American Dreams

• Brittany Snow as Margaret "Meg" Pryor: The show's protagonist. In her spare time, she dances on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Her family is Catholic.
• Tom Verica as John J. "Jack" Pryor: Meg's father and head of the household. He owns Pryor's TV and Radio Store. Later represented his district on the Philadelphia City Council.
• Gail O'Grady as Helen Pryor: Jack's wife. Stay-at-home mom who later works for a travel agency.
• Will Estes as John J. "JJ" Pryor Jr.: The oldest Pryor child. He enlists in the United States Marine Corps and fights in the Vietnam War.
• Sarah Ramos as Patricia "Patty" Pryor: Meg's younger sister. Very book smart and acts like a know-it-all.
• Ethan Dampf as William "Will" Pryor: The youngest Pryor child whose leg was crippled with polio, which is a source of guilt for his parents as they refused to allow him to have the Salk vaccine. In the show's second season, his leg was surgically repaired.
• Jonathan Adams as Henry Walker: An African American employee in Jack's store who later became a partner in the store, who also heads a family.
• Arlen Escarpeta as Samuel "Sam" Walker: Henry's son and Meg's good friend who becomes a romantic interest in Season 3.
• Vanessa Lengies as Roxanne Bojarski: Meg's best friend who has a knack for getting herself into trouble. She dances on American Bandstand with Meg.
• Rachel Boston as Elizabeth "Beth" Mason-Pryor: JJ's girlfriend, whom he marries in the third season after returning from Vietnam. They have an infant son "Trip".

• Matthew John Armstrong as Pete Pryor: Jack's younger brother, an officer with the Philadelphia Police Department. He is assigned to the Columbia Avenue Precinct in North Philadelphia, a precinct which includes the Walkers' home and the Pryors' second store. He is addicted to alcohol and gambling. Almost married in Season 2 to Nancy (Helen's coworker and friend), but calls off the wedding at the last minute.
• Christopher Cousins as Theodore "Ted" Pryor: Jack and Pete's older brother, a successful businessman who has a strained and distant relationship from the rest of the family. He is only seen in a couple of episodes, and dies in a car accident late in Season 3.
• Natalie Marston as Melissa Pryor: Ted's 18-year-old daughter, niece of Jack and Pete. She entered Vassar College in the fall of 1966.
• John J. "Trip" Pryor III: JJ and Beth's son, born in November 1965 during the third season.
• Adina Porter as Gwen Walker: Henry's wife and a housekeeper, who died in Season 2 of cancer.
• Aysia Polk as Angela Walker: Henry and Gwen's daughter, roughly Patty's age.
• Keith Robinson as Nathan Walker: Henry's outspoken nephew. Spent some time in jail; eventually rehabilitated himself and now operates a delivery service.
• Jamie Elman as Luke Foley: A record store clerk. Meg's boyfriend in the first season; after they broke up, Luke and Roxanne developed a relationship and began living together in the third season.
• Jesse Hutch as James "Jimmy" Riley: An American Bandstand dance partner of Meg's who eventually leaves to fight in Vietnam; he would later return to American Dreams in the second season, in a wheelchair.
• Samuel Page as Drew Mandel: A college student at the University of Pennsylvania; he and Meg date during the show, despite both her brother J.J. and her father's dislike for Drew. It ends when she catches him cheating on her.
• Johnny Lewis as Leonard "Lenny" Beeber: Roxanne's second-season boyfriend with whom she goes on tour. Head of the band Lenny and the Pilgrims.
• Milo Ventimiglia as Christopher "Chris" Pierce: Shelly Pierce's son, who becomes Meg's new love interest in the third season.
• Rodney Scott as Daniel "Danny" O'Connor: Quarterback of the East Catholic football team in the first season, and who has a short-lived relationship with Meg in season two. His older brother was declared missing in action in Vietnam. In season three, Danny's brother's body is found in Vietnam.
• Paul Wasilewski as Thomas "Tommy" DeFelice: JJ's macho friend and former football teammate. JJ later ends the friendship when he notices a strong racist side to him when Sam enrolls at East Catholic. They resume their friendship when Tommy takes the blame for something JJ did.
• Kevin Sheridan as Kenny Keegan: JJ's East Catholic friend and teammate; a mediocre athlete.
• Jessica Collins as Colleen: JJ's coworker and sometime girlfriend in season one; she is older than JJ and a divorcée.
• Joseph Lawrence as Michael Brooks: The original floor producer of American Bandstand. His character left after the show's first season.
• Michael E. Rodgers as Colin: Floor producer of Bandstand who took over after Michael Brooks' departure.
• Peter Spellos as Gus: A witty production assistant of American Bandstand.
• Michelle Morgan as Teresa McManus: A regular dancer on Bandstand who does not like Meg.
• Paul D. Roberts as Dick Clark: Host of American Bandstand.
• Michael Burger as Charlie O'Donnell: Announcer of American Bandstand.
• Nigel Thatch as Willie Johnson: A charismatic neighborhood agitator in North Philadelphia who played a major role in instigating the Philadelphia 1964 race riot.
• Virginia Madsen as Rebecca Sandstrom: Helen's friend from a book club. Her character was dropped after the first season.
• Alicia Coppola as Nancy: After meeting Helen while working at the same travel agency, she became one of Helen's confidantes. Nancy dated and then became engaged to Pete Pryor, only to be left standing at the altar.
• Hank Stratton as Donald Norville: Helen's colleague at the travel agency. He is later fired for being homosexual.
• Steve Ryan as Father Conti: The Pryor family's strict Catholic priest, who also serves as the headmaster of East Catholic high school.
• James Read and Barbara Alyn Woods as Mr. and Mrs. George Mason: Beth's well-to-do parents. Estranged from Beth after she became pregnant with JJ Pryor's child, although some reconciliation was attempted in the show's third season.
• Art Garfunkel as Mr. Greenwood: The bohemian owner of the Vinyl Crocodile record store. Appeared sporadically during the first season; in the third season he is said to have gone "on a worldwide tour with his friend", an allusion to Art Garfunkel's singing partnership with Paul Simon.
• Daphne Zuniga as Shelly Pierce: A single mom who works at a nearby Playboy Club and the Pryors' next-door neighbor (starting at the beginning of Season 3).
• Murray Rubenstein as Murray: A barbershop owner whose business is next to Pryor's TV and Radio. A frequent visitor to the store, though he rarely buys anything.
• Caitlin Greer as Audrey: A University of Pennsylvania student who befriends Meg and Sam.

In the pilot episode, set in November 1963, Meg and Roxanne win the opportunity to join the dancers on the TV show American Bandstand, filmed in Philadelphia. Passing note is made of the JFK assassination and funeral. Bandstand immediately becomes the principal creative pillar of American Dreams, with each episode featuring recreated versions of several musical acts that originally appeared on the real Bandstand, often rendered by modern singers.

JJ Pryor, a running back for the East Catholic Fighting Crusaders football team, tries and fails to earn a full athletic scholarship to play at the University of Notre Dame, so he later applies for and is accepted to Lehigh University. A nagging ankle injury curtails his football career, so he enlists in the United States Marine Corps to pay for school. Meanwhile, JJ's on-again, off-again girlfriend Beth chooses to attend the University of Pennsylvania in order to be near JJ.

In the early part of the season, Meg develops a crush on a Bandstand dancer, and they go on a couple of public appearance dates. While never becoming romantic, they remained good friends. Meg later developed a romance with Luke Foley, a record store clerk and fellow East Catholic student.

Sam Walker wins a track athletic scholarship to East Catholic. Sam's father Henry states that there are only three other black male students at East Catholic; some in the majority-white student body resent Sam's presence, especially Tommy DeFelice, who is later expelled after falsely confessing to JJ's crime of breaking Beth's current boyfriend's windshield. Sam and Meg develop a friendship, even creating a record-swapping club while meeting at the Vinyl Crocodile record store.

In the season finale on May 18, 2003, Meg and Sam are caught in the summer 1964 race riot in Philadelphia.

Meg and Sam survive the riots unharmed, but the branch of Jack's store under Henry's management is destroyed. Gwen dies from cancer. JJ excels at boot camp and arrives in Vietnam. While on leave, he and Beth are reunited in Hawaii; they break up, but Beth soon learns she is pregnant with JJ's child, and she moves in with the Pryors.

Helen discovers that there might be a possible surgical treatment for Will's paralysis, and the early part of the season deals with Will's medical treatment. By the end of the season, Will's leg braces have been removed and he is able to walk normally.

Roxanne exchanges promise rings with boyfriend Lenny, and goes on tour with him before returning home. Later on, she dates Meg's ex-boyfriend, Luke. Meg dates a college boy, Drew, despite JJ and her father's strong dislike for him, but breaks it off when he ends up cheating on her.

Sam wins a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania. Jack decides to run for the City Council. In the season finale on April 4, 2004, Sam's cousin Nathan is drafted and opts to go to jail rather than serve in Vietnam. Also in that episode, JJ is caught in a fierce firefight, while Meg and Sam are arrested at a campus rally protesting the Vietnam war.

The arrests widen the communications gap between parents and children, and inspire Meg to lead additional protests. A strict new headmaster also fires Meg up. An injured JJ wakes up in an American military hospital, and learns of his forthcoming child; Beth refuses to accept JJ's offer of marriage. Roxanne, estranged from her mother, moves in with the Pryors. JJ gets recruited for special, somewhat mysterious duty for the US government. Jack wins an upset victory for the City Council.

As Thanksgiving nears closer, JJ is captured by the Viet Cong. He and his sergeant escape, but are presumed missing in action (the sergeant is later found buried in a shallow grave). The Pryors learn of JJ's "Missing In Action" status just before Thanksgiving.

Luke Foley returns to Philadelphia, and Roxanne, who moves out on her remarrying mother, moves in with him in a loft above the Vinyl Crocodile record store.

On a commercial-free special episode that aired November 21, 2004, JJ returns home. At episode's end he glares harshly at his mother. In the next original episode, JJ becomes a Marine recruiter and suffers from post-traumatic flashbacks. He proposes to Beth. Beth and JJ are married on the January 23, 2005 episode. Helen becomes involved with a Catholic peace group.

As the show enters 1966, JJ marries Beth in a ceremony held at the Pryors' catholic church. Jack Pryor, newly elected to the Philadelphia City Council, is forced to take a bribe, with the money going to help JJ repay some gambling debts. Eventually Jack votes to elect a local activist in his district, Reverend Davis, to the Police Review Board essentially voting against the Council. For this act of disloyalty, several members of the police force beat up JJ after a traffic stop. Pete soon finds the culprits who attacked JJ and roughs them up, but Jack decides to resign from the Council.

Chris and Meg's relationship becomes more intimate, but Meg is troubled by reports that Chris helped set fire to a recruitment center. Despite this, Meg and Chris eventually have sex—with Chris revealing afterward that he did indeed lie to Meg about the recruitment center. Meg and Chris eventually break up, and Chris leaves Philadelphia.

Meg and Sam consider the possibility of a romantic relationship, but JJ and Nathan discourage the idea. Meanwhile, Jack and Pete's older brother Ted gets into a serious car accident, putting him on a respirator. After much soul searching, the Pryors decide to disconnect the machine. After returning home from a Rolling Stones concert, Meg finds her ex-boyfriend Chris standing in front of her home. He's just been drafted.

In the season/series finale, Meg and Chris both leave Philadelphia on Chris' motorcycle, with plans for them to live in Berkeley, California and campaign against the war. JJ Pryor applies for and receives a job in aeronautics, assisting in space suit design for future NASA missions to the moon.

• c. 1920 – Jack Pryor is born.
• c. 1927 – Helen Dolan is born.
• c. September 1945 – Jack Pryor, presumably returning from fighting in World War II, conceives a child with Helen Dolan.
• c. November 1945 – Jack Pryor and Helen Dolan are married.
• c. June 1946 – J.J. Pryor is born.
• c. 1946 – Beth Mason is born.
• c. 1947 – Sam Walker and Luke Foley are born.
• c. March 1948 – Roxanne Bojarski is born.
• c. August 1948 – Meg Pryor is born.
• c. 1951 – Angela Walker is born.
• c. 1950 – Patty Pryor is born.
• c. 1956 – Will Pryor is born.

• November 1963 – Meg and Roxanne become regular dancers on American Bandstand.
• June 1964 – JJ and Beth graduate from high school.
• August 1964 – The Philadelphia riots take place.
• November 1964 – 1964 U.S. Presidential Election between Lyndon Johnson and Barry Goldwater. (It's mentioned that Ted supported Goldwater.)
• 1965 – Gwen Walker dies.
• June 1965 – Sam graduates from high school.
• November 1965 – Northeast Blackout of 1965
• November 1965 – Beth Mason gives birth to John Pryor III.
• January 1966 – JJ returns home from Vietnam.
• April 23, 1966 – JJ Pryor and Beth Mason are married.
• June 1966 – Meg and Roxanne graduate from high school.
• July 1966 – Ted Pryor dies.

• June 1968 – Patty's graduation from high school is estimated to take place at this time.
• June 1974 – Will's graduation from high school is estimated to take place at this time.
• June 1984 – John Pryor III's graduation from high school is estimated to take place at this time.

• Michelle Branch, as Lesley Gore performing "You Don't Own Me" (Episode 2)
• Nick Carter & Ric Felix (aka Ricky Godinez and later billed as Ricky G), as "Jay" and one of the members of Jay and the Americans (respectively), performing "Come A Little Bit Closer" (Episode 6)
• Usher, as Marvin Gaye, performing "Can I Get a Witness" (Episode 7)
• Ashanti, as Dionne Warwick, performing "Walk on By" (Episode 10)
• Vanessa Carlton, as Dusty Springfield, performing "Wishin' and Hopin' " (Episode 14)
• Wayne Brady, as Jackie Wilson, performing "Baby Workout" (Episode 18)
• LeAnn Rimes, as Connie Francis, performing "Where the Boys Are" (Episode 19)
• Duncan Sheik, as Bobby Darin, performing "Beyond the Sea" (Episode 19)
• Vivian Green, as Brenda Holloway, performing "Every Little Bit Hurts" (Episode 20)
• Rosey, as Ella Fitzgerald performing "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" (Episode 20)
• B2K & Marques Houston, as The Temptations, performing "My Girl" (Episode 22)
• The Thorns, as the Beach Boys, performing "Warmth of the Sun" (Episode 23)
• Third Eye Blind, as The Kinks, performing "All Day and All of the Night" (Episode 23)
• Ashley Williams, as Sandie Shaw, performing "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" (Episode 24)
• Stacie Orrico, as the lead singer of The Angels, performing "My Boyfriend's Back" (Brittany Snow and Vanessa Lengies were the backup singers on Orrico's cover of the song) (Episode 25)
• Kelly Rowland, as Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas, performing "Nowhere To Run" (Episode 25)

• Kelly Clarkson, as Brenda Lee, performing "Sweet Nothin's" (Episode 26)
• Vanessa Soul, as Barbara Lewis, performing "Baby I'm Yours" (Episode 26)
• Monica, as Mary Wells, performing "My Guy" (Episode 27)
• Lil' Kim, as Shirley Ellis, performing "The Clapping Song" (Episode 28)
• Third Eye Blind, as The Kinks, performing "You Really Got Me" (Episode 29)
• Kelly Rowland, as Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas, performing "Dancing in the Street" (Episode 30)
• Alicia Keys, as Fontella Bass, performing "Rescue Me" (Episode 31)
• Kembra Shannon, as Kim Weston, performing "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)" (Episode 32)
• Steadman, as the Dave Clark Five, performing "Do You Love Me" (Episode 32)
• Hilary and Haylie Duff, as members of The Shangri-Las, performing "Leader of the Pack" (Episode 33)
• Richie Sambora, as Eric Clapton of the Yardbirds, performing "For Your Love" (Episode 34)
• Jennifer Love Hewitt, as Nancy Sinatra, performing "These Boots Are Made For Walking" (Episode 35)
• Brad Paisley, as Ricky Nelson, performing "Dream Lover" (Episode 35)
• Josh Kelley, as Barry McGuire, performing "Eve of Destruction" (Episode 35)
• Macy Gray, as Carla Thomas, performing "B.A.B.Y" (Episode 37)
• Charlotte Martin, as Petula Clark performing "Downtown" (Episode 38)
• Nick Lachey, as Tom Jones, performing "It's Not Unusual" (Episode 38)
• Chris Isaak, as Roy Orbison, performing "Pretty Woman" (Episode 39)
• Jennifer Love Hewitt, as Nancy Sinatra, performing "Sunny" (Episode 39)
• Tyler Hilton, as a folk singer, performing The Beatles' "I've Just Seen a Face" (Episode 39)
• Ricky Fante, as Wilson Pickett, performing "Land of 1000 Dances" (Episode 40)
• Liz Phair, as Jackie DeShannon, performing "When You Walk in the Room" (Episode 41)
• Tyra Banks, as a member of The Velvelettes, performing "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'" (Episode 42)
• Evan & Jaron, as The Everly Brothers, performing "Wake Up Little Susie" (Episode 42)
• Jason Mraz, as Dion DiMucci, performing "Ruby Baby" (Episode 43)
• Fefe Dobson, as Tina Turner, performing "River Deep - Mountain High" (Episode 43)
• Wyclef Jean, as Curtis Mayfield, performing "Woman's Got Soul" (Episode 44)

• Brandy Norwood, as Gladys Knight, performing "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (Episode 45)
• Nicole Richie, as the lead singer of The Exciters, performing "Tell Him" (Episode 46)
• Hawk Nelson, as The Who, performing "My Generation" (Episode 47)
• Phantom Planet, as The Zombies, performing "Tell Her No" (Episode 50)
• Fantasia Barrino, as Aretha Franklin, performing "Respect" (Episode 52)
• Otis and the Elevators, as Jimmy Smith, performing "Got My Mojo Working" (Episode 52)
• Kelly Clarkson, as Brenda Lee, performing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (Episode 53)
• JoJo, as Linda Ronstadt, auditioning for Bandstand with "That'll Be The Day" (Episode 53)
• 112 as The Four Tops, performing "Reach Out, I'll Be There"
• Van Hunt, as Jimmy Ruffin, performing "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (Episode 56)
• John Legend, as Stevie Wonder, performing "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" (Episode 59)
• Fountains of Wayne, as The Hollies, performing "Bus Stop" (Episode 60)

• India.Arie, as Nina Simone, performing "Come Ye" (Season 1, Episode 15)
• Keb 'Mo, as Son House, songs performed currently unknown. (Season 1, Episode 12)

• John Ondrasik from the band Five for Fighting, performing a folk arrangement of his 2004 recording "If God Made You"
• Art Alexakis, as Country Joe McDonald, performing "I Feel Like I'm-a Fixin' To Die Rag"
• Joss Stone, performing a folk arrangement of her 2005 hit "Right to Be Wrong"
• Alanis Morissette, as a folk singer performing her original composition "Offer"
• Bonnie McKee, as Janis Joplin, performing "Summertime"
• Hayley Westenra performed "Who Painted the Moon Black?" from her album Pure on episode 46.
• Blake Shelton, performing his song "Playboys of the Southwestern World" from his 2003 CD The Dreamer.
• Ben Taylor as Cal Cooper, performing his original song "Surround Me".
• Gavin DeGraw, performing "The Tracks of My Tears"

• Paris Hilton, as Barbara Eden of I Dream of Jeannie
• Tavis Smiley, as Thurgood Marshall
• Brian McKnight, as Stokely Carmichael
• Kevin McCorkle, as astronaut Gus Grissom
• Rich Vos, as Lenny Bruce
• Eric the Midget, as Travel Agency Customer
• Kristen Bell, as Amy Fielding
• Randy Jackson, as Band Manager
• Montel Williams, as Reverend Gilliam