Dick

Dick Vivian is my dance partner from the KOFY TV20 days (clip on YouTube) That would be late ‘80s. Trying to import a photo here. It’s a long and happy story with many anecdotes.

It began when Dick, who was working at the Alta Plaza restaurant, came into my salon and requested a haircut. While that was taking place, Dick talked about enjoying music from the 50’s and 60’s. The dancing, too. I replied that I liked to dance (understatement). We did a few steps together on the sidewalk after his cut. He nodded his newly shaped head to suggest that he was impressed. Dick was not easy to impress.

A few weeks later, another hair client, Gilbert Klein was having me cut his hair. He ran ‘Rock and Bowl’, a bowling alley with nightclub lighting and music. He had been approached by TV20 to advertise on their new dance show, Dance Party. And did he know any dancers? Gilbert passed that along. I said, ‘I’m interested. I’ll have to ask Dick.’

The rest is history, as they say. Two years of being featured on the weekly dance show. Dick knew very dance, every song, every recording artist. And he taught me. Looking back on it nearly 40 years later, it’s easy to be pleased. It’s fair to say we had a real presence and energy that was unique, it was a fresh take on vintage stuff.

OMG, we had SO much fun! Dick subsequently opened a record store specializing in vinyl 45 records, ‘Rooky Ricardos’. I had petticoats in a dozen colors. Dick and I weren’t paid and the show had a shoe-string budget. We did get several outside gigs that did pay. And we gained a local fan base. Most important was how happy we were which radiated to our audience.

Now, Dick has pancreatic cancer. I visited him a couple of days ago. I needed an appointment to do so. He is very ill and doesn’t have much time. Heartbreaking. We had a lot to talk about. I’ll include a photo when my computer genius comes this Sunday. I promised Dick I would return. I don’t know if I’ll make it in time.