Author: Jim Feliciano

SATURDAY NIGHT BEECH-NUT SHOW WITH DICK CLARK

DICK CLARK’S SATURDAY NIGHT BEECH-NUT SHOW, THE LITTLE THEATER, NEW YORK CITY 1958
DICK CLARK’S SATURDAY NIGHT BEECH-NUT SHOW, THE LITTLE THEATER, NEW YORK CITY 1958

 

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.

Dick Clark's Beech Nut Show debuts on ABC-TV, February 15, 1958
Dick Clark’s Beech Nut Show debuts on ABC-TV, February 2, 1958

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 . . . .

Jan and Dean makes an appearance on ABC-TV's Beechnut Show, June 25,1960
Jan and Dean makes an appearance on the ABC-TV Beechnut Show, June 25, 1960.

Addendum: For our second installment four video posting of ‘Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show with Dick Clark,’ on MCRFB (August 6, 2013), go here.

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 third 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:

Big Bopper (September 20, 1958). Paul Anka (September 12, 1959). Sam Cooke (March 14, 1959). Jackie Wilson (March 21, 1959).

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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A WKNR CONTACT NEWS PRESENTATION: DETROIT 1966

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Official WKNR personality profile card for news director Philip Nye (Courtesy keener13.com)
Official WKNR personality profile card for news director Philip Nye (Courtesy keener13.com)

WKNR CONTACT NEWS: ‘AN ELECTRONIC DIARY OF ONE YEAR’

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“These are the events of our time and of our place. WKNR News presents the sounds and voices of 1966. As they were gathered and reported by the WKNR news staff. For WKNR News this is Philip Nye.”

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A WKNR CONTACT NEWS PRESENTATION: DETROIT 1968

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Official WKNR personality profile card for news director Philip Nye (Courtesy keener13.com)
Official WKNR personality profile card for news director Philip Nye (Courtesy keener13.com)

WKNR CONTACT NEWS: ‘AN ELECTRONIC DIARY OF ONE YEAR’

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“… And so it went in ’68. An incredible year in an incredible age. There were many things we would change but we can’t. Those who lived through this time will remember. For WKNR News this is Philip Nye.”

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WKNR NEWSMAN PHILIP NYE R.I.P. 1927 – 2014

michiguide

F A M E D  R A D I O  A N D  T V  N E W S M A N  G O N E  A T  8 7

From Mike Austerman’s Michiguide.com; March 21, 2014


WKNR's Philip Nye
WKNR News Director Philip Nye

Philip Nye was the news director at the legendary WKNR AM 1310 Contact News in Dearborn/Detroit in the mid-1960’s working with names like Bill Bonds and Eric Smith. Phil made it to several of the Detroit Radio Reunions.

Nye passed away peacefully on March 20, 2014 at the age of 87. Born in Newark, Ohio on March 1, 1927, he was a proud graduate of Ohio State University where he studied theater and journalism. He had a long and distinguished career that included both radio and television. Mr. Nye worked actively as a broadcast journalist until the age of 86.

Along with his role as News Director of Keener 13 during it’s 1960’s heyday, other hightlights of Nye’s career include work as an investigative reporter and anchor for KTLA-TV in Los Angeles and most notably as News Director for WXYZ-TV where he built what was recognized as one of the best news teams in the country. He went on to head news departments at WABC in New York and KGO in San Francisco before joining ABC as Vice President of their owned and operated news division. He later became a partner in Burnham Broadcasting, managing television stations in Green Bay, WI, Bakersfield, CA and New Orleans, LA.

He was an avid reader and loved old movies, enjoyed cooking, playing golf and watching his beloved OSU Buckeyes play football. He is survived by his daughters Jo-Allison (Jeffry) Floyd, Kimberly McMahon, Tracey Millard and Cindy (Mark) Malin; eleven grandchildren Megan, Matthew, Tyler, Ryan, Colin, Christopher, Scott, Kelsey, Meredith, Allie and McKenna. And one great grandchild, Jayden. He was predeceased by his wife Joanne Phillips and daughter Pamela (Michael) McGillivary.

Most recently Phil lived in West Bloomfield and Shelby Township, Michigan and worked on local cable productions for Comcast.

Memorial visitation will take place at McCabe Funeral Home, 31950 West Twelve Mile, Farmington Hills, on Monday March 24 from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm with a memorial service at 1:00 pm. Memorial donations may be made to Special Olympics in Philip’s name.

There is a phenomenal amount of news, photos and airchecks covering Philip’s career on the Motor City Radio Flashbacks web site.

Information courtesy Michiguide.com: http://www.michiguide.com/archives2014/nye-obit.html

Addendum: For more on Philip Nye and everything WKNR see Scott Westerman’s and Steve Schram’s premiere Keener 13 website @ Keener13.com

For more on Philip Nye and WKNR Contact News on Motor City Radio Flashbacks go here. For more WKNR Contact News see our website menu archived here.

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WE VALUE YOUR “COMMENTS” HERE ON MCRFB.COM!

Comments imageMOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS

COMMENTS: FEBRUARY, 2014

 

 

 

 

 LAST MONTH WE HEARD FROM YOU . . .  AND WE THANK YOU!

For your written comments you submitted during the month of February on MCRFB.COM! (Click on the “Submitted on” links for direct point of referenced comment).

 
Submitted on 2014/02/03 at 2:58 PM

Joseph M. Donnelly: Rest in Peace my friends.

Submitted on 2014/02/08 at 2:42 AM

comments images 6PXXIV47Chuck from Las Vegas grew up in Ferndale: Chuck Libby from Ferndale now living in Las Vegas. Thank you so for the memories. Now at 67 years old I often wonder where the time went. These memories comfort me greatly and make me wish Doc Brown were here so I could take a trip back to the fifties and maybe correct some of the mistakes I have made. Detroit memories allows me to go back home free of charge and many times it brings me to tears. The air checks I listen to reminds me of the wonder days at Ferndale High School and the memories of Mr. Burkhart and the rest of the faculty. What”s more, the music was so much better in the fifties and the sixties…….no rap junk! Thank you again for making me feel so good.

Submitted on 2014/02/08 at 4:32 AM

Cerise Karpinski: Hey Jeff!!!!!! Just looked you up & wondered what you were up to these days? Not sure if you are working in Detroit or Battle Creek. Anyhoo, Give me a holler Pugo!!!!! BYE E EYE

Submitted on 2014/02/09 at 6:45 PM

comments images 6PXXIV47Bert Crane: Worked with j Michael Wilson @kbtr in 65 I did the east of mid-nite shift from the crappy transmitter site then would head back to the main studio to take record and logs back. Many times I would til j mike ended his shift just to talk and watch him work, he was amazing and with Rodney the rodent, fantastic. I was sorry.to see him leave for Detroit, when he left and Tom Griffiths took over the 6-10am went south. Shows what true talent can do.

Submitted on 2014/02/14 at 10:19 AM

Lisa: I miss the music, hosts and the fact it wasn’t programmed selections, something different all day long. Wish it would come back…. and am sure I’m not alone in this!

Submitted on 2014/02/15 at 9:20 AM

Kevin Mangold: Anyone else enjoy the Stroh’s commercials from the 60s and 70s? I remember one where the off-screen announcer is singing the praises of the product when this lunch-bucket everyman asks “What is this fire-brewin’ business?” Then there are the ones where Thom Sharpe is seen staggering through the desert; coming up to two guys in an oasis, who offer water, he asks instead for an ice-cold Stroh’s beer! (There goes a real beer lover)…

Submitted on 2014/02/17 at 9:07 AM

Bob Green: WOW what a wonderful treat to see this posting! And to see a full show and how deftly Robin handled it…terrific.

Submitted on 2014/02/20 at 2:19 AM

Cindy Elliott: Thanks so much for this picture, K.O. is my dad.. Miss him

Submitted on 2014/02/24 at 11:51 PM

Ernie: This looks horrible! Everyone looks like they’ve been embalmed. Leave the classics alone!!

Submitted on 2014/02/25 at 7:55 AM

comments images 6PXXIV47Larry Mischel: Hello Motor City Radio Flashbacks, Your efforts have paid off BIG TIME. I’ve met George Griggs and he’s not only a great guy he’s very dedicated. I don’t know who else is involved in this but I applaud the whole crew. Fantastic resource. I’ve been glued to the radio since the Eisenhower era and thanks to the music I remain young at heart. Let me also thank all of the wonderful disc jockeys that brought the music to us. Recently I’ve been trading memories with Kim Sulek (who’s working on a book documenting Detroit radio in the 1960′s and 1970′s) and he noted that the D.J.’s should be considered artists right along side the musicians. I couldn’t agree more. Thank you, Larry Mischel

Submitted on 2014/02/28 at 9:22 AM

Tom Campbell: Does anyone remember a dj at WLBS with the first name of Keith, during the same period that Terri McCormick was on? BTW, Terri is working at 95.5 FM in Austin TX.

Submitted on 2014/02/28 at 10:30 AM

Larry Mischel: Hello to my fellow Detroit radio fans, The site is AMAZING. I really like what it’s become. You can spend years navigating all of the wonderful Detroit memories. This city was and is really something. The 1962 aircheck labeled Fred Wolf is actually Paul Winter. This is the unscoped 30 minute tape. I know for sure because this came from the old Aircheck Factory through myself. It’s a great piece of 1962. Take care, Larry Mischel

Submitted on 2014/02/28 at 12:51 PM

Mickey Clanton: Can you find and publish something on the WCHB AM Summer of 1969 Citywide Talent show at the Fox?

 

MOTOR CITY RADIO FLASHBACKS would like to extend our appreciation having heard from you. We value your comments. We’ll be sharing them here so KEEP THEM COMING.

Motor City Radio FlashbacksM  C  R  F  B  .  C  O  M    ‘  C  O  M  M  E  N  T  S  ‘    F  E  B  R  U  A  R  Y  ,    2  0  1  4

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