Nancy Lewis & Paul Whiteman
WFIL-TV
1949

The first Philadelphia TV personality to host a network television show spotlighting area teenagers was bandleader turned disc jockey Paul Whiteman. He was dubbed the King of Jazz in the twenties and had the most popular band of that era. Starting on April 2, 1949, Whiteman asked Philadelphia teenagers to a Saturday evening dance and talent show. It was called "Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club," which was originated by WFIL-TV, Channel 6 in Philadelphia. The program was also aired over the ABC-TV network. Whiteman was the network's Vice-President in charge of music. Paul also underwrote the show's production. A young, recently hired talent from New York state did a fair amount of announcing on this program after joining the station; his name was Dick Clark. Broadcast Pioneers member Allen Stone also did so.

Weighing three hundred pounds, and dressed in ornate shirts and colorful sports coats, Whiteman spoke "hip phrases" like "real gone." He was 62 years old at the time. The show was sponsored by Tootsie Roll and Whiteman handed out samples to his teenage friends while Clark pitched the treats to the viewers at home. Bernie Lowe of Cameo-Parkway fame, was the program's Musical Director.

Another interesting aspect of this show was that it started as a TV program only. It became so successful that it was added to the ABC Radio Network's schedule.

The show featured Whiteman with a 10 piece band. Rock and Rollers Charlie Gracie and Bobby Rydell got their start on this program. Rydell started with the show at age nine as the band's drummer and stayed for three years. Leslie Uggams also appeared on the broadcast at the age of eight.

The telecast was produced by Skipper Dawes, the Educational Director for WFIL-TV. Really, Skipper was a talent scout who looked through the area schools for performers. One of Dawes finds was Eddie Fisher. The program's last airing was in 1954. When the show premiered in 1949, it aired Saturday evenings from 8 to 9 pm. In 1952, the show moved an hour earlier to 7 pm and was shortened to 30 minutes and lasted for another two years in this configuration. However, the search for talent never ended. Just before the show ended, Whiteman featured a young singer by the name of Dion DiMucci, known to us now as "Dion," of "Dion and the Belmonts" fame.

Paul Whiteman was born on March 28, 1890 in Denver, CO. He started his career playing viola in the Denver Symphony in 1907. He then went to the San Francisco Symphony in 1914. During the First World War, he led a 40 piece US Navy band. He organized his now famous dance band in 1918 in San Francisco. He then moved to New Jersey and finally to New York City. Though he was married four times, his last one to wife Margaret lasted 36 years. He passed away on December 29, 1967 in Doylestown, PA.

On Saturday, December 29, 1951, the show aired from 8 pm to 8:30. A TV listing referred to it as "Young talent in songs and dances. Nancy Lewis, co-emcee."

Åke Roos of Sweden, a visitor to our website e-mailed: As a fan of Philadelphia´s legendary rock´n roller, Charlie Gracie (who, by the way, turns 67 today, May 14, 2003) I want you to know that there is a live recording from Paul Whiteman´s Teen Club in Philadelphia. The young Charlie Gracie (remember this is recorded some five years before Gracie made it into the big time when recording his classic "Butterfly") sings "Rock The Joint" accompanied by Paul Whiteman´s Orchestra and it was recorded live on July 14, 1952 for ABC TV.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Picture originally donated by Broadcast Pioneers member Francis Davis
Researched and compiled by Broadcast Pioneers member Gerry Wilkinson
© 2006, All Rights Reserved

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