I have seen people here mention The Solid Gold Dancers before, I thought you might get a kick out of this.

: I have seen people here mention The Solid Gold
: Dancers before, I thought you might get a
: kick out of this.
What years were Solid Gold on TV? I used to watch it when I was really young.

: What years were Solid Gold on TV? I used to
: watch it when I was really young.

It was 1980-1988.

: It was 1980-1988.

Okay, I just found that site I was referring to, thanks to ChuckyG's "Search" feature here on this message board. Credit BoyOfCorn in one of his posts back on October 3. Click on "THE HOSTS" at the bottom of the home page...

: It was 1980-1988.

Wasn't it only 1980-86, w/ possibly a special or two after that??? I seem to recall reading that at a "SG" web site that someone else here provided a link to in an earlier post. I don't recall the show being around after I graduated HS, which was also in '86. I did watch it religiously from about 1982-85 (along w/ "America's Top 10", hosted by Casey Kasem)...

: Wasn't it only 1980-86, w/ possibly a special
: or two after that??? I seem to recall
: reading that at a "SG" web site
: that someone else here provided a link to in
: an earlier post. I don't recall the show
: being around after I graduated HS, which was
: also in '86. I did watch it religiously from
: about 1982-85 (along w/ "America's Top
: 10", hosted by Casey Kasem)...

Hi!

The show was on from 1980-88. However, our web site only covers September 1980 through August 1986. During the summer of 1986, the producers decided to "change the look" of the show. Most of the dancers, as well as choreographer Anita Mann, were replaced. I believe the show was actualy cancelled due to low ratings.

What I cant seem to remember is who ripped off who? Meaning the Midnight Special Dancers vs. the Solid Gold Dancers. The Midnight Special had dancers dancing thru a countdown of the current hits of the time toward the end of its run, but I swear it was before Solid Gold started. Basicially Solid Gold replaced everything the Midnight Special did, i.e. music performers, hosts, dancers and comic acts. Midnight Special was a much better
show in my opinion. Solid Gold was corny as were the silly dancers. Aj

: What I cant seem to remember is who ripped off
: who? Meaning the Midnight Special Dancers
: vs. the Solid Gold Dancers. The Midnight
: Special had dancers dancing thru a countdown
: of the current hits of the time toward the
: end of its run, but I swear it was before
: Solid Gold started. Basicially Solid Gold
: replaced everything the Midnight Special
: did, i.e. music performers, hosts, dancers
: and comic acts. Midnight Special was a much
: better
: show in my opinion. Solid Gold was corny as
: were the silly dancers. Aj

Hi AJ!

Yes, the Midnight Special did precede Solid Gold and was on the air from 1973-83. Helen Reddy hosted from 1975-77. Wolfman Jack served as the announcer. The show was produced by NBC.

As for Solid Gold and the silly dancers: Kevin Carlisle, the show's original choreographer who created the Solid Gold Dancers, said the following regarding what his "vision" of what the the Solid Gold Dancers would be:

"I wanted to put together a group of dancers that was made
up of eight totally different, unique individuals that the
audience could recognize. I felt it was time to make a
change from the background wallpaper that dancers usually
seemed to be on television where you could never
distinguish one from another and give the audience a chance to know them. I also wanted the producers to perceive the
dancers as a definite asset to the show with as much value
as some of the "star" performers they booked."

Actually, I am a bit surpirised by your low opinion of Solid Gold & the Dancers because you posted a message on our board offering copies of tapes of the shows. I can't imagine why someone who thinks the show was "corny" and the dancers "silly" would not only have taped the shows, but kept the tapes all these years!

: What I cant seem to remember is who ripped off
: who? Meaning the Midnight Special Dancers
: vs. the Solid Gold Dancers. The Midnight
: Special had dancers dancing thru a countdown
: of the current hits of the time toward the
: end of its run, but I swear it was before
: Solid Gold started. Basicially Solid Gold
: replaced everything the Midnight Special
: did, i.e. music performers, hosts, dancers
: and comic acts. Midnight Special was a much
: better
: show in my opinion. Solid Gold was corny as
: were the silly dancers. Aj

Hi AJ!

Yes, the Midnight Special did precede Solid Gold and was on the air from 1973-83. Helen Reddy hosted from 1975-77. Wolfman Jack served as the announcer. The show was produced by NBC.

As for Solid Gold and the silly dancers: Kevin Carlisle, the show's original choreographer who created the Solid Gold Dancers, said the following regarding what his "vision" of what the the Solid Gold Dacers would be:
"I wanted to put together a group of dancers that was made
up of eight totally different, unique individuals that the
audience could recognize. I felt it was time to make a
change from the background wallpaper that dancers usually
seemed to be on television where you could never
distinguish one from another and give the audience a chance to know them. I also wanted the producers to perceive the
dancers as a definite asset to the show with as much value
as some of the "star" performers they booked."

Actually, I am a bit surpirised by your low opinion of Solid Gold & the Dancers because you posted a message on our board offering copies of tapes of the shows. I can't imagine why someone who thinks the show was "corny" and the dancers "silly" would not only have taped the shows, but kept the tapes all these years!

: Yes, the Midnight Special did precede Solid
: Gold and was on the air from 1973-83. Helen
: Reddy hosted from 1975-77. Wolfman Jack
: served as the announcer. The show was
: produced by NBC.

Hi!

Those dates are incorrect, it aired on NBC from 1973-1981 (pilot in 1972). The last two years the show was re-packaged for syndication.

: As for Solid Gold and the silly dancers: Kevin
: Carlisle, the show's original choreographer
: who created the Solid Gold Dancers,

I dont question the strong base of both the show
and the dancers, but I do have a right to my opinion. The Steve Meritt Dancers on the Midnight Special danced the Top 10 songs of the week in the exact same fashion as Solid Gold. In fact, and I do not know this, but these dancers very well may have moved on to Solid Gold for their next gig.

I feel a show should center around the host
and the guest musical artists of the day.
The Midnight Special went downhill fast when it too added tacky silly dancers and stand up comics and actors hosting the show. It lost its true substances and that was performances with live artists. Solid Gold had dancers and stand up comics on their show and it was the same formula I hated on the Midnight Special. But I also respected and enjoyed the *live* performances (lip synched like all shows) of many famous artists, even Frank Sinatra who performed on the show in 1986. I am a big fan but I never cared for the dancers. When they came on it was either a potty break for me or I just laughed at their tacky 80s hair and costumes. I have the right to my own opinon as you do. I never knew the fan base was so high for these dancers until I saw the website in their honor. I think its great they have a following that is so strong 20 years later, I'm all for it. But its not my cup of tea.

: Actually, I am a bit surpirised by your low
: opinion of Solid Gold & the Dancers
: because you posted a message on our board
: offering copies of tapes of the shows. I
: can't imagine why someone who thinks the
: show was "corny" and the dancers
: "silly" would not only have taped
: the shows, but kept the tapes all these
: years!

See above, I loved Solid Gold performances of some of my most favorite artists, I watched the show every week and even admit to liking Madam the puppet who does not get the respect she deserves.

Your SG Dancer peers have enjoyed my tapes so they can see the dancers from that era and others have enjoyed the artists on the show, which is what I feel Solid Gold was all about-the music guests.

Hey, it was a formula that worked back then. I'm not saying it "sucked", I am saying it was tacky.
I think alot of stuff that came out of the 80s were tacky, even stuff I do like, i.e. music, tv, movies, etc.

Aj