Lloyd Thaxton Dies

Lloyd Thaxton, 81, who turned a 1960s Los Angeles television dance show into the nationally broadcast “Lloyd Thaxton Show,” died of multiple myeloma in Los Angeles Oct. 5.

Thaxton launched a low-budget show called “Lloyd Thaxton’s Record Shop” in 1959 on KCOP. It became a hit despite its limited budget and cardboard set.

Thaxton was known for his comic lip-synching to rock ’n’ roll songs, puppets, costumes, mime and “finger people” he drew on his thumb.

The national show featured dancing teenagers and guests from Sonny & Cher to The Righteous Brothers. He later became an Emmy award-winning producer for “Fight Back! With David Horowitz” and NBC’s “The Today Show.”