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In July, 1950, Arthur Murray bought five fifteen-minute television spots on CBS and persuaded Kathryn Murray to do the honors of teaching. Before the third show Mr. Murray bought a half-hour summer series on ABC. The show was called the "Arthur Murray Dance Party". By May, 1952, the Maoris had televised almost one hundred programs. Their TV ratings had climbed, and for the summer of 1952 on CBS, they signed with their first sponsor, General Foods. It was a shock to the trade to have the Maoris--former sponsors--hired as talent! Millions of viewers all over the United States fell in love with the show and encouraged it continuation by clocking to the Arthur Murray Studios throughout the country. An average of 2,000 people were beginning courses each week! In April, 1957, Mr. Murray decided to present famous stars in the dance contest. This continued for the duration of the program through 1962. The talented celebrities who appeared on the weekly "Dance Party" series were numerous. |
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The backbone of the Arthur Murray Studios' clientele has always been the ordinary citizen, but a considerable number of celebrities of the arts, buisness and politics have also taken lessons; Johnny Carson, Mr. and Mrs. Mere Griffin, Bob Hope, Groucho Marx, George Burns, and Gracie Allen, Ingrid Bergman, Katherine Hepburn, Ed Sullivan, John D. Rockefeller, The Duke of Windsor, Bing Crosby, among others.
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With the introduction of the Twist in 1961, buisness declined for a few years. Mr. and Mrs. Murray retired from the active participation in the organization in 1964. A few years later, Arthur Murray's origniated the phrase "Touch Dancing" that has become synonymous with partnership dancing. Beginning about 1968 (and continuing to the present day) Touch Dancing became popular again with the upsurge of interest in the Latin Dances such as the Mambo, Merengue, and Tango, evidenced by layouts in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and other internationally known publications. The organization experienced a renewed interest in learning partnership dances by young adults who were seeking something new and different. What they found were the same joys their parents had experienced--the Exhilaration which comes from having a "fun" evening, moving with a partner in time and in tune to the music. |
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