Do You Remember "Where The Action Is?"
As summer continues to fade away and as I now look back to summers past from the days of my youth, I recall watching a program called "Where The Action Is." It was a weekly based music variety show hosted by Dick Clark and aired every week day afternoon on ABC during the 60s. It was created by Dick Clark as a spin-off of American Bandstand. Where The Action Is premiered on ABC on June 27, 1965, the summer before I started my senior year in high school. The theme song for the show was Freddy Cannon's song "Where The Action Is," which peaked on the Billboard charts at number 13. Click Here to play the theme song.
I watched as the music of my generation was playing with the artist who made it a hit on my TV screen from a beach or resort. Watching this show made me yearn to travel and see this country and the world. I dreamed I was part of Where The Action Is. At that time of my life, I had not been outside the state of Ohio. I really wanted to be where the party and fun was and a beach looked like it. I remember a segment they showed from a Hawaii location. Man did that get my juices flowing.
All of the telecasts were taped in black and white and were primarily shot on location across southern California although like I said, I do remember a Hawaii episode. The mainstay performers for the show were Paul Revere and The Raiders. (see the post below this one which was my previous post) After the show premiered and as I watched Paul Revere and The Raiders, I immediately bought their latest hit and their LP.
Some of the great recording artists who appeared on the show were enormous hit makers. The list includes:
Chad & Jeremy; Bobby Freeman; Dick and Dee Dee; Bobby Rydell; Frankie Avalon; Dee Dee Sharp; The Zombies; Jimmy Clanton; Steve Alaimo; Linda Scott; Jackie DeShannon; Eddie Hodges; The Shangri-Las; The Detergents; James Brown & The Famous Flames; Tommy Roe; Nino Tempo and April Stevens; The Byrds; Sonny & Cher; Del Shannon; The Drifters; Brian Hyland; Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs; Herman's Hermits; Lenny Welch; Sir Douglas Quintet; The Crystals; The Newbeats; Jackie Wilson; Jr. Walker & the All Stars; The Kinks; Freddy Cannon; Aretha Franklin; Joe Tex; The Dixie Cups; The Hondells; Major Lance; Ray Peterson; The Turtles; Paul Petersen; Gary U.S. Bonds; The Impressions; Duane Eddy; We Five; Barbara Lewis; Bobby Goldsboro; Donovan; The Lovin' Spoonful; Ike & Tina Turner; The Everly Brothers; The McCoys; Vic Dana; Billy Joe Royal; Neil Sedaka; Peter & Gordon; The Castaways; Brenda Holloway and so many more, too numerous to mention.
That is why I hurried home after school so I could watch my generation of performers perform the music I loved in what seemed like exotic locations to a small town boy from Ohio.
What saddened me most was the show was cancelled on March 31, 1967. All great things eventually come to an end, even summers and dreams.
I watched as the music of my generation was playing with the artist who made it a hit on my TV screen from a beach or resort. Watching this show made me yearn to travel and see this country and the world. I dreamed I was part of Where The Action Is. At that time of my life, I had not been outside the state of Ohio. I really wanted to be where the party and fun was and a beach looked like it. I remember a segment they showed from a Hawaii location. Man did that get my juices flowing.
All of the telecasts were taped in black and white and were primarily shot on location across southern California although like I said, I do remember a Hawaii episode. The mainstay performers for the show were Paul Revere and The Raiders. (see the post below this one which was my previous post) After the show premiered and as I watched Paul Revere and The Raiders, I immediately bought their latest hit and their LP.
Some of the great recording artists who appeared on the show were enormous hit makers. The list includes:
Chad & Jeremy; Bobby Freeman; Dick and Dee Dee; Bobby Rydell; Frankie Avalon; Dee Dee Sharp; The Zombies; Jimmy Clanton; Steve Alaimo; Linda Scott; Jackie DeShannon; Eddie Hodges; The Shangri-Las; The Detergents; James Brown & The Famous Flames; Tommy Roe; Nino Tempo and April Stevens; The Byrds; Sonny & Cher; Del Shannon; The Drifters; Brian Hyland; Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs; Herman's Hermits; Lenny Welch; Sir Douglas Quintet; The Crystals; The Newbeats; Jackie Wilson; Jr. Walker & the All Stars; The Kinks; Freddy Cannon; Aretha Franklin; Joe Tex; The Dixie Cups; The Hondells; Major Lance; Ray Peterson; The Turtles; Paul Petersen; Gary U.S. Bonds; The Impressions; Duane Eddy; We Five; Barbara Lewis; Bobby Goldsboro; Donovan; The Lovin' Spoonful; Ike & Tina Turner; The Everly Brothers; The McCoys; Vic Dana; Billy Joe Royal; Neil Sedaka; Peter & Gordon; The Castaways; Brenda Holloway and so many more, too numerous to mention.
That is why I hurried home after school so I could watch my generation of performers perform the music I loved in what seemed like exotic locations to a small town boy from Ohio.
What saddened me most was the show was cancelled on March 31, 1967. All great things eventually come to an end, even summers and dreams.
Labels: Dick Clarkl, Freddy Cannon, Paul Revere and The Raiders, the 60s, Where The Actions Is
posted by Carl Hoffman @ 7:39 AM
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