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Twist Around the Clock (1961), Columbia Pictures. Plot: A struggling music-biz manager visits a small, hayseed town and discovers "The Twist," a new dance craze, and hopes to turn it into a nationwide sensation. This 1961 cult classic features Chubby Checker, Dion, the Marcels, Vicki Spencer with host / MC Clay Cole. By the finale, the dance is the rage of America. Dion performs"The Wanderer,""Runaround Sue,"and Chubby Checker demonstrates his twist moves. A superb classic remake of "Rock around the Clock" that's very worth watching. Among the dancers is future stage and TV star Elaine Joyce. -- Richard Miller

Twist Around the Clock (1961)

Cast

* Chubby Checker

* Dion DiMucci

* Vicki Spencer

* The Marcels

* Clay Cole

John Cronin ... Mitch Mason

Mary Mitchel ... Tina Louden

Maura McGiveney ... Debbie

Tol Avery ... Joe Marshall

Alvy Moore ... Dizzy Bellew

Lenny Kent ... Georgie Clark

Jeff Parker ... Larry Louden

John Bryant ... Harry Davis

'Snub' Pollard* ... "old geezer"

Twist Dancer ... Elaine Joyce

Producer, Sam Katzman

Director, Oscar Rudolph

Writer, Robert E. Kent,

credited as James B. Gordon

Fred Karger, music supervisor

Earl Barton, choreographer

* Trivia: This was the final screen appearance of '‘Snub’ Pollard" silent film comedian.

"Don't Knock The Twist" (1962, 86 mins.)

A television network executive has just four weeks to put together the greatest "Twist" spectacular America has ever seen, but his jealous fashion designer girlfriend has other plans for his show. Featuring hit music and amazing twisting by Chubby Checker, Linda Scott, Vic Dana, Len Barry and the Dovells, Gene Chandlerand the Carroll Brothers. Trivia: The film version of the song "Slow Twistin'" has an extra verse that does not appear

on the single or album. imdb

* Elaine Joyce was cast on Broadway in the Marilyn Monroe role in "Sugar," the stage version of "Some Like It Hot." Elaine married MGM dance star Bobby Van; upon his death she married playright Neil Simon.

* Alvy Moore, was a "Green Acres" and Andy Griffin show cast regular. * Fred Karger shared a longtime romance with Marilyn Monroe, but

he married Oscar-winning actress Jane Wyman.

imdb - see film database

When "Twist Around the Clock" opened at the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre in January of 1961, Vicki Spencer was there, by my side.

We were together a lot "back in the day" on my television shows and our live appearances on the Free-Act Stage at Palisades Amusement Park. She then slipped quietly off my radar.

Well, we found Vicki, happily married and living in Florida, and she filled us in:

"After the movies, I auditioned for many TV shows, but my age (too young) and distance were against me. I had to change my career.

I did some modeling and a few commercials, and was a semi-finalist in The Miss Teenage America contest.

Eventually, I started singing with bands.

My Brothers, Danny and Billy, were forming

a band of their own as they were just in their early teens, and we decided to form a group together. Danny plays drums, Bill played guitar and had an amazing voice. He was a fabulous front man.

Our first name was “ The Rottin’ Kids “ and

we were on the Johnny Carson show. Then we became ‘The Bubble Gum Machine “and had an album on Senate Records with the same title. We also toured for over six years as “Horatio." We had about 30 singles, and one made it to the top ten on the East Coast. It was called “ I Gotta Have You."

We did the Carson show again as "Horatio," then followed a sponsorship from Hazel Bishop and we were called "The Fabulous Fakes " (after fake fingernails they were promoting). We played many Army and Navy bases, in Las Vegas for a month at Cesar’s Palace with Milton Berle, on the Mike Douglas show and the Merv Griffin show and performing at

“The Westbury Music Fair" with Buddy Hackett and Anthony Newley.

I met my Husband Harry, and we're still 'happy together' after 37 years. We have two very talented children, son David and daughter Jamie, a performer as well.

Now I don’t know what is next for me, but I guess I'm not done yet ... thanks to all of my friends and fans, I will keep on Twistin’ "