In 1960, my summer place became Palisades Amusement Park, an old-fashioned cotton candy wonderland, overlooking upper Manhattan from atop the New Jersey palisades. From early spring and into the fall, Channel 13 broadcast The Clay Cole Summer Show, six nights a week from the casino band shell, next to “the world’s largest outdoor saltwater pool,” a sandy beach with an artificial wave-making machine.
The band shell provided the perfect set-up: a stage, dance floor and – a cocktail bar!
Each Saturday and Sunday offered-up the famous rock ‘n’ roll stage show with deejays “Cousin” Bruce Morrow - prancing the stage in his leopard-skin suit - the soft-spoken
Hal Jackson and the WABC radio gang.  Every artist who ever stepped into a recording studio appeared on that stage,  a “gag” that brought fame to the artist, and a fortune to park's owner Irving Rosenthal. The Free-Act Stage had a double meaning; acts appeared  for no payment, and audience paid no admission.  Irving offered the artists a week of promotion, hiring squads of paperhangers to strike in the middle of the night,  plastering giant three-sheet posters all over Manhattan, announcing each week’s headliners. My picture on those posters made me a household name, to households that would never have considered watching a rock ‘n’ roll television show. I was plastered all over town. 
Neil Sedaka drove himself to the park from Brooklyn, placing his brand new 45 on the dashboard and the heat of the summer sunshine warped the record.  Arriving at The Casino stage absolutely dejected, Neil offered up a record looking like a licorice doily.  Naturally, that was his only copy.  (Neil’s rippled record was “Run Sampson Run,” a song that barely made a ripple on the charts either.)  Death by the Dashboard Light!

Seventeen-year-old Fabian’s appearance attracted the biggest crowd of the summer with packs of star-struck, screeching girls. Fabian’s arrival was uneventful, but once in the park, after a chorus of “Tiger,” his summer hit, (also his biggest-ever chart hit) and “Turn Me Loose,” he became a prisoner of Palisades. There was no exit gate close enough for a hasty safe retreat; Irving Rosenthal to the rescue. In minutes, a helicopter swooped down on the park, blades whirring, kicking up dust, slicing a safety zone, and simply whisked the terrified Fabian up, up and away. Irving turned to the gathered press photographers and mumbled. “Did you get that?" One sweet gag.
As it turned out, Brian Hyland proved to be more than a one hit wonder, with solid future hits, among them “Gypsy Woman” and “Sealed With A Kiss.”

Chubby, then 19-years-old, came to us with a new tune, a song that inspired and excited our producer, Kenny Whelan, who could shoot Ferris wheels, wheels-of-fortune, tilt-a-whirl, anything spinning, round and round to the beat. We also asked Chubby to perform a second song, so we flipped his 45 to the B-side, “The Twist,” written a year earlier by Hank Ballard, recorded with his group, The Midnighters, then quickly forgotten.
This was the first time Chubby Checker’s “Twist” was seen, heard and demonstrated on television. Chubby claims never to have seen Hank & the Midnighters perform the Twist, so he just made-up appropriate twisting movements. In 1960, Boomers began twisting.
Palisades Amusement Park shut down on Labor Day Weekend 1971, with 100,000 faithful fans saying good-bye. Irving Rosenthal’s final “gag” was selling the property for $12.5 million.  A small memorial now sits in front of The Winston Towers in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, marking the spot the entrance-gates once stood. The $20,000 cost of the shrine was elicited by selling inscribes bricks in the walkway. Two bricks lay there inscribed to me, one purchased in my honor by Ray Reneri, the second donated by my devoted fan-club president, Marcia Habib.
Hot August Night: Our Satuday show with guest Bruce Morrow, who introduced my debut performance of "Here There Everywhere," my first  single, produced by Teddy Vann.
The Bossman , Irving Rosenthal, the park's much-loved owner, telling me about his latest "gag."
♪ Ride the coaster... Get cool, In the waves in the pool.
You'll have fun, so, come on over ♪
  "Miss American Teenager" 1960
This was a Sunday afternoon in 1967, mid-April, early in the Spring, but the park was open and
in full swing. By the mid-60s Boy-Bands ruled, and I was there introducing The Age of Reason,
five teenagers from the northern half of the Bronx: Kenny Dale on guitar, Sid Sheres lead guitar, Phil Marden on Bass, Alan Turner on vocals and Larry Russell, drums. 
Their big local hit was  "(Your Love is Like a) Magnet."
Far left (in sunglasses) is me deep into a conversation with DJ Hal Jackson.
1960. The Free Act Stage,  with Jay & the Americans -- their initial lineup was John "Jay" Traynor on lead, Howard Kane, Kenny Vance, Sandy Deanne 
Brian Hyland and Chubby Checker became our two memorable summer of 1960-stars.
Brian became the ideal symbol for our summer show,
a blonde, bashful fifteen-year-old, with the perfect beach song, “Itzy Bitsy Teeny Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,” an innocent novelty written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss.  Brian appeared regularly as we watched his song climb to No.1 in July ’60 on the Billboard Hot 100. 
Palisades Amusement Park: A Century of Fond Memories
Originally published in 1995, "Palisades Amusement Park: A Century of Fond Memories" became the fastest seller in the history of Rutgers University Press. This best-selling book is finally back and now available in a soft cover edition.
With its two hundred pages, this oversized coffee table book captures every fond memory of the famous New Jersey fun spot . . . the vinegar-soaked french fries, the Tunnel of Love, the world's largest outdoor salt water pool, and so much more.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Gene Cornish played with Joey Dee & the Starlighters, and the Young Rascals, two legendary rock 'n' roll combos.

But few remember he was fronting a group called the Unbeatables, an R&B-based club band, equally at home on slow ballads ("Happy Birthday, Baby," "Talk To Me") or fast dance numbers.  The group was still tied to the influence of early-'60s pop/rock, retaining elements of harmony vocal music in their work, and represented essentially a transitional phase between early-'60s doo wop and the sound that Cornish was to perfect with Cavaliere and Brigati in the Rascals. The Unbeatables, whose name was likely a play on the Beatles' name, made a small splash in 1964 with the single "I Wanna Be a Beatle," and amid their harmony vocals and old-style rock & roll numbers, they showed the influence of the British Invasion on songs like "Oh! Misery." 
1n 1977, Cornish released an album, Live at Palisades Amusement Park, that presented his pre-Rascals recordings, including "I Wanna Be a Beatle," "Rockin' Robin," "Peanuts," "What'd I Say," "You're Gonna Cry Someday," and even Cole Porter's "I Love Paris."  A rare collectors 'roots' CD.
This newly revised edition includes an all new Photo Scrapbook... 20 new pages with over 100 new photographs. The book also features an introduction to the soft cover edition and updated information throughout the book to make this the most comprehensive work ever on the history of Palisades Amusement Park. Palisades Park Historical Society
Tri-Borough Trivia: The Excellents (John Kuse, lead)  from the Bronx, sing about a
"Coney Island Baby" from Brooklyn on-stage at Palisades Park in New Jersey.

There is now an online discussion community called  "Palisades Amusement Park," with a
message board. You can view discussion folders quickly in the left-hand column and read up to
20 messages at a time. You can even attach files (such as pictures and programs) directly to messages -- just like Email. It's fast, easy, and efficient. Other options include real-time Chat, voice chat, and polls; this Forum is public so anyone can participate http://www.delphi.com/palisadespark1
Palisades Park, Summer 1960, behind-the-scenes of the Clay Cole Summer Show
captured on a silent 8mm camera, the only known clip of the show.
You will see brief acts on the Free Act Stage (including the three Belmonts), and the live TV Show as Clay intros Murray the K, sings and dances 'the Twist'                   (Courtesy Pat Salerno) 
Artist Edward Malillo puts the finishing touches on his breathtaking Palisades Amusement Park tribute mural. 
The Point Restaurant, serving in the Palisades Park area for over four decades, now has new decor, including a three wall mural high above and over the main entrance.
Ed Malillo is the noted artist who also produced the chapter illustrations
in the book "Palisades Amusement Park: A Century of Fond Memories"
More Sixties Summer
Free-Act Stage snapshots
This page was last updated: November 12, 2009
Free-Act Stage Photos: More Palisades Amusement Park Memories
Rare Video Uncovered
Palisades Amusement Park,
Clay Cole Show, 1960.

Backstory:  Our dance champs, Peter Salerno and
Pat Passa, met on our show, and on this show we announced their engagement  and forthcoming  wedding.  Peter's Uncle filmed portions on an
8mm silent  film camera.
(Audio was added later by Pat Salerno)
You will see:
  Palisade's Free Act Stage:
  Unidentified Male Group
  Girl Singer:  Donna Marie - ?
  Belmonts: Fred, Carlo, Angelo
The Clay Cole TV Show being broadcast "live" from the  park.
Clay intros Murray the K
Clay sings "Here There and Everywhere"
Pat Passa cries, comforted by
our other female teen dancers
and . . . Everyone Twists!