What he really learned from his TV dance party

Thax is back!

If that name’s ringing a bell with you, you’re old enough to recall the man with the dance party -- “The Lloyd Thaxton Show” -- who attempted to dethrone “American Bandstand’s” Dick Clark.

For eight years during the ‘60s, Thaxton, a popular Los Angeles DJ, was host of the entertaining, albeit schmaltzy, local show. His signature? At least once on every show, he lip-synced popular songs, hamming it up.

“People started calling me a musical Ernie Kovacs,” recalls Thaxton, now 75. After his “zany dance host” years, he says, “I signed on to write, direct and produce a little local show called ‘California Byline With David Horowitz.’ ” Thaxton laughs. “Friends said, ‘What? Are you crazy?’ I took the job for $200 per week. The show went into national syndication as ‘Fight Back With David Horowitz.’ Eighteen years later, I retired.”

But now Thaxton has emerged from the nether world of “What ever happened to ... ?” He’s joined forces with motivational speaker John Alston to produce a self-help tome called “Stuff Happens (and then you fix it!).”

The two share their experiences of dropping from success into oblivion, only to bounce back -- and offer tips for staying on track. It all boils down to “The Nine Reality Rules.” (No. 2: To win you have to begin. No. 4: Be prepared.) Says Thaxton: “It’s like my legacy.”

-- Carolyn Patricia Scott