Short answers, pulled from the story.
American Bandstand premiered in late March 1952 on Philadelphia television station WFIL-TV Channel 6. The show originated from Studio B in West Philadelphia's original 1947 building before shifting to feature teenagers dancing on camera by the 7th of October 1952.
Dick Clark hosted American Bandstand when it launched nationally on the 5th of August 1957. ABC president Thomas W. Moore approved the national broadcast after Clark presented his vision for the afternoon time slot, and Lee Stewart served as co-host alongside Horn until 1955 prior to this transition.
By 1959, the program reached approximately 20 million viewers nationwide. Color experimentation occurred briefly in 1958 before reverting to black-and-white due to camera limitations during this period of rapid growth.
Beginning in 1954, producers implemented measures to limit Black attendance despite featuring African-American R&B performers like The Chords. Dick Clark claimed responsibility for desegregating the show after taking over in 1957, though review of footage reveals the audience remained almost exclusively white until relocation to Los Angeles in 1964.
Freddy Cannon holds the record for most appearances with 110 performances across the series run. Donna Summer became the only singer to co-host alongside Dick Clark on the 27th of May 1978, while artists generally lip-synced to their latest singles while original recordings played for home viewers.
The final show aired the 7th of October 1989 ending the series' 37-year run. Traditional live formats increasingly viewed outdated compared to newer programs offering video content, leading to cancellation after a cable iteration launched the 8th of April 1989 on USA Network that lasted only 26 weeks.