But the parents, the society. And my mother would pack a little paper bag with my cha-cha heels and my pastel pink lipstick. He was one of the first to showcase rock and roll music on a continual basis. In 1950, he moved to Baltimore to WITH. Once a Deaner, always a Deaner, as another so succinctly puts it. Five days a week on Channel 13 (first known as WAAM, then as WJZ), it played for two hours a day, and on Saturdays, two and a half. The best little jitterbugger in Baltimore. Get off that furniture!? When the show was over, I caught the city bus near TV hill and it dumped me off as dusk gathered in my Belair Road neighborhood near Erdman Avenue. The Buddy Deane Show was over. As well, a show was broadcast from a local farm in Westminster, Maryland. Its made more money playing all over the country than it did on Broadway, where it was a huge hit.". 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 . Joel Chaseman, also a DJ at WITH, became program manager of WJZ-TV when Westinghouse bought it in the mid-50s. John Waters: Mary Lou [Barber] told me once that a black girl couldve gotten on the show easier than a fat girl. . . For example, Carole King appeared on the show playing her single "It Might as Well Rain Until September", nearly a decade before she burst to popularity with her landmark 1970 album, Tapestry. "None of my friends dressed in the Continental style, it was uncool to be a Buddy Deaner," said Waters, whose movie Hairspray is based on that era in Baltimore and was adapted into the successful Broadway musical. Every day after school kids would run home, tune in, and dance with the bedpost or refrigerator door as they watched. They all thought all the girls were pregnant by Buddy Deane, remember several. An earth force for a generation of Baltimore teens I can still remember them calling us in one by one, former Committee member Carl Parks said. I was nervous because I was celebrating a great moment in their youth, but I was bringing up something theyve swept under the rug, because they were kids. My email: frani@francescatravel.com It's so funny that we were just talking about you a few months back. The Madison | Lindyland Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. To those of my generation, Deane left a lasting legacy in both culture and memory. My dad use to pick myself and Eva Anne up from Gwynns Falls Junior High and her Mom would then pick us up after the show. He was 78. "Where you been, boy?" Frani Hahn: The fascinating thing about it is that we all still get together, and its not like we live in the past. And, yes, they were actually "records" in 1983. As with the drapes and squares of the previous decade, she explains, there were two classes of people thenDeaners and Joe College. And many of them are not comfortable talking about it, and Hairspray made them, in a way. Many were there when the show went off the air in 1964, ending a seven-year run. It was really no big deal to us. She attended Goucher College and then went to law school at the University of Maryland; shes currently a practicing attorney in Baltimore. The more hair spray, the better. Or the Bob-a Loop? We all watched that and the Mickey Mouse Club. [At my audition], I was not quite 14. She became so popular that she was written up in the nationwide Sixteen Magazine. . Buddy Deane Committee: 2009 - Blogger Mary Lou Barber: Because I was on the Committee and I was president, [I went to] these summit meetings. To be selected you had to bring a character reference letter from your pastor, priest, or rabbi, qualify in a dance audition, and show in an interview (the Spotlight) that you had personality. At first the Committee had a revolving membership with no one serving longer than three months. Didnt you dance on the Buddy Deane Show? This is 50 years later.. my father inquired as I walked into our rowhouse. There wasnt a person against it. . Snyder said she choreographed the Madison, a popular line dance of the time, for . It was so painful. We just dont know what to do with the show.. Owing to Deane's mid-South roots and work history, he featured many performers from the ranks of country and western music (e.g., Skeeter Davis, singing "The End of the World" and Brenda Lee singing "Sweet Nothin's"), who then achieved cross-over hits among rock and roll fans. They would drive me nuts when theyd come in the door, and Id say Man, youre gone. We faked a feud. This undated photo shows dancers on "The Buddy Deane Show." Buddy . He was to have been the host of the first Buddy Deane Fan Fair and Dance in September at the Fairgrounds in Timonium, an event that is still scheduled. The genius of John Waters was to take that uncomfortable moment in history and turn it into something joyous. And although few will now admit to having been drapes, the styles at first were DAs (slicked back into the shape of a ducks tail), Detroits, and Waterfalls (flowing down the front) for the guys and ponytails and DAs for the girls, who wore full skirts with crinolins and three or four pairs of bobby socks. Come share the songs & dances of the Buddy Deane Show with us! I dont know if we were ready or not; whos to say? Mary Lou was the last of the Buddy Deane superstars, true hair-hopper royalty, the ultimate Committee member. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Buddy Deane Committee: Helen Crist Swift 1943 - 2007 - Blogger [citation needed]. Phone: (410) 494-4490 Fax: (410) 494-4492 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! Deane also played songs that other disc jockeys, including Dick Clark, refused to present to mostly white teen TV audiences because the acts sounded "too black" (e.g. John Waters: Theyre my idols in a way. I run into Gene and Linda every now and then but have lost touch with mostly every one. And the girl Deaners, God, hair-hoppers as we called them in Towson, the ones with the Etta Gowns, bouffant hairdos, and cha-cha heels. . Heavy-duty meetings. Corky,My name was Judy Kerr and I was on the committee in1958/59. ". The stage production opened in 2002, won eight Tony Awards and spawned another Hairspray movie, which was released in 2007. I was a misfit. It was a target maybe of people who didnt even watch the show. This production features a number of the committee members from the Deane program recalling those days. Suite 320. * Indicates person was on the show until the last episode. The film would spawn a 2002 Broadway musical adaptation starring Harvey Fierstein and Marissa Jaret Winokur, and a 2007 film adaptation of the musical starring John Travolta and Nikki Blonsky. Members of the committee attended Reunion Dances and other events soliciting the support of . Committee Member 1961 Billy Givens Little Italy. Id get letters saying, If you show up at this particular hop, youre gonna get your face pushed in. Former Committee members still meet for reunions. Buddy Deane Committee - Facebook But he was, and busted me courtesy of that close-up shot, seconds before my fragile teen-age ego was shattered by Pixie, or whatever her name was. John Waters: The most amazing thing about The Buddy Deane stardom was they would show up not knowing if they would fight or sign autographs. It couldn't get much worse, or so I thought. The Committee, initially recruited from local teen centers, was to act as hosts and dance with the guests. At 21, I married a professional football player, Helen remembers, and he made me burn all the fan mail. Every day Id come to the studio in knee-highs, and Id have to take them off. Culture shock - Baltimore Sun We used to go to stand in front of Reads Drugstore, and people would ask for our autograph.. and later on, growing up, it was a definite blow: reality. I still have a whole box of fan mail, says Evanne. Or Snuggle Dolls? I went to Eastern High, I got out at 2:30, and at 3, the show started. We really sprayed it, remembers Mary Lou today from her home in Pennsylvania. [The meeting was with] the Committee members and Arlene and Buddy and the producer of the show. You learned how to be a teenager from the show. Snyder said she choreographed the Madison, a popular line dance of the time, for . The pictures I've just posted are of the reunion dance for the Buddy Deane Committee Members with Buddy Deane playing the records. In her home, near Allentown, Pennsylvania, she serves me a beautiful brunch, models her fur coats, and poses with her Mercedes. Most people probably wouldve forgotten about The Buddy Deane Show ages ago had it not been immortalized by John Waters in his 1988 movie, Hairspray. In honor of the 25th anniversary of Hairspray, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is staging a concert production of the musical this week, narrated by Waters and featuring a full orchestra and vocalists. No! she answers, with a conviction that gives me the chills. I didnt mean to, because I never would have messed up the makeup.. We thought it was just so cool. God forbid, in school, if you didnt smile, you were conceited. Because there were starting to be some demonstrations outside of the studio. There I was under the burning lights of the WJZ-TV studio, slow-dancing with a Buddy Deane Show committee member. You had to be able to jitterbug and you had to be able to cha-cha, and do whatever dance was popular then, the mashed potato or the pony. Although he never appeared on Deane's show, Waters attended high school with a "Buddy Deaner" and later gave Deane a cameo in the film, in which Deane played a TV reporter who tried to interview the governor who was besieged by integration protesters. . Vicki Defeo: My favorite was James Brown. The jock, known as Buddy Deane, had launched his Bandstand Show on station WJZ-TV, providing pop and rock sounds that sent the teenage populace into a frenzy. Its like anything you see today. Today they seem opposites. What the heck, we were all going to school with black kids for a decade by then. Buddy Deane Committee: Pictures Just Added Taken Nov. 1983 - Blogger They just wanted to know if you were real. 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. Could it be? Mary Lou Barber: My hairstyle was the biggest. Wayne Hahn: Us kids, we all went to school with black people and had black friends. Hundreds showed up to audition for a spot on the Committee. 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. The kids became celebrities. Buddy Dean - Oznet The one thing everyone seems to remember about The Buddy Deane Show is its ending: amid calls to integrate the almost all-white program (as in Hairspray, there was one day a month when African Americans could dance on the show), Buddy Deane was canceled. . He didnt talk with us a whole lot. 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. I know he would love hearing from you! Larry tried searching Facebook for you. . Buddy could take his seat beneath the famous Top 20 Board, and the tension would build. That dancing was integrated and I learned how to do the boomerang, shing-a-ling, the skate and the twine time. This is a home for all of the dancers from the Buddy Deane Era (1957 - 1964) to meet up and keep in touch. The popular television Baltimore dance show aired from 1957 until 1964. I'll send you Larry's info. MOJO Time Machine: The Buddy Deane Show Rocks Baltimore On the show: Gene joined in February 1958; Linda was on from September 1958 to February 1961. Sure, as a teenager I was a guest on the show. He really was trying to make it authentic. Mary Lou, now a successful Realtor and grandmother living outside Philadelphia, said there were three important guiding forces in her life then -- "my hair, dancing, and who I was going steady with.". I found out that my father was on this show. "Jesus, I can be anywhere, like a funeral parlor, and people will introduce me as 'this is Concetta, she was on Buddy Deane.' Arguably the first TV celebrities in Baltimore. Even as a guest, your friends and relatives saw you basking in your temporary fame. . Buddy Deane. We don't have any cast added to this TV Show. Being a teenage star in Baltimore had its drawbacks. (I looked like I was taking off.) And Helen, Linda, and Joanie all got out the rat-tail teasing combs. . Bob Mathers, who worked with Deane on three radio stations, was a close friend of Deanes and is an unofficial historian of The Buddy Deane Show.. She lives in Baltimore County. Some do remember a handful of kids getting high on cough medicine. I had to wear stockings and cha-cha heels. And coming from John Waters, I thought, that is a really nice compliment! 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. . John Waters: Certainly all the stuff in Hairspray didnt happen for real, but it was my fantasy of how I wished it would be, not what really happened. 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. . I think the guys had a harder time at it. Yet Joe was a dropout when he went on the show and then, once famous, went back to finish. . I was totally star-struck and had as much fun that night as I did at the Cannes Film Festival. . Mary Lou was aware that in some neighborhoods it was not cool to be a Buddy Deaner. When you dance you'll squeeze her, yes, with all your might. . I think my father would definitely have not been agreeable to [integration] at that time. The Buddy Deane Show was a teen dance television show, created by Zvi Shoubin, hosted by Winston "Buddy" Deane . A big strong line!) up the hill to the famous dance party set, the one that now houses People Are Talking. It was an integrated school, and the black girls would show us all the new dances. Gene was a captain of the Baltimore City Fire Department and retired in 2000; Linda worked in advertising and retired in 2004. Buddy wanted it to end happily, but WJZ angered Deaners when it tried to blame the ratings. Shake, Rattle and Roll: the Buddy Dean Scrapbook" . From pinnacle to the pits in a few short seconds. You have to ease into it. No videos, backdrops or posters have been added to Buddy Deane Show. Im not sure an integrated Buddy Deane Show would work t oday. Why? Id wonder. She wasnt even a fan of the show. . Want to post on Patch? Ladies and gentlemen, the nicest kids in town!. Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of a Baltimore drugstore. The Buddy Deane Show: With Channing Wilroy, Buddy Deane. Please contact me. It was really blown up big. . For many of them, it was the highlight of their life, and I get why. Committee Member 1961 Billy Givens - Buddy Deane Committee | Facebook I dont think Ill ever get over missing it, if you want to know the truth., Many of the Committee members spouses faced an even bigger adjustment. Although WJZ-TV, owned by Westinghouse Broadcasting (now CBS since January 2, 1995), was an ABC affiliate, the station "blacked out" the network broadcast of American Bandstand in Baltimore and broadcast the Deane program instead, reportedly because Bandstand showed black teenagers dancing on the show (although black and white teenagers were not allowed to dance together until the show was moved to California in 1964). We appreciate your interest. He was mad because I was as popular as he was. Vicki Defeo: Ive tried to think this through, because it sounds ridiculous, but [integration] was a non-issue to us. . but Arlene [Kozak, his production assistant], actually did all the work. Such was life in Baltimore. I wanted to get into the record businessand years later he did. He was one of the first disc jockeys in the area to regularly feature rock-and-roll. There were a lot of obscene phone calls., And the rumors, God, the rumors. Five kids in my neighborhood were on the committee -- Concetta Comi, Georgia Ann Richter, Peggy Keaton, Joan Darby and Billy Pritchard. But it went something like this: Buddy Deane was an exclusively white show. Deane helped numerous black record artists in their careers -- James Brown among them. Wayne Hahn: If you were late, you couldnt get in the door. . The Buddy Deane Show was a teen dance television show, created by Zvi Shoubin, hosted by Winston "Buddy" Deane (19242003), and aired on WJZ-TV (Channel 13), the then-ABC affiliate station in Baltimore from 1957 until 1964. I remember it well, recalls Evanne. Some of the old Committee kept up with the times and made the transition with ease. On August 2, 1924, Winston Joseph Deane was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. And on the weekends wed go to record hops. . "Do You Love Me" by The Contours, or "Hide and Go Seek" by Bunker Hill). My email is bigsales@aol.com, cell number is 410-365-6569. I was 10 years old and I just adored this dancer with the neatest DA haircuts. In reality, integration spelled the demise of The Buddy Deane Show, which ran from 1957 to 1964. Come share the songs & dances of the Buddy Deane Show with us! . (Marvin Joseph/THE WASHINGTON POST), Almost 20 of the original stars of The Buddy Deane Show show off their signature dance, The Madison. (Jessica Goldstein/The Washington Post). . His name was Nelson Ray Shiflett. Over lunch at the Thunderball Lounge, in East Baltimore, Kathy remembers, I could never get used to signing autographs. Rumors would go about certain people. Hope life has been good to you! at that time, our parents would not have gone along with integrated dancing. And we became very close to Arlene. At that time a very concerted and organized effort was made to formally nominate Buddy. Not a real one. Its host was Winston "Buddy" Deane, who died in Pine Bluff, Arkansas after suffering a stroke, July 16, 2003. As Marie puts it, The rewards were so great emotionally that you didnt have to ask for a monetary award., Many had difficulties dealing with the void when the show went off the air. 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. We were from all over the city, Ann Boyer recalled. My father was very strict. Someone else would want to come on the Committee and take your place. He went steady with committee member Bobbie Lanham, a heartthrob to legions, and got lots of telegrams inviting him and Bobbie to lead dances. . The show was the highest-rated local program in the country. They wanted to know something about your religious affiliation. My name is Tom Lowe, I went by the name of "Corky" while on the committe in 58 & 59, maybe into early 1960. Linda Snyder: Every young star that had records out would come and promote their records. Dick Clark patterned his ABC-TV show, Where the Action Is, after local remotes done by Deane in Maryland. Login to create it. Youre going to put it on TV? We don't have any reviews for Buddy Deane Show. . I had beehives. Deaners seem to come out of the woodwork, drawn by the memory of their stardom. . She was his right-hand man and she picked out all the kids for the show. And the guys had to wear a coat and tie, so wed keep stuff in the car. Mary Lou Barber: Think of it: In the 60s, if they were to ask a black guy to lead a dance with me or some other white girl Baltimore wasnt ready for it yet. It's so nice that we all have great friendships to remember & it's so great to sta y in touch. They kept their figures, look nice, and are very kind people, says Marie in her lovely home on Falls Road before taking off for the University of Maryland, where she attends law school. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. There I was under the burning lights of the WJZ-TV studio, slow-dancing with a Buddy Deane Show committee member. The racial integration of a take-off of the show, dubbed The Corny Collins Show, provides the backdrop to the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Im still a fana Deaner groupie. Deane, I dont mind at all. They sent cakes on my birthday. 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. . Buddy wanted it to end happily, but WJZ angered Deaners when it tried to blame the ratings. Just once. In [Hairspray], Ricki Lakes character goes down to audition and they all make fun of her. 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 . Very few "squares" or "Joe College" teen-agers were on the show. [citation needed] In several instances, the show went on location to the Milford Mill swim club on the westside of suburban Baltimore County. You had to wear nylons. 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. . Its time had passed a little. I wanted to join the circus., Two other ponytail princesses who went on to the Buddy Dean hall of fame were Evanne Robinson, the committee member on the show the longest, and Kathy Schmink. Her hair color and styles changed very often, of which I later found out that her Dad was a major hairstylist in Baltimore. The Buddy Deane Show ended in early 1964, a victim of "insolvable" integration problems, Mr. Deane said in an article in The Sun at that time. This Committees committee, under the watchful eye of Arlene, chose new members, taught the dance steps, and enforced the demerit system, which could result in suspension or expulsion. I had to take two buses to get there. Besides, he never discovered that his youngest son had been on the show a dozen other times, further solidifying my stock among my peers. . And they told us we were going to go off the air because of it. 1 talking about this. At Elmley Playground, transistors would be tuned to Fat Daddy. The views expressed here are the author's own. 8600 LaSalle Road . Dance was a brief connection with home for us, time out from the insanity of war. Deane also held dances at various Maryland American Legion posts and National Guard armories which were not taped or broadcast on television. I lied! Click here to login or here to sign up. Looking forward to seeing as many of us old dancers that are still cutting the rug.Corky. No long hair, only pompadours, hurriedly combed during commercials. ), Concetta, for one, says her connection with the show as a committee member is enduring. . Neither Deane nor Waters believes Baltimore was ready for an integrated teen dance program in 1964. Because they didnt integrate in reality. It was your personality and your thoughts. I was so embarrassed. His 1988 film Hairspray went on to inspire a Broadway musical of the same name. Frani Hahn (then Nedeloff): I watched it every day with my family when Id come home from school. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. . 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. When that little red light came on, so did my smile, she says, laughing. Baltimore Sun. My mother used to pick me up after school to make sure nobody hassled me., The adoring fans could also be a hassle. . Because Buddy Deanes competition was soap operas, the budding teenage romances were sometimes played up for the camera. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Buddy_Deane_Show&oldid=1149520565, Black-and-white American television shows, Local music television shows in the United States, Wikipedia articles with style issues from September 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Many top acts of the day, both black and white, appeared on The Buddy Deane Show. 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. 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 together and reminisce about the TV . What happened Buddy Dean? (Editors note: The show requested a character reference from a priest, minister or rabbi; references from teachers or principals were also accepted.) Sections of this page Gene calls it a big loss. It was living in a fantasy world, says Helen. And when we sprayed it, we had to blot it so it didnt leave residue. Bob Mathers: There were a lot of protests in Baltimore, which was a very racially segregated town. . Special Thanks to Linda Snyder (committee member from the Buddy Deane Show) who shares many stories from the TV show, Richard Powers who provided the amazing photo from the set of the Buddy Dean Show, Lance Benishek (dance historian) who provided some ample questions and motivation when we began researching these dances in 2005. But we thought of him as being so flamboyant. When Maryland Public Television wanted to film the event, it mushroomed into an even bigger affair. Deane began his broadcasting career at KLXR in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Buddy Deane Show - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia . . He was one of the first disc jockeys in the area to regularly feature rock and roll. Other vices were likewise eschewed. This was the adults, who didnt know what to do, so they shut the whole thing down.. 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. I will keep my nose to your website now that I know it exists. 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. Id get hate mail. The popular television Baltimore dance show aired from 1957 until 1964. Here's What Essex-Middle River Moms Really Want For Mother's Day. Then and now: Remember Bruce Hutchinson? Plus they used us for commercials. Theyd stand outside my home. It was the top-rated local TV show in Baltimore and, for several years, the highest rated local TV program in the country. To this day, Im reluctant to tell some of my black friends I was on Buddy Deane because they look at it as a terrible time.. We didnt sit around and say, We dont want to be around black kids. [But] . Was it really twenty years ago? Linda Snyder: We were on the show Monday through Saturday, six days a week. They were married in 1966 and have one daughter.
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