on any regular basis. He then told us that we would be the only card carrying “regulars’ outside of the Detroit area and could come onto the show any time we wanted — an open invitation. Of course our story was one to flabbergast all our friends when we returned home, but sure enough Barbara and I received our official Detroit Bandstand Regulars cards in the mail the next week. I was able to return for one more appearance on my December 23 birthday that year and Dale brought me up to the podium, had the kids sing “Happy Birthday” to me and then asked me what song I would like for the next dance. I replied “Manhattan Spiritual”, by Reg Owen and that’s what we danced to.
P,S. The dance was so successful and made so much money that Father Kavanaugh asked me who I would suggest for the orchestra for the Prom. I suggested a local band led by a man named Brom Ward. Father replied, “Think big, Ron”. I said, “OK, how about my favorite, The Glenn Miller Orchestra.” Father “K” replied, “Now you’re talking!” and he proceeded to attempt the booking. The next day he called me to say that The Glenn Miller Orchestra was already committed for our date but he was able to book The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, led by Warren Covington. How many kids can say that they had The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra for their Prom? The event was held on the floor of the biggest venue in the city, the I.M.A. Auditorium and the parents were allowed to come and view the affair from the seats in the upper area.
When the officers were selected the next year Father Kavanaugh suggested that now that the All-Parochial Club had a year’s experience under its belt there should be an election. I was chosen President unanimously and my head still hasn’t shrunk from that accomplishment. The years of this story were 1957-1959. The band for the second Prom was the Ralph Marterie Orchestra, another big band favorite of the time, and I was given the honor of leading the grand march.
Hi, Dale Young saw me dancing at the moose lodge in Royal Oak on a weekend gig and gave me a pass to the show and then a pass to be a regular for a couple of months. The girl I was with, Sue Stone was a great dancer we went together to the show then she lost interest. I loved my time on the show. I hope Dale is still alive and had a happy life.
Reads like some more racist 50’s BS as “Detroit Bandstand” seemed to emulate “American Bandstand” with only white dancers .To me,”Club 1270″,”Swingin’ Time” and “Teen Town Time”,all hosted by Detroit DJ legend Robin Seymour,were MUCH MORE relevant,as black as well as white kids bopped to the latest sounds and bands.(Truthfully,I didn’t know there was “Detroit Bandstand” until a few moments ago.) I’m 71 and wish teen dance shows existed in 2024.