Remembering The “Dance Party” Show

Burt and I were driving back from Napa today–it’s my birthday and we stayed overnight at a Rutherford hotel–when, while on Hwy 80 we passed a Facciola Meat Truck.

The name Facciola was very familiar to me and it brought back a funny memory. As I told you, I grew up in San Francisco and I went to Hoover Jr. High (now probably called a middle school)….well, at that time a popular after school tv show was called “Dance Party”–I think it was on KPIX, Channel 5. Attractive high school kids who seemed really cool and could dance up a storm appeared on the show as “regulars”–and they had a following.

You could get tickets to dance on the show but they were very hard to get.

Some of the “regulars” became well known. You’d see them everyday, the first ones on the dance floor swinging out to the latest recorded tunes. I don’t remember any rock groups appearing live. I was a kid and i couldn’t help wanting to be on that dance floor–and I got my chance.

But first back to the name Facciola–I have no idea if the truck I saw today on Hwy 80 with the same name has any connection to the Lynn Facciola I remember but she was half of a heart throb dance couple that appeared on Dance Party. Lynn Facciola and Frank Pisa.

Lynn and Frank were the “hot” couple.

Here’s a photo of Frank and behind him, the painting on the wall, that’s Lynn Facciola. They were rumored to be romantically involved–just look at the photo.

This is how I got on Dance Party with a few of my friends. I started a fan club for Frank Pisa, but I have to admit I was the most enthusiastic member . As the head of the fan club, I called myself “Angel”, wrote him, and he kindly mailed me a little stack of photos of himself, autographed on the back and enclosed some tickets for the show. I gave the photos to the other members of the fan club.

I met Lynn and Frank…. got on the dance floor, but, unfortunately, dancing has never been one of my greatest talents…………

But I’ll always remember Dance Party and the “it” couple Frank and Lynn.