Ann Marie Maslan Ann Marie an only child, lived in Chicago with her father, a crane operator, and her mother, a housewive, She convinced her parents to let her fly to American Bandstand at 15, and she stayed in a hoel with Marlene Mizanin.
She became fast friends withn Richie Cartledge, Steve Lewis, Allene Silverman, Myra Horowitz and Bobby Baritz.
After college Ann Marie worked at the University of Chicago as a Cytopathology Lab Manger. She stills lives in Chicago in a lakefront apartment Thom Cardwell Born in Philadelphia on April 4, 1945, to the late Rexford Cardwell and Phyllis Ferrante, Thom was five when the family moved to the suburbs Both of his parents, his father of Irish and Welsh descent who was a Southern Baptist from North Carolina, and his mother, an Italian Roman Catholic from Connecticut, were first-generation Americans.
As a child, he organized elaborate neighborhood productions of Peter Pan and The Mikado, assigning every kid a role — with rules about rehearsals and commitment. To fund the plays, the troupe sold rummage items at flea markets and charged 20 cents for admission. One year, they raised $40 and donated it to a cancer organization. At age 10, Thom wrote and starred in his first of many annual "Summer Stage" neighborhood plays in the Cardwell's Westbrook Park home in 1955. At Monsigner Bonner High School, a friend had two passes to American Bandstand. So one afternoon he took Thom along. Thom fit in ann throughly enjoyed himself. He danced the whole show, and they gave them a passes to come back. While his friend didn’t return, Thom became a Regular for more than three years, earning fan mail and pen pals. He also began writing behind-the-scenes dispatches — an early taste of the spotlight and journalism.
As a teenager Thom appeared on screen during a 1963 episode of "American Bandstand" filmed in West Philadelphia American Bandstand gave him a taste for the entertainment industry. He became a Regular also began his career as a writer - a ghost writer for 16 Magazine writing gossip about the show, the Regulars and their lives on and off the show. Thom earned a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from St. Francis College in 1966, and began a Ph.D. in British and American literature at Fordham University a year later. He also took film classes at The New School and Villanova University, choosing his schools largely for their proximity to New York City. Thom has been a film producer, director, screenwriter, publisher, and public relations guy, event planner, and columnist.
Thom moved to Memphis around 2019 with his longtime partner, Randal Edelstein. The couple later moved back to Philadelphia, settling in Germantown.
Thom Cardwell, 79, died Jan. 2, 2025, after a year long battle with health complications. He is survived by his partner, Randal Edelstein; sister, Janice Canfield. Carmella
Astrella Carmella was an American Bandstand dancer from 1961 to 1963 (age 13 to 15). She remembered growing up in South Philadelphia as the best childhood, until her father was killed in an auto accident when she was 13.
She wanted to quit school and become a dancer, but thought better of it. After high school, Carmella worked in a bank and did office work, She met her first husband when she was a senior in high school. She married a second time and was divorced a second time.
Carmella had three daughtera and five grandchildren. Carmella Astrell died in 2016 at the age of 69 Richie
Cartledge Richie was one of the most popular Regulars of the 1960s. He went to American Bandstand in the summer of 1962 where he met Paula Kopicko on the first day.he attended. He and Paula won first place in the 1962 Mashed Potato Contest. Geri Ianetti was another favorite partner.
Ritchie attended John Bartram High School and wanted to be a commercial artist when he grew-up. He was good friends with Marlene Mizanin and Anne Marie Maslan whom he visted at her home in Chicago during vacations Richie died from AIDS in 1991 in Los Angeles where he lived and had his own successful business. Marlyn Brown
Marlyn Brown lived in Northeast Philadelphia three blocks from her close friend Diane Iaquinto. She had one younger brother Frank. Marlyn wasn't quite 14 when she first got on the show and became one of the last Regulars on American Bandstand. Marlyn went to the show daily. In 1962. She came in second place with Frankie Vacca in the Mashed Potato Contest, winning a $1000 wardrobe. She and Frankie went together to their senior prom together. Marlyn graduated from high school at 17. After high school she worked at Sears Roebuck, for a psychiatrist as a receptionist, and as a administrative assistant for an insurance company, worked at Sears Credit Union, where she retired in 2011. Marlyn had two daughters, Deborah and Sandra Laurenzi and four grandsons; James Laurenzi, Matthew Laurenzi, William Laurenzi, and Noel Igoe.
Her friendship with Diane Iaquinto began in the first grade when they were two of one hundred students in their class.
Marlyn passed away on May 9, 2024. Donna Fusaro Donna lived in Andalusia northeast Philadelphia suburb with her parents, Ray and Ann, and two younger sisters, Rae Ann and Renee. Even before she attended Bensalem High School, she took the 45 minute bus and el trip to American Bandstand alone at the age of 12. She would do her homework on the bus. The first day she went Jay Jacovini got her on by passing her off as Justine Carrelli's younger sister. He introduced her to Carmen and Ivette Jimenez and Frani Giordano. Donna would get to the show late every afternoon, but walked past the lines, up to Bob the Cop, who was sitting outside waiting for her, and he would open the door to the studio for her.
Donna met Mike Candolara and they became boyfriend and girlfriend. Donna is happily retired. In her working life she was a hairdressr, cosmetologist, a mortgage broker, a funeral-director-embalmer, an EMT paramedic, an owner of a four wallpaper stores in Florida and an owner of a medical marketing company. She has been married twice and has lived in Puerto Rico, Florida and Georgia.. She has one married son. Above current as of 2016 Marlene was born and raised in Chicago. Her parents were George and Martha Mizanin She had a brother Gregory and a sister Millicent. She graduated from St. Francis de Sales High School, Class of 1963. During her high school years, she often traveled to Philadelphia to dance on American Bandstand and even had a fan club. She became lifelong friend of Myrna Horowitz and Ann Marie Maslan. After moving to California in 1979, Marlene worked for the City of Palmdale. After her retirement as Director of Human Resources in 2004 she returned to Chicago. Marlene had two daughters, Melanie and Jinnie Mizanin and three grandchildren, Tyler, Abigayle and Kayla. Marlene died peacefully after struggling through ovarian cancer on March 18, 2016, in Chicago, Illinois at the age of 70. Bob DiPietro Born February 9, 1944 in Philadelphia, he was the son of Balilla and Margaret (Meloro) DiPietro. Bob, older brother of Regular Arlene DiPietro, tried several times to get on American Bandstand in 1960 before Bob the Cop finally let him in. Bob's interest in going to the show was to meet and eventually date Joann Franchi. But the first time he left the bleachers to go the dance floor was when Arlene Sullivan called him down, telling him her mother thought he was attractive and that she should ask him to dance. Bob was employed with Teleflex for over 25 years, retiring as President in 1999. He and his wife Sandra lived in Landsdale, Pennsylvania and had two children; Jamie and Christopher and two grandchildren; Evan and Cole. He and Sandra would have celebrated 50 years of marriage on September 25, 2021
Bob died September 22, 2021 at the age of 77. Nicky
Fiorentino Nicky learned to dance being the "doorkob" with whom his three sisters practiced the latest dance steps. They encouraged him to attend the show, where he was the frequent partner of Arlene DiPietro. They danced together in the 1961 Pony Contest.
Nicky was a teamsters for 43 years |
Susan Selikson Susan was on the many of the Regulars that danced on the show at 12, because nobody checked her ID.
She took the bus and the Frankfort el everyday from her home in Northwest Philadelphia. Marlyn Brown and Diane Iaquinto were often on the same train. After high school Suan became a hairdressser, then bcame a registered nurse specializing in geriatics for 20 years.
She is the mother of two and lives in Houston, Texas. Anna Russo
Anna Russo was from South Philadelphia. Anna had three siblings. She was one on the last Regulars that danced on American Bandstand. She had idolized Arlene Sullivan, but went on to meet Steve Lewis. They became close friends. After high school she was a go-go dancer in Philadelphia. A diabetic, she became disabled as a double amputee. She lived with a daughter and an aide to assist her untl her death February 22, 20022 at the 75. She had two children Victor and Christina. She had two grandchildren Brittany Ramos, Kay Ramos as well as a great-grandmother of Skyla Tosado and step geat-grandmother of Noah Galarza. Rick Peterson Rick lived in Wilmington, Delaware with a brother and sister. It was long trip by train and th el, but Rick loved dancing on American Bandstand. He also looked like a twin brother of Richie Cartledge and they became fast friends.
Ron's dance partners were Angel Mazza and Geri Ianetti.
Career-wise, Rick has been in the shoe and grocery businessess, a hair stylist, and freight handler for UPS. Since retiring in 2012 he has in commercials, television shows and movies, mostly in background roles. He has one daughter, Deserae and two sons.
Paula Kopicko was born September 27, 1947.
Dick Clark nicknamed Paula "Mighty Mouse" because she was only 4'10" and her frentic dance style. She lived in South Philadelphia and her favorite dance partner was Rich Cartledge. Her close girlfriends included Marlyn Brown and Joanne Hall. Paula had two children Robert Giampietro and Jennifer Pienkowski; and three grandchildren, Ava, Jack and Christopher. Paula passed away May 21 2007 at the age of 59. Diane Iaquinto Diane live in North Philadelphia and was an only child. Her father worked on a factory assembly line putting parts in Philco televisions; her mother workrd on an assembly line in the food canning industry. In the summer of 1960, two months shy of her fourteenth birday, Diane and her best friend Marilyn Brown, started going to American Bandstand. It took them almost an hour to get there by bus and el. Michael
Candolara Michael was an only child growing up in South Philadelphia. His father drove a trolley and a bus and his mother was a secretary. Michael went to American Bandstand to met girls. He danced with and dated Donna Fusaro for over three years. After high school he joined a band and played the guitar three or four nighs weekly. Michael went to college at night while working days making helicopter parts, than as a buthcherm and finally working in the post office for over 30 years, retiring as a supervisor in 2001 The Condoloras have three daughters and two grandchildren and live in south New Jersey, Arlene
DiPietro Arlene lived in Drexel Hill with her brother Bob. Her mother was a bank teller and father a welder. When her mother was home recovering from an operation, she encouraged Arlene and Bob to go on the show so she could enjoy seeing them on television.
Nick Gaeta asked her to dance and introduced her to other Regulars. Arlene was more into studying, so she didn't party that much with the Regulars. She prefered college age guys and the boys in the neighborhood she met through her brother Bob. Arlene graduated with a two-year Associate Degree and became a legal secretary. Afterwards she worked for the vice-president of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange. Arlene was married 32 years, and has two adult daughters, Arlene remarried in 2015 to Sue Peterman and now lives in suburban Philadelphia. Tony Origlio Tom was a regular on American Bandstand from 1961 to 1963. He moved to New York in 1970 to pursue an acting career. Tony worked some off-Broadway and in television and film.. He performed in all the disco sequences in Saturday Night Fever.
Tony became a theatrical publist and started his own public relations agency in Manhattan in 1979. He handled publicity for theaters, actors, including Meryl Streep, Kyra Sedgwick, Halley Mills, Mia Farrow and Eartha Kitt, unitl 2016. After he sold the firm, Tony and his partner of 43 years Kip Vanderbilt of years, moved to a small hilltop town in Orvieto in Umbria, Italy. He now divides his time between Orvieto and San Francisco.. Elsie Tillman Elsie was an only child that grew up in Northeast Philadelphia. Elsie began dancing on Bandstand when she was 12. Because Elsie was tall (5' 8") she got on the show easily. Elsie took the bus and the el for an hour everyday to get to the show. Her Bandstand friends included Michele Leibowitz, Bobby Baritz, Phil Maxwell, Aileen Silverman, and Joyce Shaffer. She went to college for one wanting to be an art major and a dress designer. However, Elsie left and went into insurance and real estate. Elsie is married to her second husband, has two children and one grandchild. Doris Olsen was born in 1945, the Philadelphia daughter August Gransbach and Susan Virginia Balthaser. The Drexel Hill native had brother August and a sister Suzanne. She attended Upper Darby High School, class of 1962, and was a former model. Doris enjoyed dancing and was a Regular on American Bandstand with Dick Clark. Olson resided in Drexel Hill before moving to her current residence 20 years ago. She married James Piampiano and had a daughter Danielle and a son David. She had four grandchildren; Nicholas, Leo, Alexandra and Carmella. Doris died October 5, 2019 at her home in Springfield, she was 75. Dominic John Cione's most frequent dance partner was Carole Scaldeferri whom he danced with in the 1960 Jitterbug Contest. According to his his high school yearbook, his secret ambition was to own a Lincoln Continental. He also wanted to model men's clothing, and be remembered for originating new dance steps. Don passed away January 15, 1987 at the age of 45. Florence
(Flossie) Harvey Flossie was the youngest the youngest of six children born to a stay at home mom ans a father engineer. Because of the vast age difference between her and her siblings, she often felt like an only child. Flossie went to South Philadelphia High School Originally Billy Cook, who was always visting at her sister's home, suggest that Flossie visit American Bandstand and got het a ticket. She had a close group of friends that included George Kralle, Mike Balara, Frankie Vacca, Carole Scadeferri, Frani Giordano, Peggy Leonard and Arlene Sullivan. She dated Louie Lucas for a year. George Kralle threw her a a Sweet 16 party in his backyard and a 16 Magazine photographed it for a three-page story. One weekend Flossie, Louie, Frani and a date were invited to a dance show in Altoona, PA. They were introduced and danced on the stage. The next Monday when she and Frani went to the Regular's entrance at the show. they were stopped by Bob the Cop who said "You aren't amatuers any more. You are barred from the show". From that time on, each week different Regulars were barred, with new set of Regulars replacing them.
Flossie married Bill Mancini February 20, 1966 at the age 19. They owned a catering house, Mancini Caterers of Philadelphia, for many years until it burned down. They had a daughter Deanine.
After Bandstand she maintained a friendship with Joe Fusco, who had Tuesday night dinner party every week that the regulars were invited too. Flossie is a member of The Original Bandstand Dancers that Fusco put together They perform dance routines for corporations and scoial events for awhile. She also was in the movie The Twist, which was produced in Canada. Flossie and Bill live in Brigantine, New Jersey. |
