That was our whole social life, being a Buddy Deaner, says Gene. Now, were talking about integrating the show. . Like many couples, Joe and Joan met through the show and became an item for their fans. He said they asked each member of the show's committee . And there was a big problem with that. God forbid, in school, if you didnt smile, you were conceited. 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. He eventually became one of the most respected programmers in the country and was even written up in Time magazine. Pixie was barely five feet tall, but her hair sometimes added a good six to eight inches to her height. My mother wanted me to go, she took me down to the tryouts. (One female committee member supposedly teased and sprayed her hair so much it caught fire one night as she slept. My name is Connie and my e-mail address is connieone@aol.com..thanks. If Im ever depressed, sometimes I think, Well this will make me feel better, and I go and dig in the box., Holding onto the memories more than anyone is Arlene Kozak, who is by far the most loved by all the Committee members. We thought it was just so cool. The punitive consequences weren't significant; I think he threw an ashtray at me. And if you dared to dance the obscene Bodie Green (the Dirty Boogie), you were immediately a goner. My father had forbidden me to try out for the Buddy Deane Committee -- fearing, perhaps, that it would interfere with my becoming a national scholar at City College high school or prevent me from one day discovering the Internet -- so I had to sneak on the show, courtesy of girlfriends who sent away for tickets and took me as their guest. They first made their mark as teenagers dancing on the afternoon TV show, wearing their outfits from Lees of Broadway and Etta Gowns and dancing the cha-cha and the jitterbug and the Madison. Oh sure, if you were Joe College [pre-preppie], you just didnt do The Deane Show. Did you ever tum into a Joe College? I ask innocently. Sure, as a teenager I was a guest on the show. The uncertain life of a high-schooler became more tolerable. You are out of here. I lied! Several local art contests were also held on the show, with viewers submitting their own art work. Oddly enough, few of the Deaners Ive talked to went on to show biz. He was one of the first disc jockeys in the area to regularly feature rock and roll. Want to post on Patch? 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. . Marie Shapiro (then Fischer): The first thing, theyd kind of look you over. Girl Scout leader, very active in my kids school. Mary Lou is still a star. And according to Arlene, Buddy encouraged one popular Committee member (Buzzy Bennet) to teach himself to read so he could realize his dream of being a disc jockey. We answered everything back then, except people like Mary Lou, who got bags of fan mail. It was 1961 and I was on television, successfully building my teen-aged reputation. Even as a guest, your friends and relatives saw you basking in your temporary fame. September 17,2011 Parkville American Legion Hall Putty Hill Rd & Old Harford Rd 8PM til' Midnite $25.00 per ticket The popular television Baltimore dance show aired from 1957 until 1964. Mary Lou was aware that in some neighborhoods it was not cool to be a Buddy Deaner. I wanted to get into the record businessand years later he did. . They wanted to know about bringing black kids on the show. You could throw her down on the ground, and her hair would crack, recalls Gene. His 1988 film Hairspray went on to inspire a Broadway musical of the same name. The early look of the Committee was typically 50s. [But] people hated me, too. 8600 LaSalle Road . . I think the kids never had much of a problem with it; I think a lot of the parents may have. Gene was a captain of the Baltimore City Fire Department and retired in 2000; Linda worked in advertising and retired in 2004. I was a misfit. The show was a teen dance and music show and ran from 1957 to until 1964 on WJZ-TV until the show was canceled.The show was a teen dance and music show and ran from 1957 to until 1964 on WJZ-TV until the show was canceled.The show was a teen dance and music show and ran from 1957 to until 1964 on WJZ-TV until the show was canceled. Do you miss show biz? I ask her. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. 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. To those of my generation, Deane left a lasting legacy in both culture and memory. Sometimes youd wrap your hair at night. [citation needed]. I had always studied dance, and I wanted to go on [the show]. From pinnacle to the pits in a few short seconds. Im the biggest ham. Although she denies being conscious of the camera, she admits, I did try to dance up front. The whole day on the show was devoted to me.. She became so popular that she was written up in the nationwide Sixteen Magazine. You had to wear nylons. Buddy Deane Committee: Pictures Just Added Taken Nov. 1983 - Blogger The Buddy Deane Show was taken off the air because home station WJZ-TV was unwilling to integrate black and white dancers. (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). . Im a typical housewife, says Peanuts. 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. Im not sure an integrated Buddy Deane Show would work t oday. They had a contract we had to sign, because they were using our image for free. While the rest of the nation grew up on Dick Clarks American Bandstand, (which was not even shown here because Channel 13 already had Buddy Deane), Baltimoreans, true to form, had their own eccentric version. John Waters: I put the spotlight on [the integration controversy] . About a dozen of the old Buddy Deane gang showed up to watch a delightful, energetic production of the John Waters inspiration. I can still remember them calling us in one by one, former Committee member Carl Parks said. I wasnt going to go on and not be seen. But even Evanne turned bashful on one show, when Buddy made a surprise announcement: I was voted prettiest girl on this whole Army base. Then and now: Remember Bruce Hutchinson? That she has an affluent life-style surprises no one on the Committee. Marie Shapiro: I remember sometimes there would be African Americans at the hops, and it was frowned upon to dance with an African American if you were a Committee member. The Buddy Deane Show - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia Every day after school kids would run home, tune in, and dance with the bedpost or refrigerator door as they watched. Recollections differ as to whether it was Deane, the station or the parents of the Committee members who refused to allow the show to be integrated. Deane was named the No. Because Buddy Deanes competition was soap operas, the budding teenage romances were sometimes played up for the camera. Just once. You Can't Stop the Beat: The Secret History of Hairspray as Live TV I never got the chance to meet him and would love to hear stories or see pictures of him. Hi all. It was a fluke. For those who get to Ocean City, please stop in and see us at the Blue Ox on the bayside at 127th street. This is a home for all of the dancers from the Buddy Deane Era (1957 - 1964) to meet up and keep in touch. In [Hairspray], Ricki Lakes character goes down to audition and they all make fun of her. But the second the camera moved away from my partner and me, she too pulled away, as if I had whispered into her ear that I had hand grenades taped to my legs. The first and maybe the biggest Buddy Deane queen of all. . On the show: Gene joined in February 1958; Linda was on from September 1958 to February 1961. 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. Kathy switched to a great beehive that resembled a trash can sitting on top of her head. 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. When Barry Levinson, another Baltimore native, requested video from the show for his film Diner, the station told him it had no footage.[2]. My name is Tom Lowe, I went by the name of "Corky" while on the committe in 58 & 59, maybe into early 1960. . Larry tried searching Facebook for you. 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. 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. [1] He was 78. And who could forget those great ads for the plastic furniture slipcovers that opened with the kids jumping up and down on the sofa and Royal Parker screaming, Hey kids! It was over at 5. In reality, integration spelled the demise of The Buddy Deane Show, which ran from 1957 to 1964. And the whole concept of the Committee changed. He was seventy-eight. When Mary Lous husband gave me the long and complicated directions to their home on the phone, he ended with And there you will find, yes, Mary Lou Raines. He later confided that when he first started dating her, he had no idea of her early career. What he left us was an early introduction and enduring devotion to rock and roll. Looking forward to seeing as many of us old dancers that are still cutting the rug.Corky. . 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. raises funds for Alzheimer's Association, 2017 HD Heritage Softail for Sale in Bel Air, Democrat Ben Cardin Won't Seek Re-Election To Senate In 2024, Flour Recalled In MD For Salmonella Risk: What To Know, Latest Job Listings In The Essex-Middle River Area, Essex-Middle River Area: See 5 Nearby Properties On The Market. "Uhhh, I had a long basketball practice and I had to take extra foul shots," I lied. Arlene [Kozak, his production assistant], Ricki Lakes character goes down to audition. When you dance you'll squeeze her, yes, with all your might. I was with this guy named Jeff. Buddy himself, the high priest, returned for the event. . And coming from John Waters, I thought, that is a really nice compliment! But my mother and father wont let me come down if you do that. In early December, Buddy Deane met with station officials and they said, Weve decided to cancel the program. And Buddy said, So it has to do with integration? And the station said, Thats correct. Deane also presented British artist Helen Shapiro, who sang her Baltimore hit, "Tell Me What He Said," at about the time that she was touring England with The Beatles as one of her support acts. Click here to login or here to sign up. ' And Evanne still shudders as she recalls, Once I was in the cafeteria. On the last day of the show, January 4, 1964, all the most popular Committee members through the years came back for one last appearance. ), Concetta, for one, says her connection with the show as a committee member is enduring. To say that the Buddy Deane Show was the centerpiece of every teen's life in Baltimore would be a stretch. An earth force for a generation of Baltimore teens Ive never said they were racist. There were riots! This page was last edited on 12 April 2023, at 19:01. I remember it well, recalls Evanne. Thursday at the Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda; Jan. 25-27 at the Meyerhoff, 1212 Cathedral St. Baltimore. Very few "squares" or "Joe College" teen-agers were on the show. Gene calls it a big loss. It was living in a fantasy world, says Helen. I couldnt be bothered with education. Both entities launched on September 9, 1957. Buddy Deane died in 2003 at the age of 78 due to complications from a stroke. But the parents, the society. So many talented musicians and people who wanted to show their appreciation made the night truly special. The dancers were known as the Committee. '.Watch this and go back in time to the Baltimore of the late 50's and early 60'sand how those memories remain as vivid as ever to the thousands who lived it.Special thanks to Larry Bridge \u0026 Marc Solomon of LARMAR Video and Joe \u0026 Cindy Loverde for the creation and production of the project, and of courseto the many members of the Buddy Deane Committee who provided a generation of Baltimoreans with a ton of great reminisces from the early days of rock and roll! The stage production opened in 2002, won eight Tony Awards and spawned another Hairspray movie, which was released in 2007. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of a Baltimore drugstore. . she yelped. Romance was one thing; sex was another. Big hair was a plus. . . And none are bitter. Because they didnt integrate in reality. . READ: What happened to the teen stars of The Buddy Deane Show after the program went off the air? Committee members included Mike Miller, Charlie Bledsoe, Ron Osher, Mary Lou Raines, Pat(ricia) Tacey, and Cathy Schmink. Dance was a brief connection with home for us, time out from the insanity of war. Frani Hahn (then Nedeloff): I watched it every day with my family when Id come home from school. Wayne Hahn: Dick Clark [and American Bandstand], that wasnt a big thing here. Untrue, but we believed it.). I dont know if we were ready or not; whos to say? Actor: Hairspray. Yeah it was Cosenel, says Joe. "I remember it well," recalls Evanne. "You could go into any bar in the city and it would be on," remembers Kozak. . I was honored, touched by it all.. And because a new dance was introduced practically every week, you had to watch every day to keep up. New committee members were selected by Deane and Arlene Kozak, his dependable first sergeant on the set -- a mother figure who even today keeps former committee members connected. They were the Mouseketeers! He was mad because I was as popular as he was. I was totally star-struck and had as much fun that night as I did at the Cannes Film Festival. Although the show has been off the air for more than twenty years, a nearly fanatical cult of fans has managed to keep the memory alive. But most have settled down to a very straight life. Former Committee members still meet for reunions. You learned how to be a teenager from the show.
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