The T.A.M.I. Show (1964)

Surf pop duo, Jan and Dean host this showcase of performances by well-known Rock, R&B, and pop stars of the era.

Director:

Steve Binder

Stars:

The Beach Boys, The Barbarians, Chuck Berry

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
The Beach Boys	...	Themselves
The Barbarians	...	Themselves
Chuck Berry	...	Self
The Blossoms	...	Themselves
James Brown	...	Self (as James Brown and The Flames)
Marvin Gaye	...	Self
Gerry and the Pacemakers	...	Themselves
Lesley Gore	...	Self
Jan & Dean	...	Themselves
Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas	...	Themselves
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles	...	Themselves
The Supremes	...	Themselves
The Rolling Stones	...	Themselves
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Toni Baker	...	Self (keyboardist, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas) (as Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas)
Florence Ballard	...	Self (as The Supremes)

Storyline

Chuck Berry opens the show and performs "Johnny B Goode" and his 1955 hit "Maybelline". He is then joined by "Gerry and The Pacemakers" who do their updated British version of the song. and a medley of their hits. "Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas perform "Little Children " and "Bad To Me". Detroits' Motown is represented as "Diana Ross and The Supremes " sing "Baby Love" , by "Smokey Robinson and The Miracles" who sing "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" and by Marvin Gaye who sings " Hitchhike". NYCs Lesley Gore sings "It's My Party" and "You Don't Own Me",a million seller several years before "women's lib" The 'early surfer' hosts, Jan and Dean sing "The Little Old Lady From Passedena". "The Beach Boys" sing " I Get Around". James Brown, making his first nationally televised appearance, performs his standards "Out Of Sight", "Prisoner Of Love", "Night Train" and "Please Please Please", with cape. The Rolling Stones , in their first major venue, close the show performing "Time Is On My ...

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Plot Keywords:

national film registry | psychotronic film | merseybeat | soul music | surf music | 

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Taglines:

The excitement, entertainment and music of teenage America!

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Genres:

Documentary | Music

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Did You Know?

Trivia

John Landis, David Cassidy, and their entire 7th-grade junior high school class attended the concert, as one of their classmate's father was one of the producers. (According to Landis in his commentary for the original trailer on the Shout Factory DVD.)

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Goofs

The opening song makes two factual errors. First, its mentioned that Chuck Berry will perform "Memphis", which he does not do in this show. The second error refers to the Rolling Stones as being from Liverpool, when they are actually from London.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Announcer: And now, Electronovision presents your hosts for 'Command Performance'. Two of America's most exciting young stars - Jan and Dean!
Dean Torrence: Hi.
Jan Berry: We'd like to start it off tonight with a fantastic act. The guy who started it all back in 1958: Chuck Berry!
Chuck Berry: [singing] Way down in Louisiana close to New Orleans, Way back up in the woods among the evergreeens, There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood, Where lives a country boy named Johnny B. Goode, Who never ever learned to read or write so ...

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Alternate Versions

The film was re-released without the Beach Boys segment.

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Connections

Referenced in Love & Mercy (2014)

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Soundtracks

It's My Party
Written by Wally Gold (as Walter Gold), John Gluck, Herbert Weiner (as Herb Weiner) and Seymour Gottlieb (uncredited)
Performed by Lesley Gore

User Reviews

Saw the TAMI movie when I was a kid

Thanks for the great background information on the TAMI show, Wiluxe2.

It was certainly a defining moment in my musical life.

I saw it as a teenager when it first came out and will confirm that the segment by James Brown was the mother of all show-stoppers. I went to the movie to see the Rolling Stones segment, but left remembering James Brown signing Please, Please, Please. He was the real deal. I've seen some versions listed on e-bay with Ike and Tina doing Please Please Please, and other ones where it's JB. Perhaps over the years the movie segments have been cut and spliced so that the original show would be hard to recognize.

By the way, Leslie Gore's 'You Don't Own Me' was also great. She really has a wonderful melodic voice.

I'd be interested in the full length version in Video or DVD if it's available. JTL

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 December 1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Rock Revival of 1964

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica Civic Auditorium - 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Entertainment Co., Screencraft International, Theatrofilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min (Blu-ray)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1