‘’THE BIG BEAT’’ DEBUTED ON THIS DAY IN 1957

alan freed on the big beat set 

In 1957, radio legend Alan Freed was given a weekly prime-time TV series, The
Big Beat(which predated American Bandstand), on ABC. The show was scheduled
for a Summer run, with the understanding that if there were enough viewers, the
show would continue into the 1957-58 television season. Although the ratings for 
the first three episodes were strong, the show was suddenly canceled after the
fourth episode. During that episode, singer Frankie Lymon, after performing a
number with his group The Teenagers, was seen dancing with a white girl from
the studio audience. Reportedly, the incident offended the management of ABC’s
local affiliates in the southern states, and led to the show’s immediate cancellation
despite its growing popularity.

alan freed 3

posted by Bob Karm in ANNIVERSARY,DEBUT,HISTORY,MUSIC,RADIO,TV and have Comment (1)

One Response to “‘’THE BIG BEAT’’ DEBUTED ON THIS DAY IN 1957”

  1. Jane Milbach says:

    I was on the show and won the contest. I would love footage of the show. How can I go about receiving a copy? My maiden name is Michna. I look forward to your response.

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