Where the Action Is

"Where the Action Is" was a music-based variety show which aired on television in the United States during the 1960s. It was carried by the ABC network and aired each weekday afternoon.

Created by Dick Clark as a spin-off of "American Bandstand", "Where the Action Is" premiered on June 27, 1965. The show's theme song, "Action" became a hit single for Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon, peaking on the charts (#13) in September 1965.Most of the telecasts, all of which were produced in black-and-white, were taped at various locales in Southern California.

The program had its own stable of performers, most notably Paul Revere & the Raiders. Other performers on "Action" included Steve Alaimo, Tina Mason, Linda Scott, future Raider Keith Allison, Tommy Roe, The Hard Times, The Knickerbockers, Don and the Goodtimes, The Robbs, and the dance troupe Pete Manifee and the Action Kids.

The weekday program was cancelled on March 31, 1967, with the network giving its local affiliates the time slot; however, the program's mainstay band Paul Revere and the Raiders with lead vocalist Mark Lindsay continued their string of hit singles into the early 70s. Both Revere and Lindsay hosted "Happening '68", a Saturday afternoon follow-up to "American Bandstand"; and a weekday version, "It's Happening", from 1968 to 1969. Both shows were produced by Dick Clark's production company for ABC.

Guest Performers

*The Supremes
*Jan & Dean
*Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
*Chad & Jeremy
*Paul Revere & The Raiders
*Bobby Freeman
*Dick and Dee Dee
*Bobby Rydell
*Frankie Avalon
*Dee Dee Sharp
*The Zombies
*Jimmy Clanton
*Steve Alaimo
*Linda Scott
*Jackie DeShannon
*Eddie Hodges
*The Velvelettes
*The Shangri-Las
*The Detergents
*James Brown & The Famous Flames
*Jody Miller
*Tommy Roe
*Nino Tempo and April Stevens
*The Byrds
*Sonny & Cher
*Del Shannon
*The Drifters
*Brian Hyland
*Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs
*Herman's Hermits
*Lenny Welch
*Sir Douglas Quintet
*The Crystals
*The Newbeats
*Jackie Wilson
*Jr. Walker & the All Stars
*The Kinks
*Jimmy Velvet
*Freddy Cannon
*Aretha Franklin
*The Vibrations
*Cher
*Joe Tex
*The Dixie Cups
*The Hondells
*Major Lance
*Rosey Grier
*Ray Peterson
*The Turtles
*Paul Petersen
*Gary U.S. Bonds
*The Impressions
*Duane Eddy
*We Five
*Barbara Lewis
*Bobby Goldsboro
*Donovan
*The Lovin' Spoonful
*Danny Hutton
*Ketty Lester
*Ike & Tina Turner
*The Everly Brothers
*Jo Ann Campbell
*The McCoys
*Vic Dana
*Billy Joe Royal
*Neil Sedaka
*Peter & Gordon
*The Castaways
*Brenda Holloway
*Mary Wells
*Roy Head
*Charlie Rich
*Little Anthony & The Imperials
*Edwin Starr
*Barbara Mason
*The Animals
*The Beau Brummels
*Dionne Warwick
*The Sunrays
*Johnny Tillotson
*The Toys
*Little Richard
*The Mojo Men
*The Strangeloves
*Glen Campbell
*Dusty Springfield
*Len Barry
*Bobby Vee
*Gloria Jones
*Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
*Gale Garnett
*Davy Jones
*Tommy Sands
*Freddie & the Dreamers
*Otis Redding
*Marvin Gaye
*The Vogues
*Lou Christie
*Ben E. King
*The Statler Brothers
*Jackie Lee
*The Kingston Trio
*The Dillards
*The Kingsmen
*Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles
*James Darren
*Five Americans
*Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels
*Diane Renay
*The Knickerbockers
*Shirley Ellis
*Jimmie Rodgers
*Brook Benton
*Al Martino
*Bob Lind
*The Mamas & the Papas
*Chris Montez
*Bobby Fuller Four
*Gary Lewis & the Playboys
*Roy Clark
*Buck Owens
*Stevie Wonder
*The Ventures
*The Temptations
*B.J. Thomas
*The Righteous Brothers
*Martha and the Vandellas
*The Yardbirds
*Chet Baker
*Mickey Rooney, Jr.
*Toni Basil
*Maxine Brown
*The Nashville Teens
*Eddie Holman
*Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders
*Billy Preston
*Them
*The Spencer Davis Group
*Pamela Miller
*Doris Troy
*Marianne Faithfull
*Don Grady
*Shadows of Knight
*The Who
*Gene Pitney
*The Outsiders
*Sam and Dave
*Petula Clark
*The Tokens
*Love
*The Association
*The Moody Blues
*Roy Orbison
*The Fortunes
*The Small Faces
*Unit 4 + 2
*Barry McGuire
*Brenda Lee
*Ray Stevens
*The Swingin' Medallions
*Percy Sledge
*Captain Beefheart
*The Grass Roots
*The Spinners
*The Cyrkle
*Terry Knight and the Pack
*Blues Magoos
*Question Mark & the Mysterians
*The Left Banke