"Dancing With the Stars" shines on Dick Clark/Bandstand

Twenty American Bandstand regulars  will be in the house for  ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" tribute tomorrow night to Dick Clark and the TV show that got all of the U.S.A. up on its collective feet.

Hometown girl Bunny Gibson and Steve Colandero will be there representing the Philly regulars, she clued us minutes ago.

"I went to the DWTS rehearsal and saw the huge dance number featuring Karina Smirnoff and Tony Dovolani and choreographed by Jamal Sims and Wendy Johnson," said Gibson, who's sitting this one out. "The dancing was amazing and when I spoke to the dancers, Tony Dovolani gave me a big hug. They all will be shining on Tuesday as they dance in honor of Dick Clark and our American Bandstand history that started in Philadelphia."

Clearly, ABC has always owed Clark big time. Early on in its gone-national years (late '50s), Bandstand  gave the then struggling ABC network a big foot up. It was a daytime show that cost next to nothing to produce but attracted a big audience, crucial  in holding on to ABC's then tempted-to-vault affiliate stations.