10 / 20
36
Dick Clark Saturday Show February 1958
Myra Lewis Williams (from 'Great Balls of Fire': Virgin Books, Lon-
don, 1982) : Jerry opened the television premiere of The Dick Clark
Saturday Night Show on February 15. From its new home atthe
Little Theatre on Broadway, Clark launched his network experi-
ment with fingers crossed, hoping five hundred warm bodies
would brave a blizzard to watch Pat Boone, Connie Francis,
Johnny Ray and The Royal Teens lip-synch a favourite song. He
was surprised to find fifteen hundred kids standing behindpo-
lice barricades knee-deep in winterbourne gutter wash onehour
before rehearsals were to begin. Inside, a heated debate warmed
the hall as Clark's crew were having a difficult time explaining
to Mr Lewis, replete in black tux with leopard lapels and two-tone
shoes, that it would not be necessary for him to rehearse in the
traditional manner. "I know it ain't necessary, I jus' wanna try out the place" Jerry said, sitting down at a bright white baby grand. "No, you don't understand," the technician tried again. "You
won't be playing. You'll be mouthing the words to your record-
ing." "I'll be damned. I ain't sittin' up here like a damn dummy and
…" Jerry finished his refusal to lip-synch by silently opening
and closing his mouth like a goldfish. "But, Mr Lewis, we're not set up for live performance. Every-
body will be doing pantomime." "I don't give a damn what everybody else does. I ain't nopup-
pet, and I didn't come all the way up here to play charades."
That night, Pat Boone mimed 'Everybody's Gonna Havea Won-
derful Time Up There' and Connie Francis convincinglyfaked
'Who's Sorry Now,' but Jerry Lee Lewis played and sangexactly
as he always had, straight from the heart and his own vocal
cords. He was introduced by Kay and Elaine, co-presidents of his
fan club, which had grown to more than five thousand followers.
Elaine Orlando (nee Berman): I was living with my parents at
the time. The phone rang and my Mother said 'The Dick Clark
Show' wants to speak to you about Jerry Lee Lewis. A female as-
sociate of Dick's asked me if I would be willing to come to the
studio to be interviewed regarding the idea of introducing Jerry
singing 'Great Balls of Fire.' I said sure, and they gaveme the
information regarding The Little Theater. In my meeting with Dick I told him there were two co-presidents
of the fan club, myself and Kay. Dick said Kay would be in the au-
dience, but I would be the one to introduce Jerry singing 'Great
Balls of Fire'; Jerry was surprised to see me there, but we didn't
speak prior to the broadcast or after (that I recall).