Where the Action Is

Where the Action Is
Linda Scott and Steve Alaimo, regulars on the show, pictured in 1966.
Created by	Dick Clark
Country of origin	United States
Production company(s)	Dick Clark Productions
Release
Original network	ABC
Original release	June 27, 1965 – March 31, 1967

Where the Action Is or (WTAI) was a music-based television variety show in the United States from 1965–67. It was carried by the ABC network and aired each weekday afternoon. Created by Dick Clark as a spin-off of American Bandstand, Where the Action Is premiered on June 27, 1965.

Originally intended as a summer replacement and broadcast at 2 P.M. EDT, the show was successful enough for it to continue throughout the 1965-66 TV season, with a change in time period to 4:30 P.M. Eastern time following the horror soap opera Dark Shadows. Both programs attracted a young audience who watch the shows after school.

The show's theme song, "Action", became a hit single for Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon, peaking on the charts (#13) in September 1965. Most of the telecasts, all of which were produced in black-and-white, were taped at various locales in Southern California although a handful of segments were taped elsewhere in the country. The theme song was written by Steve Venet and Tommy Boyce. Later Boyce co-wrote songs for The Monkees.

The program had its own stable of performers, most notably Paul Revere & the Raiders, who served as the de facto house band. When the group departed the show in 1966, they were replaced by The Robbs and The Hard Times. Other regular performers on Action included the dance troupe Pete Manifee and the Action Kids. Individual episodes featured a wide range of guest performers, as detailed below.

Also appearing were Steve Alaimo, Keith Allison, and Linda Scott. Ms. Scott had a few hit singles as a teenager in the early 1960s; she was only 20 when "Action" premiered.

The weekday program was cancelled on March 31, 1967, with the network giving its local affiliates the time slot. However, members of the program's mainstay band Paul Revere and the Raiders (with lead vocalist Mark Lindsay) hosted very similar follow-up shows; both Revere and Lindsay hosted Happening '68, a Saturday afternoon follow-up to American Bandstand, and a weekday version of the same show, It's Happening, from 1968 to 1969. Both shows were produced by Dick Clark's production company for ABC.

Regulars

• Dick Clark (Host. Except for a brief cameo at the beginning of the pilot and subsequently at the end of the final episode, otherwise he only appeared in off-camera voice-overs to introduce performers)
• Paul Revere and The Raiders (1965–1966)
• The Robbs (1966–1967)
• Keith Allison
• Steve Alaimo
• Tina Mason
• Linda Scott
• Pete Menefee & The Action Kids
• The Knickerbockers
• The Hard Times
• Don and the Goodtimes
• Tommy Roe

Guest performers (partial list)

Al Martino Aretha Franklin B.J. Thomas Barbara Lewis Barbara Mason Barry McGuire Ben E. King Billy Joe Royal Billy Preston Billy Stewart Blues Magoos Bob Lind Bobby Freeman Bobby Fuller Four Bobby Goldsboro Bobby Hebb Bobby Rydell Bobby Vee Brenda Holloway Brenda Lee Brian Hyland Brook Benton Buck Owens Buffalo Springfield Captain Beefheart Chad & Jeremy Charlie Rich Cher Chet Baker Chris Montez Danny Hutton Davy Jones Dee Jay & The Runaways Dee Dee Sharp Del Shannon Diane Renay Dick and Dee Dee Dionne Warwick Don Grady Donovan Doris Troy Duane Eddy Dusty Springfield Eddie Hodges Eddie Holman Edwin Starr Five Americans Frankie Avalon Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Freddie & the Dreamers Freddy Cannon Gale Garnett Gary Lewis & the Playboys Gary U.S. Bonds Gene Pitney Glen Campbell Gloria Jones Herman's Hermits Ike & Tina Turner Jackie DeShannon

Jackie Lee Jackie Wilson James Brown & The Famous Flames James Darren Jan & Dean Jimmie Rodgers Jimmy Clanton Jimmy Velvet Jo Ann Campbell Jody Miller Joe Tex Johnny Rivers Johnny Tillotson Jr. Walker & the All Stars Ketty Lester Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles Laura Nyro Len Barry Lenny Welch Lesley Gore Lesley-Marie Colburn Little Anthony & The Imperials Little Richard Lou Christie Love Major Lance Marianne Faithfull Martha and the Vandellas Marvin Gaye Mary Wells Maxine Brown Mickey Rooney, Jr. Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels Neil Sedaka Nino Tempo and April Stevens Otis Redding Pamela Miller Paul Petersen Percy Sledge Peter & Gordon Petula Clark Question Mark & the Mysterians Ray Peterson Ray Stevens Ronnie Dove Rosey Grier Roy Clark Roy Head Roy Orbison Sam and Dave Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs Shadows of Knight Shirley Ellis Sir Douglas Quintet Smokey Robinson & The Miracles Sonny & Cher Stevie Wonder Strawberry Alarm Clock Terry Knight and the Pack The Animals The Association The Beau Brummels

The Byrds The Castaways The Classics (Classics IV) The Crystals The Cyrkle The Detergents The Dillards The Dixie Cups The Drifters The Everly Brothers The Fortunes The Grass Roots The Happenings The Hondells The Impressions The Kingsmen The Kingston Trio The Kinks The Knickerbockers The Left Banke The Lovin' Spoonful The Mamas & the Papas The McCoys Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders The Mojo Men The Moody Blues The Music Machine The Nashville Teens The Newbeats The Outsiders The Palace Guard The Righteous Brothers The Rose Garden The Shangri-Las The Small Faces The Spencer Davis Group The Spinners The Statler Brothers The Strangeloves The Sunrays The Supremes The Swingin' Medallions The Temptations The 13th Floor Elevators The Tokens The Toys The Turtles The Velvelettes The Ventures The Vibrations The Vogues The Who The Yardbirds The Zombies Them Tommy Sands Toni Basil Unit 4 + 2 Vic Dana The Walker Brothers We Five

External links

• "Where the Action Is" (1965) at the Internet Movie Database