Newsblaze presents The Best of American Bandstand with “America’s Oldest Living Teenager,” Dick Clark, as we celebrate two totally awesome 80s musicals.
Flashdance told the story of Alex, Pittsburgh welder by day and tavern by night, with dreams of going to a prestige dance school. Released in 1983, both the film and the soundtrack were blockbusters, and made Jennifer Beals an overnight sensation. The soundtrack spawned two #1 singles: the Oscar-winning “Flashdance … What a Feeling” from Irene Cara and this one you’re about to see on this YouTube clip.
Here’s Michael Sembello on Bandstand in October 1983 with “Maniac.”
Like Flashdance did with Jennifer Beals, Footloose made Kevin Bacon a household name. The 1984 film was based on a true story, about Ren McCormack, a young man from Chicago that moved to a small town that has a law against dancing. Though it did well at the box office, the soundtrack help give the film its popularity among teens and young adults with six Top 40 tracks like this hit performed by a group who appeared on American Bandstand several times.
From April 1984, let’s start “Dancing in the Sheets” with Shalamar.
Sadly, that is all the time we have here today, but thank you for joining us here, so we’ll see next time on American Bandstand.