The Big Beat

Country

United States

How it feels

A 1950s TV dance show hosted by Alan Freed, it was the first national rock n roll dance program. After only four episodes, it was canceled because a Black singer danced with a white audience member.

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What happens

The Big Beat is an American music and dance television program broadcast on the ABC Network in 1957. It was hosted by Alan Freed, and subsequently by Richard Hayes. The program debuted on May 4, 1957, four months before American Bandstand, making it the United States' "first nationally-televised rock 'n roll dance show". The Wall Street Journal summarized the end of the program as follows. "Four episodes into “The Big Beat,” Freed’s prime-time TV music series on ABC, the show was canceled after black singer Frankie Lymon was seen on TV dancing with a white audience member". (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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