Edward Kelly (dancer)
Edward (Eddie) 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 in Kensington, 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 School.
An avid fan of American Bandstand, Kelly made his first appearance on the show in 1959. 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
Radio Hits of 1958 Town Hall New York City June 30, 2008
Nice Beat, Nasty Band The Philadelphia Inquirer - January 13, 2002
Full page photo in The Official American Bandstand Library Rock & Roll CD Booklet
Reminisce Extra/Magazine "Remembering Dick Clark July 2012"
Ryan Secrest Is the Man for Dick Clark's Job American Bandstand Regular Eddie Kelly "abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Dick Clark April 22, 2012"
Featured Dick Clark Dancer The Jersey Journal Charles Hack 7/11/12
Featured Dick Clark American Bandstand Dancer What's The Buzz April 19, 2012 "Fox TV News"