Ed (Eddie) Kelly
Encyclopedia
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
.
An only child, Kelly spent his younger years at 3107 Arbor Street in the Kensington section of Northeast Philadelphia. His mother was a housewife and his father a police officer and detective with the Philadelphia police department. He attended The Ascension of Our Lord Grammar School and Northeast Catholic High.
An avid fan of American Bandstand, Kelly made his first appearance on the show in 1959. American Bandstand Regular Arlene Sullivan called him from the bleachers to dance with another Regular by the name of MaryAnn Cuff. Among his other partners, were Regulars Mary and Susie Beltrante, and Carmen and Ivette Jimenez; however, he is primarily remembered with his steady dancing partner Bunny Gibson
.
Kelly was featured in national teen magazines of the time ('Teen, 16, Dig, Teen Screen, Movie Teen Illustrated etc.) but was one of the few regulars to be acknowledged outside of the fan based periodicals, like Photoplay Magazine
, which was primarily devoted to Hollywood movie stars.
Kelly appeared in the 1997 Teleductions documentary, Bandstand Days, and represented Bandstand in the American Bandstand Anniversary Special 33 1/3 held in Santa Monica, California. In 1985, he was one of only six regular Bandstand dancers to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He has been a guest on The Today Show
, and, along with his Bandstand partner, Kathleen "Bunny" Gibson, made a cameo appearance on American Dreams the TV series. He appeared in the Broadway Revue - Radio Hits of 1958 and is depicted on the mural in the original American Bandstand studio in Philadelphia.
NEWS ARTICLES:
Girls, You're Wonderful - Photoplay Magazine - 1959
Class of 60 "Bandstand" And Beyond (Let's Twist Again/Second of Two Parts) The Philadelphia Inquirer June 28, 1986
Bandstand Dancer Makes History "Americans At Play Exhibit" Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pa. September 24, 1988
Remember? "Bandstand To Be Honored" Philadelphia Daily News January 15, 1997
Teens For A Day Philadelphia Daily News August 6, 1997
Philly Fifties: Rock 'n' Radio Time Magazine July 16, 2001
The Gay Twist On American Bandstand In Magazine January 13, 2002
A Match Made On Bandstand The Philadelphia Inquirer - January 13, 2002
Bandstand Goes Gold The Philadelphia Daily News - April 24, 2002
A Great Friend Turns 50 Philadelphia Daily News - May 2, 2002
Fifty Years Ago, Bandstand Was Born Here The Philadelphia Inquirer May 2, 2002
In Actual "Hairspray Time" - The New York Times/The Metro Section-Boldface Names August 29, 2002
Star Report New York Post September 24, 2003
American Bandstand Dancers From Early Philadelphia Days Take A Step Back The Associated Press - 2007
Bandstand Mural Celebrates a Classic Philadelphia Weekend Metro - August 3, 2007
Dancers Celebrate Mural Dedicated to American Bandstand The Associated Press - August 3, 2007
Welcome To the 50th Anniversary Celebration of American Bandstand The Enterprise Center August 3, 2007
Nice Beat, Nasty Band The Philadelphia Inquirer - January 13, 2002
Full page photo in The Official American Bandstand Library Rock & Roll CD Booklet
'BOOK MENTIONS'
The History of American Bandstand by Michael Shore with Dick Clark, Ballantine Books 1985'
Rock, Roll & Remember by Dick Clark and Richard Robinson, Thomas Y. Crowell Company 1976'
Dick Clark and the Making of a Rock 'n' Roll Empire by John A. Jackson, Oxford University Press 1997'
American Bandstand/The Rock & Roll Years/1956-1962 Rolling Stone - April 4, 1996'
'FILMS'
"Adam" "City Island" "Duplicity" "Rosencrantz and Gulderstein Are Undead" "The Woman Scorned" "The International Playboy." and featured in "Bandstand Days" by Teleductions Productions 1997
'Television Appearances'
"The Sopranos" "Law and Order SVU "Mercy" "Taking Chance" "the Silent Library" and the role of Colonel Parker in "Elvis Presley Synopsis."
Commercials"'
"American Express" Indecision Branding (AT&T/VW)" "Uncle Tanny" (Comedy Central.)"
'SPECIAL APPEARANCES'
"Oprah Winfrey 1985" "33 1/3 Aniversary Special 1985" "The Today Show" "Jersey Talking with Host Lee Leonard" "Pierce College Proudly Presents..." and "Rock Con July 30 to August 1, 2010. Mural Marks Bandstand ABC Network August 2007"
'ACADEMIC CONTRIBUTIONS'
Advisor for the Harrisburg Pennsylvania Museum Exhibit, Americans At Play, virtual reality exhibit on American Bandstand Spring of 1997'
Co-host with Lew Klein for the Teaching of American History Program held at the American Bandstand Studio July 28, 2009'
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...
.
An only child, Kelly spent his younger years at 3107 Arbor Street in the Kensington section of Northeast Philadelphia. His mother was a housewife and his father a police officer and detective with the Philadelphia police department. He attended The Ascension of Our Lord Grammar School and Northeast Catholic High.
An avid fan of American Bandstand, Kelly made his first appearance on the show in 1959. American Bandstand Regular Arlene Sullivan called him from the bleachers to dance with another Regular by the name of MaryAnn Cuff. Among his other partners, were Regulars Mary and Susie Beltrante, and Carmen and Ivette Jimenez; however, he is primarily remembered with his steady dancing partner Bunny Gibson
Bunny Gibson
Kathleen "Bunny" Gibson is an actress and former regular dancer on the American Bandstand television program...
.
Kelly was featured in national teen magazines of the time ('Teen, 16, Dig, Teen Screen, Movie Teen Illustrated etc.) but was one of the few regulars to be acknowledged outside of the fan based periodicals, like Photoplay Magazine
Photoplay
Photoplay was one of the first American film fan magazines. It was founded in 1911 in Chicago, the same year that J. Stuart Blackton founded a similar magazine entitled Motion Picture Story...
, which was primarily devoted to Hollywood movie stars.
Kelly appeared in the 1997 Teleductions documentary, Bandstand Days, and represented Bandstand in the American Bandstand Anniversary Special 33 1/3 held in Santa Monica, California. In 1985, he was one of only six regular Bandstand dancers to appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He has been a guest on The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
, and, along with his Bandstand partner, Kathleen "Bunny" Gibson, made a cameo appearance on American Dreams the TV series. He appeared in the Broadway Revue - Radio Hits of 1958 and is depicted on the mural in the original American Bandstand studio in Philadelphia.
NEWS ARTICLES:
Girls, You're Wonderful - Photoplay Magazine - 1959
Class of 60 "Bandstand" And Beyond (Let's Twist Again/Second of Two Parts) The Philadelphia Inquirer June 28, 1986
Bandstand Dancer Makes History "Americans At Play Exhibit" Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, Pa. September 24, 1988
Remember? "Bandstand To Be Honored" Philadelphia Daily News January 15, 1997
Teens For A Day Philadelphia Daily News August 6, 1997
Philly Fifties: Rock 'n' Radio Time Magazine July 16, 2001
The Gay Twist On American Bandstand In Magazine January 13, 2002
A Match Made On Bandstand The Philadelphia Inquirer - January 13, 2002
Bandstand Goes Gold The Philadelphia Daily News - April 24, 2002
A Great Friend Turns 50 Philadelphia Daily News - May 2, 2002
Fifty Years Ago, Bandstand Was Born Here The Philadelphia Inquirer May 2, 2002
In Actual "Hairspray Time" - The New York Times/The Metro Section-Boldface Names August 29, 2002
Star Report New York Post September 24, 2003
American Bandstand Dancers From Early Philadelphia Days Take A Step Back The Associated Press - 2007
Bandstand Mural Celebrates a Classic Philadelphia Weekend Metro - August 3, 2007
Dancers Celebrate Mural Dedicated to American Bandstand The Associated Press - August 3, 2007
Welcome To the 50th Anniversary Celebration of American Bandstand The Enterprise Center August 3, 2007
Nice Beat, Nasty Band The Philadelphia Inquirer - January 13, 2002
Full page photo in The Official American Bandstand Library Rock & Roll CD Booklet
'BOOK MENTIONS'
The History of American Bandstand by Michael Shore with Dick Clark, Ballantine Books 1985'
Rock, Roll & Remember by Dick Clark and Richard Robinson, Thomas Y. Crowell Company 1976'
Dick Clark and the Making of a Rock 'n' Roll Empire by John A. Jackson, Oxford University Press 1997'
American Bandstand/The Rock & Roll Years/1956-1962 Rolling Stone - April 4, 1996'
'FILMS'
"Adam" "City Island" "Duplicity" "Rosencrantz and Gulderstein Are Undead" "The Woman Scorned" "The International Playboy." and featured in "Bandstand Days" by Teleductions Productions 1997
'Television Appearances'
"The Sopranos" "Law and Order SVU "Mercy" "Taking Chance" "the Silent Library" and the role of Colonel Parker in "Elvis Presley Synopsis."
Commercials"'
"American Express" Indecision Branding (AT&T/VW)" "Uncle Tanny" (Comedy Central.)"
'SPECIAL APPEARANCES'
"Oprah Winfrey 1985" "33 1/3 Aniversary Special 1985" "The Today Show" "Jersey Talking with Host Lee Leonard" "Pierce College Proudly Presents..." and "Rock Con July 30 to August 1, 2010. Mural Marks Bandstand ABC Network August 2007"
'ACADEMIC CONTRIBUTIONS'
Advisor for the Harrisburg Pennsylvania Museum Exhibit, Americans At Play, virtual reality exhibit on American Bandstand Spring of 1997'
Co-host with Lew Klein for the Teaching of American History Program held at the American Bandstand Studio July 28, 2009'