''Upbeat'' is a syndicated musical

variety show Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical performances, sketch comedy, magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is normally introduced by a comp ...

produced in Cleveland, Ohio at

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

affiliate

WEWS-TV WEWS-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, affiliated with ABC. It has been owned by the E. W. Scripps Company since its inception in 1946, making it one of two stations that have been built and signed on by ...

5 that aired from 1964 to 1971 (the last five years airing nationally in

first run syndication Broadcast syndication is the practice of leasing the right to broadcasting television shows and radio programs to multiple television stations and radio stations, without going through a broadcast network. It is common in the United States where ...

History

Originally titled as ''The Big 5 Show'', the series began as a local program when it premiered in 1964, the name was a reference to WEWS Channel 5 and the 5 to 6 p.m. time slot on Saturday afternoons. When the program became syndicated nationally, the name of the show was changed to ''Upbeat'', and as stations had the option of airing the program at different times, the program's title change was necessary. The introduction of the program commenced with a studio musician shouting "hey let's go with the Upbeat show!" as the in-house band, Dave C and the Sharptones, would play the introductory theme song with the program's main title logo, slowly exploding and coming back together again in a quasi-animated frame by frame fashion as the performers were announced for that particular episode. The series was aired in black and white from 1964 until 1967, then broadcast in color from 1967 until the series demise in 1971. The program's host, Don Webster, was a familiar face to WEWS viewers. In addition to hosting "Upbeat," Webster was also WEWS' weatherman on their nightly newscasts. ''Upbeat'' was inducted into the inaugural class of the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in August 2013.

Local and area performers

In addition to such local talent as The People's Choice, Ivan and the Sabers, Rapid Transit, the GTOs, the Grasshoppers, the Baskerville Hounds, Bocky and the Visions, the Damnation of Adam Blessing, the

James Gang James Gang is an American rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1966. The band went through a variety of line-up changes until they recorded their first album as a power trio consisting of Joe Walsh (guitars, lead vocals), Tom Kriss (bass), a ...

and Raspberries founder

Eric Carmen Eric Howard Carmen (born August 11, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and keyboardist. He was first known as the lead vocalist of the Raspberries. He had numerous hit songs in the 1970s and 1980s, first as a member of the Rasp ...

, many regional performers gaining national exposure also appeared on the show including

Question Mark & the Mysterians ? and the Mysterians (or Question Mark and the Mysterians) are an American garage rock band from Bay City and Saginaw in Michigan, initially active between 1962 and 1969. Much of the band's music consisted of electric organ-driven garage rock a ...

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and the Detroit Wheels, the Chylds, the Bob Seger System, Cleveland's the Outsiders and Canton's

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The ''Upbeat'' dancers

During years when "Go-Go" was popular, the show featured its own go-go girls made up of area young ladies dressed in the popular outfits and footwear of that period. Some of the original dancers included:

Jeff Kutash Jeff Kutash (b. 1945) is an American dancer and choreographer. Early life Jeff was born in Cleveland, Ohio. As a teen, he was a middleweight Golden Gloves boxer. Career Jeff Kutash began his entertainment career in Cleveland, Ohio, as a dancer ...

, Sue Dubbs, Danny Butler, Judy Kaye, Joan Kuchta, Sandy Salamone, Ginna Sloane, Dr. John Grove, Kathy Watson, Sandy Ashmun, Barbara Chapman, Linda Wike, Lynne Krause, John Harrison and Dave Carter. Prior to 1966, ''Upbeat'' was televised locally. By 1968 it was nationally syndicated in over 100 cities. The dancers during that period (1968–71) included: Joanne Zelasko, Jean Hagadorn, Arlee Gibson, Arline Burks, Linda Wike, Beverly Jones, Constance Gibson, Diane Rini, Jacquelyn Carson, Diane Friedl, John Magill, Kim Havrilla, Kathee Stiber, Jimmy Stallard, Linda Mulcahey, Mary Lynn Curnayn, Michael Ray, Patty Rutti and Peggy Miller. * Saturday's Crowd performing "Do I Still Figure In Your Life" * ? and the Mysterians * James Brown * Jackie Wilson *

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* The Box TopsScott, Jane. "TV-5 Goes 'Upbeat' for an hour tonight" ''The Plain Dealer'' January 18, 1995: 5E *

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* Stevie Wonder * John Denver * Jimmy Buffett * Raven *

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* The First Edition *

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* Steve Britt * Steppenwolf *

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* The Incredible Fog *

The Lemon Pipers The Lemon Pipers were a 1960s American psychedelic rock band from Oxford, Ohio, United States, known chiefly for their song " Green Tambourine", which reached No. 1 in the United States in 1968. The song has been credited as being the first bub ...

The Vogues The Vogues are an American vocal rock and roll group from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The original lineup consisted of Bill Burkette (lead baritone), Don Miller (baritone), Hugh Geyer (first tenor), and Chuck Blasko (s ...

* The Volcanics *

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The Easybeats The Easybeats were an Australian rock band that formed in Sydney in late 1964. They enjoyed a level of success that in Australia rivalled The Beatles. They became the first Australian rock act to score an international hit, with the 1966 sing ...

(performing "Friday On My Mind" and "Heaven And Hell") *

Otis Redding Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...

with the

Bar-Kays The Bar-Kays are an American funk band formed in 1964. The band had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including "Soul Finger" (US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 number 17, R&B number 3) in 1967, "Son of Shaft" (R&B number 10) in ...

(Appeared on December 9, 1967; Redding and four members of the Bar-Kays died in a plane crash the next day) *

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* The Barbarians *

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* Jefferson Airplane *

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* Inez & Charlie Foxx * Lesley Gore * Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons *

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* Richard and the Young Lions – two appearances *

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(1969) This is believed to have been the band's only national TV appearance. *

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* Keith and the Wild Kingdom * Wilmer and the Dukes *

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* The Mob * The Outsiders *

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* The New Colony Six * The Mauds *

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* The Epic Splendor * The Epitome Of Sound *

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The Blue Jays - originated in Providence, RI ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

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References

External links

"Retro Radio" with Joe Madigan a WIXY-1260 tribute show on WJCU-FM.(nod to "Upbeat" show)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Upbeat (Tv Series) 1960s American music television series 1970s American music television series 1960s American variety television series 1970s American variety television series 1964 American television series debuts 1971 American television series endings Black-and-white American television shows Dance television shows First-run syndicated television programs in the United States Pop music television series Television in Cleveland

History

Local and area performers

The ''Upbeat'' dancers

See also

References

External links