Bunny Gibson
Encyclopedia
Kathleen "Bunny" Gibson is an actress (born Kathleen Elizabeth Gibson in the Margaret Hague Institute for Unwed Mothers on Jan. 19, 1946 in Jersey City, New Jersey) and former regular dancer on the American Bandstand
television program. She was nicknamed Bunny by her mother because she hopped around like a bunny when she was little.
She was introduced to American Bandstand as a 13-year-old when Bandstand regular Arlene Sullivan and her dance partner, Kenny Rossi, appeared at a swim club near her home, attracting a throng of screaming teenagers. When a friend told her who the dancers were, Gibson began watching the show and practiced the jitterbug with her refrigerator door. She made her first appearance on the show at the age of 13 so that she could met her idol, Philadelphia singer Bobby Rydell
.
Gibson soon became a regular dancer on the show and remained until 1961. Her regular dance partner was Eddie Kelly
but she also danced with Steve Colanero, Johnny Alamia and Jay Jacovini. She had many fan clubs across the country and was listed in teen magazines' “popularity contests” alongside stars such as Elvis Presley, Frankie Avalon, Chubby Checker
and Connie Francis. Gibson was regularly featured in articles in the most popular teen magazines of the day, such as 16, Dig and Teen Screen. Bandstand host Dick Clark once announced on air that Gibson had been named “Queen of the Shasta” by U.S. Navy men stationed aboard that ship.
In 1962, the 16-year-old Gibson married Don Travarelli, a 21-year-old fan who fell in love with her when he saw her dancing on American Bandstand. Travarelli practiced dancing with his niece, Robin, but was older than the 18-year-old limit to appear on Bandstand so he found another way to meet Gibson, getting her phone number from another dancer. In 1963, Gibson graduated from Northeast High School, a condition her mother required before giving permission for the marriage. Travarelli and Gibson had two daughters, Angel and Maria, before divorcing in 1970.
As a single mother, Gibson was an award-winning sculptress and did commercials in New York, including five national spots for Minute Rice. She also did commercials for Charmin, Panasonic, Acme Markets and McDonalds. She also studied acting in New York with Warren Robertson, Stella Adler and Herbert Berghof.
She moved to Los Angeles in 1980 to pursue her acting career. As Kathleen Klein, she eventually landed a role as Megan on ABC-TV's General Hospital
. In the early 1990s, she appeared in two episodes of the Showtime series, “Compromising Situations,” and played a hard, cigar-smoking saloon operator in the film “Rollerblade Warriors.” She has also appeared in the movie "No Ordinary Love" (1997).
In 2010, Gibson was the lead dancer in the conga line scene of "The Backup Plan" starring Jennifer Lopez. Other recent films in which she's had roles include “Scout’s Honor” with Fred Willard, “The Rainbow Tribe,” “I’m Going to Kill Leonard Riley,” “Creepshow 3
,” “Karla
,” “Second Class Citizens” and "Tao Hung’s Dream."
Gibson's TV appearances include roles on "Inside America’s Totally Unsolved Lifestyles” and "America's Most Wanted" (fugitive James Knoll turned himself in after he saw the show that night). She has also appeared on many news and talk shows including Good Morning America
, Extra, Geraldo Rivera, Suzanne Somers, Morton Downey Jr., Crook & Chase and Joe Franklin. A leopard skin jacket that Gibson popularized on American Bandstand in 1959, was worn in the January 8, 2004, episode of the "American Dreams" television program by actress Vanesa Lengles. Gibson plans to donate the jacket to the State Museum of Pennsylvania.
Gibson has appeared on several American Bandstand anniversary specials, portrayed herself on the History Channel's "The Century Series" and was the principal dancer on the 100th episode of "How I Met Your Mother" (episode entitled "Suits").
Gibson also has made TV appearances on Without a Trace
("Strong Medicine"), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
, Keep Dreaming (pilot), Can’t We Just Get Along? (pilot), MTV Movie Awards, Conan O’Brien, Jamie Kennedy Experiment (playing Jamie’s mother), “Natural Blues” (music video as Moby's mom, directed by David La’Chapelle), Saturday Night Live (Roxy Club Dancer) and was part of Fred Willard’s “Moho Comedy Group.”
In the 1990s, Gibson founded an organization to help the homeless, Americans Sheltering America’s Poor (ASAP). She converted an office into an apartment and distributed food from her car to the homeless on L.A.’s skid row. In the late 1990s, Gibson started the "Dancing Is Our Drug of Choice" program, which continues today, conducting dance contests for foster children through the “Day of the Child.”
In 1998, Peter Jennings and Todd Brewster featured Gibson in their "The Century Book” and “The Century Book for Young People,” which is used in high schools across America. In the years since, Bunny has helped many students across America with term papers comparing their life with the way things were for her.
Gibson now has four grandchildren: Lea, Chris, Alexis and Nicole.
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
television program. She was nicknamed Bunny by her mother because she hopped around like a bunny when she was little.
She was introduced to American Bandstand as a 13-year-old when Bandstand regular Arlene Sullivan and her dance partner, Kenny Rossi, appeared at a swim club near her home, attracting a throng of screaming teenagers. When a friend told her who the dancers were, Gibson began watching the show and practiced the jitterbug with her refrigerator door. She made her first appearance on the show at the age of 13 so that she could met her idol, Philadelphia singer Bobby Rydell
Bobby Rydell
Bobby Rydell is an American professional singer, mainly of rock and roll music. In the early 1960s he was considered a so-called "teen idol"...
.
Gibson soon became a regular dancer on the show and remained until 1961. Her regular dance partner was Eddie Kelly
Ed (Eddie) Kelly
Edward Lawrence Kelly is an actor and dance and music consultant born August 26, 1943 at the Episcopal Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, best known as a dancer on American Bandstand....
but she also danced with Steve Colanero, Johnny Alamia and Jay Jacovini. She had many fan clubs across the country and was listed in teen magazines' “popularity contests” alongside stars such as Elvis Presley, Frankie Avalon, Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker is an American singer-songwriter. He is widely known for popularizing the twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist"...
and Connie Francis. Gibson was regularly featured in articles in the most popular teen magazines of the day, such as 16, Dig and Teen Screen. Bandstand host Dick Clark once announced on air that Gibson had been named “Queen of the Shasta” by U.S. Navy men stationed aboard that ship.
In 1962, the 16-year-old Gibson married Don Travarelli, a 21-year-old fan who fell in love with her when he saw her dancing on American Bandstand. Travarelli practiced dancing with his niece, Robin, but was older than the 18-year-old limit to appear on Bandstand so he found another way to meet Gibson, getting her phone number from another dancer. In 1963, Gibson graduated from Northeast High School, a condition her mother required before giving permission for the marriage. Travarelli and Gibson had two daughters, Angel and Maria, before divorcing in 1970.
As a single mother, Gibson was an award-winning sculptress and did commercials in New York, including five national spots for Minute Rice. She also did commercials for Charmin, Panasonic, Acme Markets and McDonalds. She also studied acting in New York with Warren Robertson, Stella Adler and Herbert Berghof.
She moved to Los Angeles in 1980 to pursue her acting career. As Kathleen Klein, she eventually landed a role as Megan on ABC-TV's General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
. In the early 1990s, she appeared in two episodes of the Showtime series, “Compromising Situations,” and played a hard, cigar-smoking saloon operator in the film “Rollerblade Warriors.” She has also appeared in the movie "No Ordinary Love" (1997).
In 2010, Gibson was the lead dancer in the conga line scene of "The Backup Plan" starring Jennifer Lopez. Other recent films in which she's had roles include “Scout’s Honor” with Fred Willard, “The Rainbow Tribe,” “I’m Going to Kill Leonard Riley,” “Creepshow 3
Creepshow 3
Creepshow III is an unofficial sequel to the 1982 horror anthology classic, Creepshow, by Stephen King and George A. Romero. The film, like the original, consists of five tales of light-hearted horror: "Alice", "The Radio", "Call Girl", "The Professor's Wife" and "Haunted Dog", although there is no...
,” “Karla
Karla
Karla is the feminine form of Karl. Karla can also refer to:- People :* Karla Bonoff, American singer-songwriter* Karla DeVito, American singer* Karla Echenique, a Dominican Republic volleyball player* Karla Erbová, Czech writer...
,” “Second Class Citizens” and "Tao Hung’s Dream."
Gibson's TV appearances include roles on "Inside America’s Totally Unsolved Lifestyles” and "America's Most Wanted" (fugitive James Knoll turned himself in after he saw the show that night). She has also appeared on many news and talk shows including Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, Extra, Geraldo Rivera, Suzanne Somers, Morton Downey Jr., Crook & Chase and Joe Franklin. A leopard skin jacket that Gibson popularized on American Bandstand in 1959, was worn in the January 8, 2004, episode of the "American Dreams" television program by actress Vanesa Lengles. Gibson plans to donate the jacket to the State Museum of Pennsylvania.
Gibson has appeared on several American Bandstand anniversary specials, portrayed herself on the History Channel's "The Century Series" and was the principal dancer on the 100th episode of "How I Met Your Mother" (episode entitled "Suits").
Gibson also has made TV appearances on Without a Trace
Without a Trace
Without a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
("Strong Medicine"), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, Keep Dreaming (pilot), Can’t We Just Get Along? (pilot), MTV Movie Awards, Conan O’Brien, Jamie Kennedy Experiment (playing Jamie’s mother), “Natural Blues” (music video as Moby's mom, directed by David La’Chapelle), Saturday Night Live (Roxy Club Dancer) and was part of Fred Willard’s “Moho Comedy Group.”
In the 1990s, Gibson founded an organization to help the homeless, Americans Sheltering America’s Poor (ASAP). She converted an office into an apartment and distributed food from her car to the homeless on L.A.’s skid row. In the late 1990s, Gibson started the "Dancing Is Our Drug of Choice" program, which continues today, conducting dance contests for foster children through the “Day of the Child.”
In 1998, Peter Jennings and Todd Brewster featured Gibson in their "The Century Book” and “The Century Book for Young People,” which is used in high schools across America. In the years since, Bunny has helped many students across America with term papers comparing their life with the way things were for her.
Gibson now has four grandchildren: Lea, Chris, Alexis and Nicole.
External links
- http://www.fiftiesweb.com/american-bandstand-1.htm
- http://www.bunnygibson.com/bunny.htm
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3Kt1EGzIZk (Peter Jennings interviews Bunny Gibson about American Bandstand)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bNI8e9AAhA&feature=player_embedded (Bunny Gibson and Steve Colaero on "Extra")
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc9vcT625vw&feature=player_embedded (Bunny Gibson in old Bandstand studio)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1pUXokmDCU&feature=player_embedded (Bunny Gibson in old Bandstand studio)
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3CHr6imxPk (Bunny Gibson shows 1950s American Bandstand fashion on Crook & Chase Show)
- http://www.teleduction.com/order/bandstand.htm (Bandstand Days documentary)
- http://www.theenterprisecenter.com/americanbandstand/
- http://www.ellenmakkai.com/archived-columns/
- http://www.thefreelibrary.com/BUNNY+&+EDDIE+%27AMERICAN+BANDSTAND%27+REGULARS+RELIVE+THE+UPS+AND+DOWNS...-a0116050676
- http://americanthings.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/no-90-american-bandstand/
- http://www.seritastevens.org/celebrity_cookbook.htm
- http://www.coneyislandbabies.com/televisionShow.html
- http://purrfectone.blogspot.com/2009/06/american-bandstand-and-dick-clark.html
- http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/imr/2007/12/04/you-can%E2%80%99t-stop-the-beat-%E2%80%93-dance-the-gen-x-addiction