The Clay Cole Sunday Show

November 4, 1964

The Clay Cole Show celebrated a first anniversary on Channel 11 by becoming their hottest property, their number one show. Rather than offer me a new contract, more money or a bonus, I was given a second hour show with additional duties. So the Clay Cole Sunday Show was created with a cast of fresh, young singers Tracey Dey, Angela Martin, Benny Thomas, Brian McCuen and the Del Satins.

There is no videtape evidence, but Freddie Ferrara of the Del Satins, now forty years with the Brooklyn Bridge, unearthed some 8mm film he shot backstage. Freddie has made still frames -- so here is what remains of the Clay Cole Sunday Show.

Producer Ken Johnson & Angela Martin        Richie Greene, Stan Zizka, Tommy Ferrara ... and me

Ken Johnson came through the revolving door marked Producer, a geeky comic book aficionado, who gave the show a boost of energy and a modern look.  Ken is the writer/producer/director who later (as Kenneth Johnson) created and developed The Incredible Hulk, Bionic Woman, Alien Nation and NBC’s sci-fi masterpiece, V.

So much for comic book geek!

Regular 8 is the original, standard 8mm movie film gauge introduced by Kodak in 1932. The idea was to take a strip of 16mm film, double the perforations and then run it through the camera twice; so simple yet it revolutionized amateur film-making.

Standard 8 reigned supreme for 33 yrs but was almost killed when Kodak introduced the Super 8 cartridge-based format in 1965.

I say almost because it's now making a comeback with filmmakers all over the world rediscovering the magic of this almost forgotten format.

Stan Zizka (AKA Stan Sommers) forged a later career in Tangerine and

as a DJ;  Tommy Ferrara joined the Capris and brother Fred Ferrara and

Les Cauchi formed the Bridge Bridge with Johnny Maestro.

Tracey Dey recorded several sides with producer, Bob Crewe.

Ken Johnson chose as our theme-song a Rondo from Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusi, sung by a French ensemble, The Swingle Singers, a jazz-vocal group of session backup singers, riffing and scatting like jazz musicians.

Hardly a likely choice for a rock 'n' roll show, but when their LP was released in the States in 1963, it began climbing the charts, eventually making the top10, and then staying in the top100 for a year and a half. That first recording, and the two that followed it, won Grammies for "Best Performance by a Chorus."   

Their first "Bach's Greatest Hits" also

won a Grammy for "Best New Artist". Their other albums were Going Baroque and Anyone for Mozart.

"not a likely choice for a rock 'n' roll show"

"Until next week, this is Clay Cole ... thanking you very much, and saying 'good-night.' . . .

and a big thank you, to you Freddie Ferrara, and his Super 88.

During a break in rehearsals, Tommy Ferrara and the Del Satins make our guest star, Hollywood actor

Stuart Whitman feel welcome.

The Swingle Singers

Richie Greene, Freddie Ferrara and Tommy Ferrara at bat, the zany  

Del Satins perform their famous slow-motion baseball game.

The Sunday Show at Palisades Amusement Park

On the famous "Free Act Stage"

      The opening credits of the Clay Cole Sunday Show was a film montage of me, riding a motorcycle around Manhattan.  

Ken Johnson and a film crew put me on a Honda 90 and filmed me zooming around town, up and down ramps, in and out of tunnels for a dazzling opening to play over the Swingle Singers dizzying, frantic music..

I remember it was a early Sunday morning in October, and Pope Pius VI  was on his first papal visit to  Manhattan, so the streets were eerily empty around the U.N., allowing us to violate speed restrictions. I was invigorated by the rush of speed and freedom.  I was hooked -- I purchased the Honda 90.

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Link to At the Movies, Ken Johnson's big-screen V in pre-production