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''American Dreams'' is an American
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
television series that ran on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
for three seasons and 61 episodes, from September 29, 2002, to March 30, 2005. The show tells the story of the Pryor family of Philadelphia during the mid-1960s, with many plotlines around teenager Meg Pryor (
Brittany Snow Brittany Anne Snow (born March 9, 1986) is an American actress. She came to prominence for her role in the CBS soap opera ''Guiding Light'' (1998–2001), for which she won a Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress and was nominated for two o ...
), who dances on
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
's ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...
''. The show often featured contemporary musicians performing as popular musicians of the 1960s. Season one takes place in 1963–64, season two in 1964–65 and season three in 1965–66. The series was created by
Jonathan Prince Jonathan Alexander Prince (born August 16, 1958) is an American actor, director, screenwriter and movie producer. Career Prince embarked on an acting career following graduation from Harvard University. He played Leo in the 1981 CBS series '' M ...
and developed by Josh Goldstein and Prince; the latter was also one of the executive producers with
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
. It debuted on September 29, 2002, and initially aired on Sundays at 8:00 pm
Eastern Time The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, and the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico. * Eastern Standard Time (EST) is five hours behi ...
but moved to the same time on Wednesdays from March 9, 2005, to the third-season finale (March 30, 2005). The show was known as ''Our Generation'' when it debuted in Australia but was changed back to ''American Dreams'' when it returned for the second season. The theme song "Generation" was written and performed by
Emerson Hart Emerson Hart (born July 21, 1969) is a songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and producer. He is the lead singer and songwriter of the alternative rock band Tonic. Biography Hart was born in Washington, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Atlantic Highlan ...
, lead singer of the band Tonic. The song earned Hart an
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadc ...
award for Best Theme Song of Television in 2003. The show was the 2003
TV Land Awards The TV Land Awards was an American television awards ceremony that generally commemorated shows now off the air, rather than in current production as with the Emmys. Created by Executive Producer Michael Levitt, the awards were hosted and broadca ...
"Future Classic" winner.


Series overview

In 1963 Philadelphia, the Pryors are a close
Irish American Irish Americans () are Irish ethnics who live within in the United States, whether immigrants from Ireland or Americans with full or partial Irish ancestry. Irish immigration to the United States From the 17th century to the mid-19th c ...
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
family. World War II veteran John "Jack" Pryor owns a television and radio store. He and his homemaker wife Helen have four children: High school senior and football player John "JJ" Pryor, Jr., younger sisters Meg and Patty, and younger brother Will, who is lame from polio. Jack employs Henry Walker, whose son Sam is among the few
African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
students at East Catholic High School. Meg and her best friend, Roxanne, pass the audition to dance on camera for
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
's ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...
'', filmed in the city, while JJ hopes to win a football scholarship to play for the
Notre Dame Fighting Irish The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the athletic teams that represent the University of Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish participate in 26 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I intercollegiate sports and in the NCAA's Division ...
. The show depicts historical events, such as the
assassination of John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Kennedy was in the vehicle with his wife Jacqueline Kennedy Onas ...
, 1964 Philadelphia race riot, and American involvement in—and opposition to—the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. It is important to note that the rest of history plays out exactly like real life. The main difference is that ''American Bandstand'' did not move to Los Angeles in early 1964 but instead stayed in Philadelphia contrary to the real life events of the show.


Cast and characters


Main

*
Brittany Snow Brittany Anne Snow (born March 9, 1986) is an American actress. She came to prominence for her role in the CBS soap opera ''Guiding Light'' (1998–2001), for which she won a Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress and was nominated for two o ...
as Margaret "Meg" Pryor: The show's protagonist. In her spare time, she dances on Dick Clark's ''American Bandstand''. Her family is
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
. *
Tom Verica Tom Verica (born May 13, 1964) is an American actor, director, and producer, best known for his role as Sam Keating in the ABC drama ''How to Get Away with Murder'' (2014–2020). He also played Jack Pryor in the NBC critically acclaimed drama ...
as John J. "Jack" Pryor: Meg's father and head of the household. He owns Pryor's TV and Radio Store. Later represented his district on the
Philadelphia City Council The Philadelphia City Council is the legislative body of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is composed of 17 councilmembers: ten members elected by district and seven members elected at-large from throughou ...
. *
Gail O'Grady Gail Ann O'Grady (born January 23, 1963) is an American actress and producer, best known for her roles on television. Her roles include Donna Abandando in the ABC police drama ''NYPD Blue'', and Helen Pryor in the NBC drama series '' American Drea ...
as Helen Pryor: Jack's wife. Stay-at-home mom who tries college and then later works for a travel agency. *
Will Estes William Estes Nipper (; born October 21, 1978), known professionally as Will Estes, is an American actor. He is known for his role from 2010 to 2024 on CBS police drama '' Blue Bloods'' as Jameson "Jamie" Reagan, a New York City Police Departme ...
as John J. "JJ" Pryor Jr.: The oldest Pryor child. He enlists in the
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
and fights in the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
. *
Sarah Ramos Sarah Emily Ramos (born May 21, 1991) is an American actress who began her career as a child actress. She is known for her roles on the television series ''American Dreams'' (2002–2005) and '' Parenthood'' (2010–2015). Early life Ramos was ...
as Patricia "Patty" Pryor: Meg's younger sister. Very book smart and acts like a know-it-all. * Ethan Dampf as William "Will" Pryor: The youngest Pryor child whose leg was crippled by polio, which is a source of guilt for his parents as they refused to allow him to have the
Salk vaccine Polio vaccines are vaccines used to prevent poliomyelitis (polio). Two types are used: an inactivated poliovirus given by injection (IPV) and a weakened poliovirus given by mouth (OPV). The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends all chi ...
. In the show's second season, his leg was repaired from an experimental surgery. * Jonathan Adams as Henry Walker: An
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
employee in Jack's store who later became a partner in the store, who also heads a family. *
Arlen Escarpeta Arlen Alexander Escarpeta (born April 9, 1981) is a Belizean-born American actor. He originally gained recognition for his main role as Samuel "Sam" Walker on the NBC television series ''American Dreams'' (2002–2005). In the mid-to-late 200 ...
as Samuel "Sam" Walker: Henry's son and Meg's good friend who becomes a romantic interest in Season 3. *
Vanessa Lengies Vanessa Lengies (born July 21, 1985) is a Canadian actress, dancer, and singer. She is known for starring in the drama ''American Dreams'' as Roxanne Bojarski. She appeared as Charge Nurse Kelly Epson on the TNT medical drama '' HawthoRNe'', and ...
as Roxanne Bojarski: Meg's best friend who has a knack for getting herself into trouble. She dances on ''American Bandstand'' with Meg. *
Rachel Boston Rachel Boston is an American actress. She has had leading roles in a number of independent films, and was a regular cast member in several television series. She starred in the NBC drama series, ''American Dreams'' as Beth Mason from 2002 to 200 ...
as Elizabeth "Beth" Mason-Pryor: JJ's girlfriend, whom he marries in the third season after returning from Vietnam. They have an infant son "Trip".


Recurring

*
Matthew John Armstrong Matthew John Armstrong (born August 28, 1973) is an American actor. He is known for roles in ''Turks'' (1999), ''The Profile'' (2010) and ''Heroes'' (2006). Early life Armstrong attended Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois, ...
as Pete Pryor: Jack's younger brother, an officer with the
Philadelphia Police Department The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD, Philly PD, or Philly Police) is the police agency responsible for law enforcement and investigations within the County and City of Philadelphia. The PPD is one of the oldest municipal police agencies, f ...
. He is assigned to the Columbia Avenue Precinct in
North Philadelphia North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is immediately north of Center City, Philadelphia, Center City. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as ...
, a precinct which includes the Walkers' home and the Pryors' second store. He is addicted to alcohol and gambling. Almost married in Season 2 to Nancy (Helen's coworker and friend), but calls off the wedding at the last minute. * Christopher Cousins as Theodore "Ted" Pryor: Jack and Pete's older brother, a successful businessman who has a strained and distant relationship from the rest of the family. He is only seen in a couple of episodes, and dies in a car accident late in Season 3. * Natalie Marston as Melissa Pryor: Ted's 18-year-old daughter, niece of Jack and Pete. She entered
Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States. The college be ...
in the fall of 1966. * John J. "Trip" Pryor III: JJ and Beth's son, born in November 1965 during the third season. *
Adina Porter Adina Elizabeth Porter is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Lettie Mae Thornton on the HBO fantasy horror series ''True Blood'' (2008–2014), Kendra James on the HBO drama series '' The Newsroom'' (2012–2014), Indra on t ...
as Gwen Walker: Henry's wife and a housekeeper, who died in Season 2 of
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
. * Aysia Polk as Angela Walker: Henry and Gwen's daughter, roughly Patty's age. * Keith Robinson as Nathan Walker: Henry's outspoken nephew. Spent some time in jail; eventually rehabilitated himself and now operates a delivery service. * Jamie Elman as Luke Foley: A record store clerk. Meg's boyfriend in the first season; after they broke up, Luke and Roxanne developed a relationship and began living together in the third season. *
Jesse Hutch Jesse Hutchakowski (born February 12, 1981), known professionally as Jesse Hutch, is a Canadian and American actor. He spends his time traveling between the USA and Canada. He worked on the television show ''American Dreams'' as Jimmy Riley, roma ...
as James "Jimmy" Riley: An ''American Bandstand'' dance partner of Meg's who eventually leaves to fight in Vietnam; he would later return to ''American Dreams'' in the second season, in a wheelchair. *
Samuel Page Samuel L. Elliott (born November 5, 1976), known professionally as Samuel Page or Sam Page, is an American actor. He has appeared on popular television shows, such as ''All My Children'', ''Mad Men'', ''Desperate Housewives'', ''House of Cards'' ...
as Drew Mandel: A college student at the University of Pennsylvania; he and Meg date during the show, despite both her brother J.J. and her father's dislike for Drew. It ends when she catches him cheating on her. *
Johnny Lewis Jonathan Kendrick Lewis (October 29, 1983 – September 26, 2012), also credited as Johnny K. Lewis, was an American film and television actor. He was best known for playing Kip "Half-Sack" Epps in the first two seasons of the FX series ''Sons ...
as Leonard "Lenny" Beeber: Roxanne's second-season boyfriend with whom she goes on tour. Head of the band Lenny and the Pilgrims. *
Milo Ventimiglia Milo Anthony Ventimiglia ( ; born July 8, 1977) is an American actor. Making his screen acting debut on '' The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' in 1995, he portrayed the lead role on the short-lived series '' Opposite Sex'' in 2000 before landing his br ...
as Christopher "Chris" Pierce: Shelly Pierce's son, who becomes Meg's new love interest in the third season. * Rodney Scott as Daniel "Danny" O'Connor: Quarterback of the East Catholic football team in the first season, and who has a short-lived relationship with Meg in season two. His older brother was declared missing in action in Vietnam. In season three, Danny's brother's body is found in Vietnam. * Paul Wasilewski as Thomas "Tommy" DeFelice: JJ's macho friend and former football teammate. JJ later ends the friendship when he notices a strong racist side to him when Sam enrolls at East Catholic. They resume their friendship when Tommy takes the blame for something JJ did. * Kevin Sheridan as Kenny Keegan: JJ's East Catholic friend and teammate; a mediocre athlete. *
Jessica Collins Jessica Collins (born Jessica Lynn Capogna; April 1, 1971) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Dinah Lee Mayberry on the ABC soap opera '' Loving'' (1991-1994) and Avery Bailey Clark on the CBS soap opera ''The Young and th ...
as Colleen: JJ's coworker and sometime girlfriend in season one; she is older than JJ and a divorcée. * Joseph Lawrence as Michael Brooks: The original floor producer of ''American Bandstand''. His character left after the show's first season. *
Michael E. Rodgers Michael Ethan Rodgers (born 8 May 1969) is a Scottish actor and acting coach. Early life Michael Ethan Rodgers was born in Whitburn, West Lothian, Scotland on 8 May 1969. Career Rodgers moved to Los Angeles, California in 1989 to pursue his ...
as Colin: Floor producer of ''Bandstand'' who took over after Michael Brooks' departure. * Peter Spellos as Gus: A witty production assistant of ''American Bandstand''. * Michelle Morgan as Teresa McManus: A regular dancer on Bandstand who does not like Meg. * Paul D. Roberts as
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
: Host of ''American Bandstand''. *
Michael Burger Michael Burger (born June 10, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, game show host and television presenter. Game shows Burger was hired by Reg Grundy Productions to host a pilot for a show called ''Matchmates'' in 1985. The show, which was ...
as
Charlie O'Donnell Charles John O'Donnell (August 12, 1932 – November 1, 2010) was an American radio and television announcer, primarily known for his work on game shows, and for his distinctive baritone voice. Among them, he was best known for '' Wheel of Fortun ...
: Announcer of ''American Bandstand''. * Nigel Thatch as Willie Johnson: A charismatic neighborhood agitator in North Philadelphia who played a major role in instigating the
Philadelphia 1964 race riot The Philadelphia race riot, or Columbia Avenue Riot, took place in the predominantly African Americans, black neighborhoods of North Philadelphia from August 28 to August 30, 1964. Tensions between black residents of the city and police had been ...
. *
Virginia Madsen Virginia Madsen (born September 11, 1961) is an American actress. She is the recipient of two Critics' Choice Awards, an Independent Spirit Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and a Golden Gl ...
as Rebecca Sandstrom: Helen's friend from a book club. Her character was dropped after the first season. *
Alicia Coppola Alicia Coppola (born April 12, 1968) is an American actress. She became known for playing Lorna Devon in the soap opera '' Another World'' from 1991 to 1994. Afterwards, she made regular and guest star appearances in various television series, ...
as Nancy: After meeting Helen while working at the same travel agency, she became one of Helen's confidantes. Nancy dated and then became engaged to Pete Pryor, only to be left standing at the altar. * Hank Stratton as Donald Norville: Helen's colleague at the travel agency. He is later fired for being homosexual. * Steve Ryan as Father Conti: The Pryor family's strict Catholic priest, who also serves as the headmaster of East Catholic high school. *
James Read James Christopher Read (born July 31, 1953) is an American actor. He played the role of George Hazard in the ''North and South'' television miniseries, and had a recurring role as List of Charmed characters#Victor Bennett, Victor Bennett on th ...
and
Barbara Alyn Woods Barbara Alyn Woods is an American actress. She is known for her roles in television series '' One Tree Hill'' and ''Honey, I Shrunk the Kids''. She is the mother of actresses Natalie Alyn Lind, Emily Alyn Lind, and Alyvia Alyn Lind. Career Woo ...
as Mr. and Mrs. George Mason: Beth's well-to-do parents. Estranged from Beth after she became pregnant with JJ Pryor's child, although some reconciliation was attempted in the show's third season. *
Art Garfunkel Arthur Ira Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941) is an American singer, actor and poet who is best known for his partnership with Paul Simon in the folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, Garfunkel became acquainte ...
as Mr. Greenwood: The
bohemian Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, originally practised by 19th–20th century European and American artists and writers. * Bohemian style, a ...
owner of the Vinyl Crocodile record store. Appeared sporadically during the first season; in the third season he is said to have gone "on a worldwide tour with his friend", an allusion to Art Garfunkel's singing partnership with
Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...
. *
Daphne Zuniga Daphne Eurydice Zuniga (; born October 28, 1962) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1982 slasher film '' The Dorm That Dripped Blood'' (1982) at the age of 19, followed by a lead role in another slasher film '' The Initiation ...
as Shelly Pierce: A single mom who works at a nearby
Playboy Club The Playboy Club was initially a chain of nightclubs and resorts owned and operated by Playboy Enterprises. The first Playboy Club opened in Chicago in 1960. Each club generally featured a Living Room, a Playmate Bar, a Dining Room, and a Club ...
and the Pryors' next-door neighbor (starting at the beginning of Season 3). * Murray Rubenstein as Murray: A barbershop owner whose business is next to Pryor's TV and Radio. A frequent visitor to the store, though he rarely buys anything. * Caitlin Greer as Audrey: A University of Pennsylvania student who befriends Meg and Sam.


Episodes


Season 1 (2002–03)


Season 2 (2003–04)


Season 3 (2004–05)


Synopsis


Season 1

In the
pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...
episode, set in November 1963, Meg and Roxanne win the opportunity to join the dancers on the TV show ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...
'', filmed in Philadelphia. Passing note is made of the
John F. Kennedy assassination John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Kennedy was in the vehicle with his wife Jacqueline, Texas gove ...
and funeral. ''Bandstand'' immediately becomes the principal creative pillar of ''American Dreams'', with each episode featuring recreated versions of several musical acts that originally appeared on the real ''Bandstand'', often rendered by modern singers. JJ Pryor, a running back for the East Catholic Fighting Crusaders football team, tries and fails to earn a full athletic scholarship to play at the
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...
, so he later applies for and is accepted to
Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU), in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States, is a private university, private research university. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer. Lehigh University's undergraduate programs have been mixed ...
. A nagging ankle injury curtails his football career, so he enlists in the
United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
to pay for school. Meanwhile, JJ's on-again, off-again girlfriend Beth chooses to attend the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...
in order to be near JJ. In the early part of the season, Meg develops a crush on a ''Bandstand'' dancer, and they go on a couple of public appearance dates. While never becoming romantic, they remained good friends. Meg later developed a romance with Luke Foley, a record store clerk and fellow East Catholic student. Sam Walker wins a track
athletic scholarship An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university or a private school, private high school awarded to an individual based predominantly on their ability to play in a sport. Athletic scholarships are common in the U ...
to East Catholic. Sam's father Henry states that there are only three other black male students at East Catholic; some in the majority-white student body resent Sam's presence, especially Tommy DeFelice, who is later expelled after falsely confessing to JJ's crime of breaking Beth's current boyfriend's windshield. Sam and Meg develop a friendship, even creating a record-swapping club while meeting at the Vinyl Crocodile record store. In the season finale on May 18, 2003, Meg and Sam are caught in the summer 1964 race riot in Philadelphia.


Season 2

Meg and Sam survive the riots unharmed, but the branch of Jack's store under Henry's management is destroyed. Gwen dies from
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
. JJ excels at boot camp and arrives in
Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
. While on leave, he and Beth are reunited in Hawaii; they break up, but Beth soon learns she is pregnant with JJ's child, and she moves in with the Pryors. Helen discovers that there might be a possible surgical treatment for Will's paralysis, and the early part of the season deals with Will's medical treatment. By the end of the season, Will's leg braces have been removed and he is able to walk normally. Roxanne exchanges promise rings with boyfriend Lenny, and goes on tour with him before returning home. Later on, she dates Meg's ex-boyfriend, Luke. Meg dates a college boy, Drew, despite JJ and her father's strong dislike for him, but breaks it off when he ends up cheating on her. Sam wins a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania. Jack decides to run for the
City Council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
. In the season finale on April 4, 2004, Sam's cousin Nathan is drafted and opts to go to jail rather than serve in Vietnam. Also in that episode, JJ is caught in a fierce firefight, while Meg and Sam are arrested at a campus rally protesting the Vietnam war.


Season 3

The arrests widen the communications gap between parents and children, and inspire Meg to lead additional protests. A strict new headmaster also fires Meg up. An injured JJ wakes up in an American military hospital, and learns of his forthcoming child; Beth refuses to accept JJ's offer of marriage. Roxanne, estranged from her mother, moves in with the Pryors. JJ gets recruited for special, somewhat mysterious duty for the US government. Jack wins an upset victory for the City Council. As Thanksgiving nears closer, JJ is captured by the Viet Cong. He and his sergeant escape, but are presumed missing in action (the sergeant is later found buried in a shallow grave). The Pryors learn of JJ's "Missing In Action" status just before Thanksgiving. Luke Foley returns to Philadelphia, and Roxanne, who moves out on her remarrying mother, moves in with him in a loft above the Vinyl Crocodile record store. On a commercial-free special episode that aired November 21, 2004, JJ returns home. At episode's end he glares harshly at his mother. In the next original episode, JJ becomes a Marine recruiter and suffers from post-traumatic flashbacks. He proposes to Beth. Helen becomes involved with a Catholic peace group. As the show enters 1966, JJ marries Beth in a ceremony held at the Pryors' catholic church. Jack Pryor, newly elected to the Philadelphia City Council, is forced to take a bribe, with the money going to help JJ repay some gambling debts. Eventually Jack votes to elect a local activist in his district, Reverend Davis, to the Police Review Board essentially voting against the council. For this act of disloyalty, several members of the police force beat up JJ after a traffic stop. Pete soon finds the culprits who attacked JJ and roughs them up, but Jack decides to resign from the council. Chris and Meg's relationship becomes more intimate, but Meg is troubled by reports that Chris helped set fire to a recruitment center. Despite this, Meg and Chris eventually have sex—with Chris revealing afterward that he did indeed lie to Meg about the recruitment center. Meg and Chris eventually break up, and Chris leaves Philadelphia. Meg and Sam consider the possibility of a romantic relationship, but JJ and Nathan discourage the idea. Meanwhile, Jack and Pete's older brother Ted gets into a serious car accident, putting him on a respirator. After much soul searching, the Pryors decide to disconnect the machine. After returning home from a Rolling Stones concert, Meg finds her ex-boyfriend Chris standing in front of her home. He's just been drafted. In the season/series finale, Meg and Chris both leave Philadelphia on Chris' motorcycle, with plans for them to live in
Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Anglo-Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland, Cali ...
and campaign against the war. JJ Pryor applies for and receives a job in aeronautics, assisting in space suit design for future
NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
missions to the Moon.


Timeline of events in the series


"Past" events

* c. 1920 – Jack Pryor is born. * c. 1927 – Helen Dolan is born. * c. September 1945 – Jack Pryor, presumably returning from fighting in
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, conceives a child with Helen Dolan. * c. November 1945 – Jack Pryor and Helen Dolan are married. * c. June 1946 – J.J. Pryor is born. * c. 1946 – Beth Mason is born. * c. 1947 – Sam Walker and Luke Foley are born. * c. March 1948 – Roxanne Bojarski is born. * c. August 1948 – Meg Pryor is born. * c. 1951 – Angela Walker is born. * c. 1950 – Patty Pryor is born. * c. 1956 – Will Pryor is born.


Events depicted on screen

* November 1963 – Meg and Roxanne become regular dancers on ''American Bandstand''. * June 1964 – JJ and Beth graduate from high school. * August 1964 – The Philadelphia riots take place. * November 1964 – 1964 U.S. Presidential Election between
Lyndon Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), also known as LBJ, was the 36th president of the United States, serving from 1963 to 1969. He became president after assassination of John F. Kennedy, the assassination of John F. Ken ...
and
Barry Goldwater Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician and major general in the United States Air Force, Air Force Reserve who served as a United States senator from 1953 to 1965 and 1969 to 1987, and was the Re ...
. (It's mentioned that Ted supported Goldwater.) * 1965 – Gwen Walker dies. * June 1965 – Sam graduates from high school. * November 1965 – Northeast Blackout of 1965 * November 1965 – Beth Mason gives birth to John Pryor III. * January 1966 – JJ returns home from Vietnam. * April 23, 1966 – JJ Pryor and Beth Mason are married. * June 1966 – Meg and Roxanne graduate from high school. * July 1966 – Ted Pryor dies.


"Future" events

* June 1968 – Patty's graduation from high school is estimated to take place at this time. * June 1974 – Will's graduation from high school is estimated to take place at this time. * June 1984 – John Pryor III's graduation from high school is estimated to take place at this time.


Ratings

Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of ''American Dreams'' on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
.


Cancellation

On May 16, 2005, NBC announced their fall schedule for the 2005–06 season. Confirming months of speculation (and an unofficial confirmation article on May 1 by Reuters), ''American Dreams'' was formally canceled, due to low ratings. Never a strong performer in its Sunday 8pm timeslot, the show's third-season ratings dropped 33% from its first season and 13% from its second season. In the third season, the show was regularly beaten in the Sunday night ratings by
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
's '' Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'' and
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
's ''
Cold Case ''Cold Case'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series. It ran on CBS from September 28, 2003, to May 2, 2010. The series revolved around a fictionalized Philadelphia Police Department division that specializes in invest ...
''. On February 2, 2005, NBC reduced the number of third-season episodes of ''American Dreams'' from 19 to 17. The network also moved the program away from its original Sunday night timeslot to Wednesday nights, airing before ''
The West Wing ''The West Wing'' is an American political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22, 1999, to May 14, 2006. The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House, where t ...
''. This put the show up against
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
's '' Survivor: Palau'' and
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
's '' Lost'', and ''American Dreams'' could not compete against these popular programs. As the third season wound down, actors on the show filmed pilots for new shows to possibly air in the 2005–06 television season. Fans of ''American Dreams'' organized a campaign to save the show, sending over 5000 supportive e-mails to NBC after the season finale and several thousand postcards to the network as well. On May 4, 2005, fans flew an aerial banner over NBC's Burbank studios in support of the show, even as the show's sets were being dismantled at Sunset-Gower Studios, where it was filmed. It had been reported that ''American Dreams'' may have been canceled as early as December 2004. Jonathan Prince mentioned in a ''Miami Herald'' article that he was able to get four additional episodes made by having companies such as Kraft and Nabisco pay for additional episodes in exchange for product placement (Campbell's Soups and Ford also participated in product placement episodes).


Series epilogue

''
The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', often referred to simply as ''The Inquirer'', is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded on June 1, 1829, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is the third-longest continuously operating da ...
'' reported on April 12, 2005, that in late February,
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
ordered two endings filmed for the season finale. The un-aired ending was reported to be a 12-minute segment set on July 20, 1969 (the day
Apollo 11 Apollo 11 was a spaceflight conducted from July 16 to 24, 1969, by the United States and launched by NASA. It marked the first time that humans Moon landing, landed on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin l ...
landed on the
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
), with Meg returning home to face her family after a three-year absence. NBC opted not to air the 12-minute epilogue when the third-season finale aired on March 30, 2005, a month and a half before the official cancellation of the series. ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...
'' reported on July 26, 2005, that this epilogue was likely to air in a rerun of the third-season finale in August or September, but the airing never materialized. NBC was unable to attract sponsorship for the segment, which reportedly contained many rock-and-roll oldies, resulting in expensive music licensing fees for the network. During the second annual
ATX Television Festival ATX Television Festival is an annual event based in Austin, Texas, that celebrates and showcases the past, present, and future of the television industry. Screenings, Q&As, cast reunions, and industry panel discussions take place over four days an ...
on June 9, 2013, the cast and crew of the show were reunited, and creator Jonathan Prince unveiled for the first time to both the cast and audience, a rough cut of the never-before-seen epilogue. In the epilogue, a long-haired Meg is seen on a bus (with a caption reading "Three Years Later"). After a couple of fellow hippie travelers inquire about the purpose of her trip, Meg reveals that she's planning to attend Woodstock with Sam (who had just graduated from college), and has traveled upstate early in order to meet up with him. Meg also reveals that she still lives in Berkeley, and hasn't been back home since she left with Chris three years prior. Meg is also planning on staying in New York with Roxanne, who is now married to Luke and has a baby boy named Dustin. Meg later reveals that Patty has graduated from high school and is now attending college at Harvard's sister school, Radcliffe. Throughout her time on the bus (and her conversation with the hippies), Meg reflects on her experiences with her family and friends. After the hippies leave, Meg is seen pensively staring out of the bus window. The next moment, Meg is standing outside of her former home in Philadelphia, having taken a detour from heading to New York. She runs into her nephew Trip (who is now much older), who tells her that he knows who she is (based on family photos). When asked, she tells him that she came because she wanted to see her family. Trip tells her that everyone is inside, watching the first crewed Moon landing (placing the epilogue on July 20, 1969, the day
Apollo 11 Apollo 11 was a spaceflight conducted from July 16 to 24, 1969, by the United States and launched by NASA. It marked the first time that humans Moon landing, landed on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin l ...
landed on the
Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
). Tripp reveals that JJ now has a job building space suits for astronauts. Suddenly, Jack (Meg's father) comes out and calls for Trip to come in, when he sees Meg. Trip goes inside, and Helen (Meg's mother) comes outside calling for Jack, but stops when she sees Meg. An awkward silence passes among the three, until Jack invites Meg inside for leftovers. Jack enters the house as Meg walks up and grabs Helen in a hug, while Jack looks on from inside. Once everyone goes inside, the scene pans out, with Neil Armstrong's famous moon landing address providing a voiceover until the screen goes black.


Fourth season plotlines

In interviews, Jonathan Prince revealed that if ''American Dreams'' had been renewed for a fourth season, the following plotlines would have been included. * The fourth season would have picked up in January 1967. * Meg would have returned to Philadelphia six episodes into the season after JJ goes to California with intentions to take her home. * Roxanne would have taken a job as the hairdresser for ''American Bandstand''. * Jack would become angry after discovering that Helen had been using her job as a travel agent to help young men dodge the draft and flee to Canada. * There would be tension in JJ and Beth's marriage, after Beth reluctantly agreed to JJ's wishes to postpone going back to college. * Henry would remarry and accept a new, deaf stepson into his home. * JJ would continue working for the company designing spacesuits for the crewed mission to the moon. * The Apollo 1 fire would somehow figure into the fourth season plotline. * Patty would serve as the Team Manager for the East Catholic football team.


Special guests

During the show's run, several contact artists recreated performances of artists from the 1960s. These recreations were often performed on the ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...
'' stage, although several performances took place at a performing area adjacent to the Vinyl Crocodile record store. In the second and third seasons, several of the recreations took place at The Lair, a coffee house/student union facility on the University of Pennsylvania campus. The contemporary artists, along with the songs they performed and the artist they "interpreted", are listed below.


Performances on Bandstand


Season one

*
Michelle Branch Michelle Jacquet Branch (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. She won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals with Santana for their 2002 single, " The Game of Love". As a solo recording artist, Bran ...
, as
Lesley Gore Lesley Gore (born Lesley Sue Goldstein, May 2, 1946 – February 16, 2015) was an American singer and songwriter. At the age of 16, she recorded her first hit song " It's My Party", a US number one in 1963. She follow ...
performing "
You Don't Own Me "You Don't Own Me" is a pop song written by Philadelphia songwriters John Madara and David White and recorded by Lesley Gore in 1963, when she was 17 years old. The song was Gore's second most successful recording and her last top-ten single ...
" (season 1 episode 2) *
Nick Carter Nickolas Gene Carter (born January 28, 1980) is an American singer, the lead vocalist of the vocal group Backstreet Boys, and an alleged rapist. As of 2015, he has released three solo albums, '' Now or Never'', '' I'm Taking Off'' and '' All A ...
& Ric Felix (aka Ricky Godinez and later billed as Ricky G), as "Jay" and one of the members of Jay and the Americans (respectively), performing "
Come a Little Bit Closer "Come a Little Bit Closer" is a song by the 1960s rock and roll band Jay and the Americans. It reached number 3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on November 21, 1964, making it the band's highest-charting single. It also peaked at number 4 on the ...
" (season 1 episode 6) * Usher, as
Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...
, performing "
Can I Get a Witness "Can I Get a Witness" is a song composed by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland and produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier as a non-album single for American recording vocalist Marvin Gaye, who issued the record on Motown's T ...
" (season 1 episode 7) * Ashanti, as
Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick ( ; born Marie Dionne Warrick; December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. During her career, Warwick has won many awards, including six Grammy Awards. She has been inducted into the Hollywood Wa ...
, performing "
Walk On By "Walk On By" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David for singer Dionne Warwick in 1963. Warwick's recording of the song peaked at number 6 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 1 on the Cash Box Rhythm and Blues Chart In June 19 ...
" (season 1 episode 10) *
Vanessa Carlton Vanessa Lee Carlton (born August 16, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Her debut album, '' Be Not Nobody'' (2002), was released by A&M Records and peaked at number five on the ''Billboard'' 200. It spawned the hit song " A Tho ...
, as
Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), better known by her stage name Dusty Springfield, was a British singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano voice, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, Pop mus ...
, performing "
Wishin' and Hopin' "Wishin' and Hopin" is a song, written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, which was a US Top 10 hit for Dusty Springfield in 1964. History The song was first recorded by Dionne Warwick in the fall of 1962, and was the B-side of Warwick's sing ...
(season 1 episode 14) *
Wayne Brady Wayne Alphonso Brady (born June 2, 1972) is an American comedian, actor, and singer. He is a regular cast member on the American version of the improvisational comedy television series '' Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' He was the host of the daytim ...
, as
Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson Jr. (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American singer who was a prominent figure in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. Nicknamed "Mr. Excitement", he was considered a master showman and one of th ...
, performing "
Baby Workout "Baby Workout" is an R&B song by Jackie Wilson from the 1963 album of the same name. The track is about Wilson urging a girl to dance (work out) all night with him. It was Wilson's biggest hit of his singles that charted on both the ''Billboard' ...
" (season 1 episode 18) *
LeAnn Rimes Margaret LeAnn Rimes Cibrian (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She originally rose to success as a country music artist at the age of 13 and has since crossed over into pop, contemporary Christian, and o ...
, as
Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero ( ; born December 12, 1937), known as Connie Francis, is a retired American Pop music, pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. She is estimated to have sold more th ...
, performing "
Where the Boys Are ''Where the Boys Are'' is a 1960 American CinemaScope comedy film directed by Henry Levin and starring Connie Francis, Dolores Hart, Paula Prentiss, George Hamilton, Yvette Mimieux, Jim Hutton, and Frank Gorshin. It was written by George ...
" (season 1 episode 19) *
Duncan Sheik Duncan Sheik (born November 18, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Sheik is known for his 1996 debut single "Barely Breathing", which earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. He has com ...
, as
Bobby Darin Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor who performed Pop music, pop, Swing music, swing, Folk music, folk, rock and roll, and country music. Darin started ...
, performing "Beyond the Sea" (season 1 episode 19) *
Vivian Green Vivian Sakiyyah Green (born May 22, 1979) is an American R&B singer-songwriter and pianist. Early life Green was born May 22, 1979, in the East Oak Lane neighborhood of Philadelphia. The Green home was filled with the sounds of ''Motown, ...
, as
Brenda Holloway Brenda Holloway (born June 26, 1946) is an American soul singer who was a recording artist for Motown Records during the 1960s. Her best-known recordings are the hits " Every Little Bit Hurts", " When I'm Gone", and " You've Made Me So Very H ...
, performing "
Every Little Bit Hurts "Every Little Bit Hurts" was originally a 1964 hit single for Motown soul singer Brenda Holloway, written by Ed Cobb and featured on Holloway's album of the same name. Background Though Brenda Holloway was against recording the song again (sh ...
" (season 1 episode 20) * Rosey, as
Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...
performing "
Dream A Little Dream Of Me "Dream a Little Dream of Me" is a 1930 song with music by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt and lyrics by Gus Kahn. It was first recorded in February 1931 by Ozzie Nelson and His Orchestra, soon followed by Wayne King and His Orchestra with voc ...
" (season 1 episode 20) *
B2K B2K (Boys of the New Millennium) is an American boy band from 1998 to 2004, and again from 2018 to present. In 1998, the group was formed by American dance choreographer Dave Scott and Interscope A&R Keshia Gamble. The members consisted of Li ...
&
Marques Houston Marques Barrett Houston (born August 4, 1981) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. Houston began his singing career in 1990, performing with IMx, and found popularity as an actor for his portrayal of Roger Evans in the tee ...
, as
The Temptations The Temptations is an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961 as The Elgins, known for their string of successful singles and albums with Motown from the 1960s to the mid-1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield ...
, performing " My Girl" (season 1 episode 22) * The Thorns, as
the Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian Wilson, Brian, Dennis Wilson, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their f ...
, performing "Warmth of the Sun" (season 1 episode 23) *
Third Eye Blind Third Eye Blind is an American rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1993. After years of lineup changes in the early and mid-1990s, the songwriting duo of Stephan Jenkins and Kevin Cadogan signed the band's first major-label reco ...
, as
The Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray Davies, Ray and Dave Davies, and Pete Quaife. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British ...
, performing "
All Day and All of the Night "All Day and All of the Night" is a song by the English rock band the Kinks from 1964. Released as a single, it reached No. 2 in the UK on the ''Record Retailer'' chart and No. 7 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in 1965. The song was incl ...
" (season 1 episode 23) * Ashley Williams, as
Sandie Shaw Sandra Ann Goodrich (born 26 February 1947), known by her stage name Sandie Shaw, is a retired English pop singer. One of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s, she had three UK number one singles with "(There's) Always Some ...
, performing "
(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" is a song written by American songwriting duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Originally recorded as a demo by Dionne Warwick in 1963, "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" first charted ...
" (season 1 episode 24) *
Stacie Orrico Stacie Joy Orrico (born March 3, 1986) is an American singer and songwriter. After signing to ForeFront Records, Orrico recorded her first album, '' Genuine'' (2000). Her second studio album '' Stacie Orrico'' (2003), released by ForeFront and ...
, as the lead singer of The Angels, performing "My Boyfriend's Back" (Brittany Snow and Vanessa Lengies were the backup singers on Orrico's cover of the song) (season 1 episode 25) *
Kelly Rowland Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling gir ...
, as
Martha Reeves Martha Rose Reeves (born July 18, 1941) is an American R&B and pop singer. She is best known for being the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas, which scored several major Hot 100 hits such as " Nowhere to Run", "Heat ...
of
Martha and the Vandellas Martha and the Vandellas (known from 1967 to 1973 as Martha Reeves & the Vandellas) were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1957. The group achieved fame in the 1960s as a major act for Motown Records. Formed by friends Annett ...
, performing "Nowhere To Run" (season 1 episode 25)


Season two

*
Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne (born Kelly Brianne Clarkson, April 24, 1982), known professionally as Kelly Clarkson, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Rising to fame after winning the American Idol season 1, first season of ''Ameri ...
, as
Brenda Lee Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known professionally as Brenda Lee, is an American singer. Primarily performing rockabilly, pop, country and Christmas music, she achieved her first ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' hit aged 12 i ...
, performing "
Sweet Nothin's Sweet Nothin's is a 1959 song by Brenda Lee written by Ronnie Self. It peaked at No. 4 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 12 on the Hot R&B Sides chart, in 1960. The song (as Sweet Nuthin's) also charted on the UK Singles Chart in 1960, pea ...
" (season 2 episode 1) * Vanessa Soul, as Barbara Lewis, performing "Baby I'm Yours" (season 2 episode 1) * Monica, as
Mary Wells Mary Esther Wells (May 13, 1943 – July 26, 1992) was an American singer, who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s. Along with the Supremes, the Miracles, the Temptations, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, and the F ...
, performing "
My Guy "My Guy" is a 1964 hit single by American singer Mary Wells for the Motown label. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson of The Miracles, the song is a woman's rejection of a sexual advance and affirmation of her fidelity to her boyfriend, who i ...
" (season 2 episode 2) *
Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper. She was born and raised in New York City and lived much of her adolescent life on the streets after ...
, as Shirley Ellis, performing "
The Clapping Song "The Clapping Song" is an American song, written by Lincoln Chase, originally arranged by Charles Calello and recorded by Shirley Ellis in 1965. The single sold over a million copies, and peaked at number eight in the United States and number s ...
" (season 2 episode 3) *
Third Eye Blind Third Eye Blind is an American rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1993. After years of lineup changes in the early and mid-1990s, the songwriting duo of Stephan Jenkins and Kevin Cadogan signed the band's first major-label reco ...
, as
The Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray Davies, Ray and Dave Davies, and Pete Quaife. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British ...
, performing "You Really Got Me" (season 2 episode 4) *
Kelly Rowland Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling gir ...
, as
Martha Reeves Martha Rose Reeves (born July 18, 1941) is an American R&B and pop singer. She is best known for being the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas, which scored several major Hot 100 hits such as " Nowhere to Run", "Heat ...
of
Martha and the Vandellas Martha and the Vandellas (known from 1967 to 1973 as Martha Reeves & the Vandellas) were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1957. The group achieved fame in the 1960s as a major act for Motown Records. Formed by friends Annett ...
, performing "Dancing in the Street" (season 2 episode 5) *
Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer and songwriter. A classically trained pianist, Keys began composing songs at the age of 12 and was signed by Columbia Records at 15. After d ...
, as
Fontella Bass Fontella Marie Bass (; July 3, 1940 – December 26, 2012) was an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter best known for her number-one R&B hit " Rescue Me" in 1965. She was nominated for a Grammy Award twice. Early life Fontella Bass was bor ...
, performing "Rescue Me" (season 2 episode 6) * Kembra Shannon, as Kim Weston, performing "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)" (season 2 episode 7) * Steadman, as
the Dave Clark Five The Dave Clark Five, also known as the DC5, were an English rock and roll band formed in 1958 in Tottenham, London. Drummer Dave Clark was the group's leader, producer and co-songwriter. In January 1964, they had their first UK top-ten single, ...
, performing "Do You Love Me" (season 2 episode 7) * Hilary and
Haylie Duff Haylie Katherine Duff (born February 19, 1985) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Sandy Jameson in the television series '' 7th Heaven'', Amy Sanders in ''Lizzie McGuire'' and Summer Wheatly in ''Napoleon Dyn ...
, as members of
The Shangri-Las The Shangri-Las were an American girl group of the 1960s, consisting of Mary Weiss, her sister Elizabeth "Betty" Weiss and twin sisters Marguerite "Marge" Ganser and Mary Ann Ganser. Between 1964 and 1966 several hit pop songs of theirs docu ...
, performing "
Leader of the Pack "Leader of the Pack" is a song written by George "Shadow" Morton, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich. It was a number one pop hit in 1964 for the American girl group the Shangri-Las. The single is one of the group's best known songs as well as ...
" (season 2 episode 8) *
Richie Sambora Richard Stephen Sambora (born July 11, 1959) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Bon Jovi from 1983 to 2013. He and lead singer Jon Bon Jovi formed the main songwriting unit for the ...
, as
Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
of
the Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page (1966–1968), all of whom ...
, performing "For Your Love" (season 2 episode 9) *
Jennifer Love Hewitt Jennifer Love Hewitt (born February 21, 1979) is an American actress, producer and singer. Hewitt began her career as a child actress and singer, appearing in national television commercials before joining the cast of the Disney Channel serie ...
, as
Nancy Sinatra Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer, actress, film producer and author. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra ( Barbato) and is known for her 1965 signature hit " These Boots Are Made for Walki ...
, performing "
These Boots Are Made For Walking "These Boots Are Made for Walkin' is a hit song written by Lee Hazlewood and recorded by American singer Nancy Sinatra. It charted on January 22, 1966, and reached No.1 in the United States ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and in the UK Singles Chart. ...
" (season 2 episode 10) *
Brad Paisley Brad Douglas Paisley (born October 28, 1972) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His first success came in 1997 as the writer of David Kersh's "Another You (David Kersh song), Another You". After this, he signed with ...
, as
Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician and actor. From age eight, he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he began a ...
, performing "Dream Lover" (season 2 episode 10) *
Josh Kelley Joshua Bishop Kelley (born January 30, 1980) is an American musician and singer-songwriter. Kelley has recorded for Hollywood Records, Threshold Records and DNK Records as a pop rock artist. His songs "Amazing" and "Only You" reached the top t ...
, as
Barry McGuire Barry McGuire (born October 15, 1935) is an American singer-songwriter primarily known for his 1965 hit " Eve of Destruction". He was later a singer and songwriter of contemporary Christian music. Early life McGuire was born in Oklahoma City; ...
, performing " Eve of Destruction" (season 2 episode 10) *
Macy Gray Natalie Renée McIntyre (born September 6, 1967), known professionally as Macy Gray, is an American contemporary R&B, R&B and soul music, soul singer and actress. She is known for her distinctive raspy voice and a singing style heavily influence ...
, as
Carla Thomas Carla Venita Thomas (born December 21, 1942) is an American singer, who is often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul. She is best known for her 1960s recordings for Atlantic and Stax including the hits " Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)" (1960) ...
, performing "B.A.B.Y" (season 2 episode 12) *
Charlotte Martin Charlotte Ann Martin (born October 31, 1976) is an American singer-songwriter and musician who performs predominantly on the piano. She has published several studio albums, two of which have received mainstream commercial releases: 2004's '' On ...
, as
Petula Clark Sally "Petula" Clark (born 15 November 1932) is a British singer, actress, and songwriter. She started her professional career as a child actor, child performer and has had the longest career of any British entertainer, spanning more than 85 y ...
performing "
Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...
" (season 2 episode 13) *
Nick Lachey Nicholas Scott Lachey ( ; born November 9, 1973) is an American actor, singer-songwriter, producer, TV personality and host. He rose to fame as the lead singer of the multi-platinum-selling boyband 98 Degrees and later starred in the reality ser ...
, as
Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer *Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in 1 ...
, performing "It's Not Unusual" (season 2 episode 13) *
Chris Isaak Christopher Joseph Isaak (born June 26, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional actor. Noted for his reverb-laden rockabilly revivalist style and wide vocal range, he is popularly known for his breakthrough hit and sig ...
, as
Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. Orbison's most successful periods were ...
, performing "
Pretty Woman ''Pretty Woman'' is a 1990 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall and written by J. F. Lawton. The film stars Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, and features Héctor Elizondo, Ralph Bellamy (in his final performance), ...
" (season 2 episode 14) *
Jennifer Love Hewitt Jennifer Love Hewitt (born February 21, 1979) is an American actress, producer and singer. Hewitt began her career as a child actress and singer, appearing in national television commercials before joining the cast of the Disney Channel serie ...
, as
Nancy Sinatra Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer, actress, film producer and author. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra ( Barbato) and is known for her 1965 signature hit " These Boots Are Made for Walki ...
, performing "Sunny" (season 2 episode 14) *
Tyler Hilton Tyler James Hilton (born November 22, 1983), is an American musician, actor, and author. He is known for playing Chris Keller, a prominent recurring character in the WB/ CW series '' One Tree Hill,'' and Elvis Presley in the Johnny Cash biopi ...
, as a folk singer, performing
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
' "
I've Just Seen a Face "I've Just Seen a Face" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released in August 1965 on their album ''Help!'', except in North America, where it appeared as the opening track on the December 1965 release ''Rubber Soul''. Writ ...
" (season 2 episode 14) * Ricky Fante, as
Wilson Pickett Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter. A major figure in the development of soul music, Pickett recorded more than 50 songs that made the US R&B charts, many of which crossed over to the '' ...
, performing "Land of 1000 Dances" (season 2 episode 15) *
Liz Phair Elizabeth Clark Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Phair was raised primarily in the Chicago area. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1990, she attempted to sta ...
, as
Jackie DeShannon Jackie DeShannon (born Sharon Lee Myers; August 21, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter and radio broadcaster who has had many hit song credits beginning in the 1960s, as both a singer and composer. She was one of the first female singer-son ...
, performing "When You Walk in the Room" (season 2 episode 16) *
Tyra Banks Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973), also known as BanX, is an American model, television personality, producer, writer, and actress. Born in Inglewood, California, she began her career as a model at the age of 15 and was the first Black A ...
, as a member of
The Velvelettes The Velvelettes were an American singing girl group, signed to Motown in the 1960s. Their biggest chart success occurred in 1964, when Norman Whitfield produced "Needle in a Haystack", which peaked at number 45 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, ...
, performing "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'" (season 2 episode 17) * Evan & Jaron, as
The Everly Brothers The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close-harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly and Phillip "Phil" Everly, the duo combined elements of rock and roll, country, ...
, performing "Wake Up Little Susie" (season 2 episode 17) *
Jason Mraz Jason Thomas Mraz ( ; born June 23, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He rose to prominence with the release of his debut studio album, ''Waiting for My Rocket to Come'' (2002), which spawned the single "The Remedy (I Won't Wo ...
, as
Dion DiMucci Dion Francis DiMucci (born July 18, 1939), better known Mononym, mononymously as Dion, is an American singer and songwriter. His music incorporates elements of doo-wop, Pop music, pop, Rock music, rock, Rhythm and blues, R&B, folk music, folk an ...
, performing "
Ruby Baby "Ruby Baby" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. It was originally recorded by the Drifters. Their version was released as a single by Atlantic Records (catalog No. 45 1089) in 1956. It peaked at No. 10 on the US Hot R&B chart. ...
" (season 2 episode 18) *
Fefe Dobson Felicia Lily Dobson (born February 28, 1985) is a Canadian singer. Born in Toronto, Ontario, she began performing as a teenager, during which time she received and refused an offer from Jive Records for a recording contract. Dobson signed with I ...
, as
Tina Turner Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
, performing "
River Deep - Mountain High A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it run ...
" (season 2 episode 18) *
Wyclef Jean Nel Ust Wyclef Jean ( ; born October 17, 1969) is a Haitian rapper, singer, and record producer. Born in Haiti, Jean emigrated to the Northeastern United States, United States as a child. He gained fame as a founding member of the Fugees, a Ne ...
, as
Curtis Mayfield Curtis Lee Mayfield (June 3, 1942 – December 26, 1999) was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and record producer. Dubbed the " Gentle Genius", he is considered one of the most influential musicians of soul and socially conscious Afric ...
, performing "Woman's Got Soul" (season 2 episode 19)


Season three

*
Brandy Norwood Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, model and actress. Born into a musical family in McComb, Mississippi, Norwood was raised in Carson, California, beginning her career as a backing vocalist ...
, as
Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys Knight & the Pips, which included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins Will ...
, performing "
I Heard It Through the Grapevine "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The first recording of the song to be released was produced by Whitfield for Gladys Knight & the Pips and released as a ...
" (season 3 episode 1) *
Nicole Richie Nicole Camille Richie (; born September 21, 1981) is an American media personality, fashion designer, and actress. She came to prominence after appearing on the reality television series ''The Simple Life'' (2003–2007), in which she starred al ...
, as the lead singer of
The Exciters The Exciters were an American pop music group of the 1960s. They were originally a girl group, with one male member being added afterwards. At the height of their popularity the group consisted of lead singer Brenda Reid, Herb Rooney, Carolyn J ...
, performing "Tell Him" (season 3 episode 2) *
Hawk Nelson Hawk Nelson was a Canadian Christian pop-punk band from Peterborough, Ontario. Formed in 2000, the band has released eight studio albums. Bassist/backing vocalist Daniel Biro was the band's only founding member to remain throughout their entire ...
, as
The Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
, performing "My Generation" (season 3 episode 3) *
Phantom Planet Phantom Planet is an American Rock music, rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1994. The band consists of Alex Greenwald (vocals, rhythm guitar), Darren Robinson (lead guitar), Sam Farrar (bass guitar) and Jeff Conrad (drums). The band is bes ...
, as
The Zombies The Zombies are an English Rock music, rock band formed in St Albans in 1961. Led by keyboardist/vocalist Rod Argent and lead vocalist Colin Blunstone, the group had their first British and American hit in 1964 with "She's Not There". In the U ...
, performing "
Tell Her No "Tell Her No" is a hit single written by Rod Argent and included by English rock band the Zombies on their debut album ''The Zombies'' in 1965. It peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States in March 1965 and was one of thr ...
" (season 3 episode 6) *
Fantasia Barrino Fantasia Monique Barrino-Taylor (born June 30, 1984), known professionally by her mononym Fantasia, is an American singer and actress. She rose to prominence in 2004 for her performance of the ''Porgy and Bess'' standard " Summertime" during th ...
, as
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...
, performing "
Respect Respect, also called esteem, is a positive feeling or deferential action shown towards someone or something considered important or held in high esteem or regard. It conveys a sense of admiration for good or valuable qualities. It is also th ...
" (season 3 episode 8) * Otis and the Elevators, as Jimmy Smith, performing "Got My Mojo Working" (season 3 episode 8) *
Kelly Clarkson Kelly Brianne (born Kelly Brianne Clarkson, April 24, 1982), known professionally as Kelly Clarkson, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Rising to fame after winning the American Idol season 1, first season of ''Ameri ...
, as
Brenda Lee Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known professionally as Brenda Lee, is an American singer. Primarily performing rockabilly, pop, country and Christmas music, she achieved her first ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' hit aged 12 i ...
, performing "
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958; it has since been recorded by numerous other music artists. By the song's 50th anniversary in 2008, Lee's original version had ...
" (season 3 episode 9) * JoJo, as
Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American singer who has performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin music. Ronstadt has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three A ...
, auditioning for ''Bandstand'' with "That'll Be The Day" (season 3 episode 9) * 112 (band), 112 as The Four Tops, performing "Reach Out, I'll Be There" * Van Hunt, as Jimmy Ruffin, performing "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (season 3 episode 12) * John Legend, as Stevie Wonder, performing "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" (season 3 episode 15) * Fountains of Wayne, as The Hollies, performing "Bus Stop" (season 3 episode 16)


Performances at the Vinyl Crocodile

* India.Arie, as Nina Simone, performing "Come Ye" (season 1 episode 15) * Keb 'Mo, as Son House, songs performed currently unknown. (season 1 episode 12)


Performances at the Lair

* Five for Fighting performing a folk arrangement of his 2004 recording "If God Made You" * Art Alexakis, as Country Joe McDonald, performing "The "Fish" Cheer/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die Rag" * Joss Stone, performing a folk arrangement of her 2005 hit "Right to Be Wrong" * Alanis Morissette, as a folk singer performing her original composition "Offer" * Bonnie McKee, as Janis Joplin, performing "Summertime" * Hayley Westenra performed "Who Painted the Moon Black?" from her album Pure (Hayley Westenra album), ''Pure'' on episode 46. * Blake Shelton, performing his song "Playboys of the Southwestern World" from his 2003 CD ''The Dreamer''. * Ben Taylor as Cal Cooper, performing his original song "Surround Me". * Gavin DeGraw, performing "The Tracks of My Tears"


Other guest star appearances

* Paris Hilton, as Barbara Eden of ''I Dream of Jeannie'' * Tavis Smiley, as Thurgood Marshall * Brian McKnight, as Stokely Carmichael * Kevin McCorkle, as astronaut Gus Grissom * Rich Vos, as Lenny Bruce * Eric the Midget, as Travel Agency Customer * Kristen Bell, as Amy Fielding * Randy Jackson, as Band Manager * Montel Williams, as Reverend Gilliam


Accuracy

Despite its popularity as a family drama, ''American Dreams'' was heavily criticized for its various levels of historical inaccuracy. Several historic events were restaged earlier or later in the show's timeline to fit a plotline, and some of the music and pop culture references do not match up with either historic fact or the show's current timeline. Several arguments between the show's loyal fanbase can be traced to whether the show should be viewed as a chronologically accurate representation of life in 1960s Philadelphia, or is instead an idealized combination of mnemonic images and pop culture references from points throughout the 1960s, much as the film ''The Wedding Singer'' was for the 1980s. Some examples of these disputes include: * A running plotline is the appearance of Meg and Roxanne as dancers on ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...
'', which still tapes a daily after-school show in Philadelphia; where in real life the show moved to Los Angeles in February 1964 and was only broadcast once a week, on Saturday afternoons (in real life, the studio used for ''Bandstand'' was later appropriated by the stations of public broadcasting operation WHYY-TV, WHYY after WFIL's donation of them shortly after moving to their new City Avenue studios). * In the pilot episode, Jack makes a reference to Ara Parseghian and University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame. The pilot was set in November 1963 while Parseghian was hired by Notre Dame in December. * In the first year, JJ Pryor Jr supposedly attended
Lehigh University Lehigh University (LU), in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States, is a private university, private research university. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer. Lehigh University's undergraduate programs have been mixed ...
on a football scholarship in 1963 but joined the Marines when injured to pay for college. Lehigh doesn't have athletic scholarships but gives financial grants in aid instead. Thus he would have still had financial aid even if injured. * The
Philadelphia 1964 race riot The Philadelphia race riot, or Columbia Avenue Riot, took place in the predominantly African Americans, black neighborhoods of North Philadelphia from August 28 to August 30, 1964. Tensions between black residents of the city and police had been ...
depicted in the first-season finale started at night, not in the daytime, as depicted in the show. Television footage of the riots shown on the episode actually came from the Watts riots of 1965 Los Angeles. * During the show's first season, the music of several artists, such as the Kinks,
Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), better known by her stage name Dusty Springfield, was a British singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano voice, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, Pop mus ...
and Manfred Mann, are heard and referenced in 1963, months before the Beatles' appearance on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' (February 1964) that triggered the musical British Invasion. * When the Beatles appear on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'', the scene is set up so that the first song the Beatles play is "I Want to Hold Your Hand", which was the Beatles' first American hit, but was not the first song played on ''Ed Sullivan'' (that honor goes to "All My Loving"). * In one episode in the show's third season, set in late November 1965, the Northeast Blackout of 1965, East Coast Blackout and the Leonid meteor shower were both "rescheduled" so that they would fall on the same day that Beth Mason gave birth to JJ Pryor's son. * In a first-season episode, Meg and Roxanne gush over meeting the group Jay and the Americans, and Roxanne is especially enamored with "Carl, the drummer" (the group neither had a member named Carl, nor a drummer, in real life). Also in real life, there were two lead singers known as "Jay" – Jay Traynor, who sang on their hit "She Cried", and Jay Black, who replaced Traynor for the group's other hits — yet on the episode, it is assumed that there was only one "Jay" who sang all the hits without interruption. * In the show's first season, set in November 1963, Meg Pryor and Luke Foley argue over the merits of Bob Dylan, and Luke hands Meg a 45 of Dylan singing "Mr. Tambourine Man." In fact, Dylan did not write or perform the song until 1964, and he never released it on a commercial 45 (it appeared on his "Bringing It All Back Home" album released in early 1965), although the Byrds' rendition of it was a hit single. Note that before Luke hands meg the Dylan record, he specifically says that it is "an advanced copy of the record that won't be released until next year." * References are made in the show's second season to I Dream of Jeannie, which was still a year away from premiering. On top of that, "the big band theme song" heard, is the one introduced at the beginning of the show's second season (which was a re-creation of the original theme). It was performed & produced by LA guitarist Rick Fleishman, and it also featured LA session drummer Paul Goldberg. (It's the one most viewers were familiar with in 1966). * The Monkees perform on the ''Bandstand'' stage in January 1966, despite their television series not even premiering until September 1966, or the four actors playing the Monkees even performing a live concert until a year later. * In an episode set in January/February 1965,
Nancy Sinatra Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer, actress, film producer and author. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra ( Barbato) and is known for her 1965 signature hit " These Boots Are Made for Walki ...
(Jennifer Love Hewitt) appears on American Bandstand to sing "These Boots are Made for Walking" despite the fact the song was not released until 1966. * While working at the space suit company, JJ Pryor meets Gus Grissom, and they discuss the Apollo 1 mission. Grissom later says, "Get me back to Cape Canaveral." In reality, the Apollo 1 mission was not designated by that number or name until after the accident that claimed the lives of Grissom and two other astronauts (at the time the mission was known as Apollo/Saturn 204), and the reference to Cape Canaveral would have been wrong, as the area where the space center was located had been renamed "Cape Kennedy" during the 1960s. While the town was officially renamed back to Cape Canaveral in 1973, the space center was (and still is) known as the Kennedy Space Center, and at least three years had passed since the town was renamed from Cape Canaveral to Cape Kennedy; so although it is not impossible that in a casual conversation Grissom would have used the traditional name, it is still unlikely that this would happen. * Artists such as Blake Shelton, John Ondrasik and Joss Stone are allowed to perform their current pop hits, which in real time would have been 40 years away from ever existing. * Neither
The Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
nor
Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician and actor. From age eight, he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. In 1957, he began a ...
ever performed on the ''Bandstand'' stage in real life (Nelson's father Ozzie refused to allow his performing son to appear on anybody else's TV series, even if such appearance might help increase record sales); but that didn't stop the producers from staging performances by those artists in this series. * The Who is shown performing on Bandstand in the show's third season, set in 1965–1966. However The Who's first performance in the United States wasn't until the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. * In an episode that is supposedly taking place in the spring of 1965, two customers at the TV store, played by ''Days of Our Lives'' actors John Aniston and Frances Reid, were watching an episode of ''Days of our Lives'' on a TV (Frances was watching herself on an early episode). ''Days of our Lives'' did not premiere until November 8, 1965. * In an episode purporting to take place in the summer of 1966, a character on "American Bandstand" is asked to rate the Rolling Stones' song "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", despite the song being over a year old. * In a late third-season episode, Meg, Roxanne and Luke sit outside Connie Mack Stadium with lawn chairs, listening for free to the Rolling Stones, who are playing a live concert at the stadium. Luke makes a reference that he heard a Bob Dylan concert at Connie Mack Stadium for free this way. Bob Dylan did not play Connie Mack Stadium as an outdoor venue in 1966 or earlier. * In another third-season episode that takes place in June 1966, the Mamas and the Papas appear on
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...
to perform "California Dreamin'". However, the Mamas and Papas actual appearance on the show was in February 1966, they did not appear again in June of that year. * Characters are depicted as listening to Cream (Band), Cream's "I Feel Free" and The Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" as early as the summer of 1965, despite neither song being released until late in 1966, after the timeline of the series had ended. * Another is Nathan Walker, Henry's nephew and Chris Pierce, Meg's boyfriend both say they were drafted to Vietnam in 1965 and 1966, however the first Vietnam Draft wasn't held until December 1, 1969. It was a big deal at the time and it was watched live on TV. *The draft existed since W.W.2 you are talking about the lottery where each day of the year was assigned a number on ping pong balls and picked at random. so they could have been drafted to go to Vietnam any time in the 60's * JJ Pryor enlists in the Marines and goes to Vietnam in 1964, however President Johnson did not order the first deployment of Marines (the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade) until March 8, 1965.


Home media

The first season of ''American Dreams'' was released on DVD in September 2004. As of January no formal release dates have been announced for the remaining two seasons. Prince has promised that the series epilogue will appear in the third-season DVD release. However, it is widely believed that the huge number of licensed songs on the series make future DVD releases cost prohibitive, although Prince said that was not the case. On January 26, 2009, it was reported that Prince and other producers from the show were negotiating to get the final two seasons released on DVD, along with including the unaired epilogue. No recent news was made until June 21, 2010, where it was reported that the producers "are closer than ever to debuting a boxed set of all three seasons of ''American Dreams'' on DVD". However, negotiations seem to have stalled, with negotiations continuing as of early 2013. At the second annual
ATX Television Festival ATX Television Festival is an annual event based in Austin, Texas, that celebrates and showcases the past, present, and future of the television industry. Screenings, Q&As, cast reunions, and industry panel discussions take place over four days an ...
on June 9, 2013, Prince spoke out on the hold-up on the home media release of seasons 2 and 3, admitting that because of costly music licensing issues, it was unlikely that NBC would find it cost-effective to make those licensing deals unless fans campaigned to prove that the DVDs would sell, suggesting a Kickstarter campaign to gauge interest. There are music alterations in the Season 1 DVD release in order to keep music licensing costs down. Prince has noted that the first season retains about "80% of the original music", keeping music he deemed critical to particular scenes, as well as performances of guest stars and music for the Bandstand dancers while replacing some background songs with "cheaper needle-drops" from the 1960s. Prince said he doubted even hard-core fans would notice the difference.


Soundtrack

On May 6, 2003, Hip-O Records released ''American Dreams — Original Soundtrack 1963–1964'', with original and new recordings featured in the show's first season.


Broadcasts

''American Dreams'' was shown for three years on NBC from 2002 to 2005. The first two seasons were shown in the United Kingdom (on the Hallmark Channel (UK), Hallmark Channel and Trouble (TV channel), Trouble), in Denmark (TV2), in Brazil (Sony Entertainment Television) and in Poland (TV Puls).


References


External links

* {{IMDb title, 0319930 2000s American music television series 2000s American teen drama television series 2002 American television series debuts 2005 American television series endings American English-language television shows Historical family drama television series Television shows about the United States Marine Corps American television series about families American television series about teenagers Television series about television Television series about the Vietnam War Television series by Dick Clark Productions Television series by Universal Television Television series set in 1963 Television series set in 1964 Television series set in 1965 Television series set in 1966 Television series set in the 1960s Television shows set in Philadelphia NBC television dramas