Dick Clark (historian)
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Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...
'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the ''Pyramid'' game show from 1973 to 1988 and '' Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'', which broadcast New Year's Eve celebrations in New York City's Times Square. As host of ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...
'', Clark introduced rock and roll to many Americans. The show gave many new music artists their first exposure to national audiences, including Ike & Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles,
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
,
Simon & Garfunkel Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of the singer-songwriter Paul Simon and the singer Art Garfunkel. They were one of the best-selling music groups of the 1960s, and their biggest hits—including the electric remix of " ...
,
Iggy Pop James Newell Osterberg Jr. (born April 21, 1947), known professionally as Iggy Pop, is an American singer, musician, songwriter and actor. Called the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of ...
, Prince, Talking Heads, and
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
. Episodes he hosted were among the first in which black people and white people performed on the same stage, and they were among the first in which the live studio audience sat down together without racial segregation. Singer Paul Anka claimed that ''Bandstand'' was responsible for creating a " youth culture". Due to his perennially youthful appearance and his largely teenaged audience of ''American Bandstand'', Clark was often referred to as "America's oldest teenager" or "the world's oldest teenager". In his off-stage roles, Clark served as chief executive officer of
Dick Clark Productions Dick Clark Productions (DCP, stylized in lowercase as dick clark productions or dcp) is an American multinational television production company founded by radio and TV host Dick Clark. The studio primarily produces award shows and other music en ...
company (though he sold his financial interest in the company during his later years). He also founded the ''American Bandstand Diner,'' a restaurant chain themed after the television program of the same name. In 1973, he created and produced the annual American Music Awards show, similar to the
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
.


Early life

Clark was born in
Bronxville, New York Bronxville is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States, located approximately north of Midtown Manhattan. It is part of the town of Eastchester. The village comprises one square mile (2.5 km2) of land in its entirety, a ...
, and raised in neighboring Mount Vernon, the second child of Richard Augustus Clark and Julia Fuller Clark, née Barnard. His only sibling, elder brother Bradley, a World War II P-47 Thunderbolt pilot, was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. Clark attended Mount Vernon's A.B. Davis High School (later renamed A.B. Davis Middle School), where he was an average student. At the age of 10, Clark decided to pursue a career in radio. In pursuit of that goal, he attended
Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
, graduating in 1951 with a degree in advertising and a minor in radio. While at Syracuse, he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (Phi Gamma).


Radio and television career

In 1945, Clark began his career working in the mailroom at WRUN, an AM radio station in Utica, New York, that was owned by his uncle and managed by his father. Almost immediately, he was asked to fill in for the vacationing weatherman and, within a few months, he was announcing station breaks. While attending Syracuse, Clark worked at
WOLF-AM WOLF (1490 AM) is a sports formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Syracuse, New York, serving the Syracuse metropolitan area. The station is 100% owned by Craig Fox, who also owns several other radio and low-power TV stations in the state ...
, then a country music station. After graduation, he returned to WRUN for a short time where he went by the name Dick Clay. After that, Clark got a job at the television station WKTV in Utica, New York. His first television-hosting job was on ''Cactus Dick and the Santa Fe Riders'', a country-music program. He later replaced
Robert Earle Robert Earle (January 5, 1926 – June 5, 2019) was a host of '' G.E. College Bowl,'' an American game show that was broadcast first by CBS, later by NBC. Earle was the second host of the show, succeeding Allen Ludden, who left the show in 1962 t ...
(who later hosted the '' GE College Bowl'') as a newscaster. In addition to his announcing duties on radio and television, Clark owned several radio stations. From 1964 to 1978, he owned KPRO (now KFOO) in Riverside, California under the name Progress Broadcasting. In 1967, he purchased KGUD-AM-FM (now KTMS and
KTYD KTYD (99.9 FM, pronounced "K-Tide") is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Santa Barbara, California and serves Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The station is owned by Rincon Broadcasting and airs a classic rock format. KTYD is t ...
respectively) in Santa Barbara, California.


''American Bandstand''

In 1952, Clark moved to Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, where he took a job as a disc jockey at radio station WFIL, adopting the Dick Clark handle. WFIL had an affiliated television station (now
WPVI WPVI-TV (channel 6), branded on-air as 6 ABC, is a television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, airing programming from the ABC network. Owned and operated by the network's ABC Owned Television Stations division, the station ...
) with the same call sign, which began broadcasting a show called '' Bob Horn's Bandstand'' in 1952. Clark was responsible for a similar program on the company's radio station and served as a regular substitute host when Horn went on vacation. In 1956, Horn was arrested for drunk driving and was subsequently dismissed. On July 9, 1956, Clark became the show's permanent host. ''Bandstand'' was picked up by the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
television network, renamed ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...
'', and debuted nationally on August 5, 1957. The show took off, due to Clark's natural rapport with the live teenage audience and dancing participants as well as the "clean-cut, non-threatening image" he projected to television audiences. As a result, many parents were introduced to rock and roll music. According to Hollywood producer Michael Uslan, "he was able to use his unparalleled communication skills to present rock 'n roll in a way that was palatable to parents." James Sullivan of '' Rolling Stone'' stated that "Without Clark, rock & roll in its infancy would have struggled mightily to escape the common perception that it was just a passing fancy." In 1958, ''
The Dick Clark Show ''The Dick Clark Show'' (also known as ''Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show'') was an American musical variety show broadcast weekly in the United States on the ABC television network 7:30-8 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Saturdays from February 15 ...
'' was added to ABC's Saturday night lineup. By the end of year, viewership exceeded 20 million, and featured artists were "virtually guaranteed" large sales boosts after appearing. In a surprise television tribute to Clark in 1959 on ''
This Is Your Life This Is Your Life may refer to: Television * ''This Is Your Life'' (American franchise), an American radio and television documentary biography series hosted by Ralph Edwards * ''This Is Your Life'' (Australian TV series), the Australian versio ...
'', host Ralph Edwards called him "America's youngest starmaker", and estimated the show had an audience of 50 million. Clark moved the show from Philadelphia to Los Angeles in 1964. The move was related to the popularity of new "surf" groups based in southern California, including The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. After moving to Los Angeles, the show became more diverse and featured more minorities. The show was notable for promoting desegregation in popular music and entertainment by prominently featuring black musicians and dancers. Prior to this point, the show had largely excluded black teenagers. The show ran daily Monday through Friday until 1963, then weekly on Saturdays until 1988. ''Bandstand'' was briefly revived in 1989, with David Hirsch taking over hosting duties. By the time of its cancellation, the show had become the longest-running variety show in TV history. In the 1960s, the show's emphasis changed from merely playing records to including live performers. During this period, many of the leading rock bands and artists of the 1960s had their first exposure to nationwide audiences. A few of the many artists introduced were Ike and Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Beach Boys,
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
, Prince, Simon and Garfunkel, Jerry Lee Lewis,
Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas ...
, Bobby Fuller,
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...
,
Sam Cooke Samuel Cook (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer and songwriter. Considered to be a pioneer and one of the most influential soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred ...
, Fats Domino and Chubby Checker. During an interview with Clark by Henry Schipper of '' Rolling Stone'' magazine in 1990, it was noted that "over two-thirds of the people who've been initiated into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
had their television debuts on ''American Bandstand'', and the rest of them probably debuted on other shows heyproduced."Schipper, Henry. "Dick Clark", ''Rolling Stone'', April 19, 1990 pp. 67–70, 126. During the show's lifetime, it featured over 10,000 live performances, many by artists who were unable to appear anywhere else on TV, as the variety shows during much of this period were "antirock". Schipper points out that Clark's performers were shocking to general audiences: Clark was therefore considered to have a negative influence on youth and was well aware of that impression held by most adults: In 2002, many of the bands he introduced appeared at the 50th anniversary special to celebrate ''American Bandstand''. Clark noted during the special that ''American Bandstand'' was listed in the
Guinness Book of Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
as "the longest-running variety show in TV history." In 2010, ''American Bandstand'' and Clark himself were honored at the Daytime Emmy Awards. Hank Ballard, who wrote "The Twist", described Clark's popularity during the early years of ''American Bandstand'': As a result of Clark's work on ''Bandstand'', journalist Ann Oldenburg states "he deserves credit for doing something bigger than just putting on a show."Oldenburg, Ann
"TV legend Dick Clark dies at age 82"
'' USA Today'', April 18, 2012.
''Los Angeles Times'' writer Geoff Boucher goes further, stating that "with the exception of Elvis Presley, Clark was considered by many to be the person most responsible for the bonfire spread of rock 'n roll across the country in the late 1950s", making Clark a "household name". He became a "primary force in legitimizing rock 'n' roll", adds Uslan. Clark, however, simplified his contribution: Shortly after becoming its host, Clark also ended the show's all-white policy by featuring black artists such as Chuck Berry. In time, blacks and whites performed on the same stage, and studio seating was desegregated.Milner, Andrew (ed.) ''Encyclopedia of Popular Culture'', Vol. I, St. James Press (2000) pp. 525–527. Beginning in 1959 and continuing into the mid-1960s, Clark produced and hosted the Caravan of Stars, a series of concert tours built upon the success of ''American Bandstand'', which by 1959 had a national audience of 20 million. However, Clark was unable to host Elvis Presley, the
Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...
or the
Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...
on either of his programs. The reason for Clark's impact on popular culture has been partially explained by Paul Anka, a singer who appeared on the show early in his career: "This was a time when there was no youth culture — he created it. And the impact of the show on people was enormous.""Reactions to Death of Dick Clark, New Year's Eve Icon"
''The New York Times'' blog, April 18, 2012.
In 1990, a couple of years after the show had been off the air, Clark considered his personal contribution to the music he helped introduce:


Payola hearings

In 1960, the United States Senate investigated payola, the practice of music-producing companies paying broadcasting companies to favor their product. As a result, Clark's personal investments in music publishing and recording companies were considered a conflict of interest, and he sold his shares in those companies. When asked about some of the causes for the hearings, Clark speculated about some of the contributing factors not mentioned by the press: As reported by a ''New York Times Magazine'' interview with Dick Clark, Gene Shalit was Clark's press agent in the early 1960s. Shalit reportedly "stopped representing" Clark during the Congressional investigation of payola. Clark never spoke to Shalit again, and referred to him as a "jellyfish".


Game show host

Beginning in late 1963, Clark branched out into hosting game shows, presiding over ''
The Object Is ''The Object Is...'' is a game show which aired on ABC from December 30, 1963 to March 27, 1964. The series was the first game for host Dick Clark. Mike Lawrence was the announcer. Gameplay Three celebrities and three contestants competed in a gam ...
''. The show was cancelled in 1964 and replaced by '' Missing Links'', which had moved from NBC. Clark took over as host, replacing Ed McMahon. Clark became the first host of '' The $10,000 Pyramid'', which premiered on CBS March 26, 1973. The show — a word-association game created and produced by daytime television producer Bob Stewart — moved to ABC in 1974. Over the coming years, the top prize changed several times (and with it the name of the show), and several primetime spinoffs were created. As the program moved back to CBS in September 1982, Clark continued to host the daytime version through most of its history, winning three
Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
for best game show host. In total, ''Pyramid'' won nine Emmy Awards for best game show during his run, a mark that is eclipsed only by the twelve won by the syndicated version of '' Jeopardy!''. Clark's final ''Pyramid'' hosting gig, ''The $100,000 Pyramid'', ended in 1988. Clark subsequently returned to ''Pyramid'' as a guest in later incarnations. During the premiere of the John Davidson version in 1991, Clark sent a pre-recorded message wishing Davidson well in hosting the show. In 2002, Clark played as a celebrity guest for three days on the
Donny Osmond Donald Clark "Donny" Osmond (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, dancer, actor, television host, and former teen idol. He first gained fame performing with four of his elder brothers as the Osmonds, earning several top ten hits and gol ...
version. Earlier, he was also a guest during the
Bill Cullen William Lawrence Francis Cullen (February 18, 1920 – July 7, 1990) was an American radio and television personality whose career spanned five decades. His biggest claim to fame was as a game show host; over the course of his career, he host ...
version of ''The $25,000 Pyramid'', which aired simultaneously with Clark's daytime version of the show. '' Entertainment Weekly'' credited Clark's "quietly commanding presence" as a major factor in the game show's success. Clark hosted the syndicated television game show '' The Challengers'', during its only season (1990–91). ''The Challengers'' was a co-production between the production companies of Dick Clark and
Ron Greenberg Ron Greenberg (born 1940?) is an American television game show producer who worked on numerous network and syndicated programs of that genre from the 1960s through the 1990s. His credits include ''Camouflage,'' '' Word for Word,'' ''Let's Play Po ...
. During the 1990–91 season, Clark and Greenberg also co-produced a revival of '' Let's Make a Deal'' for NBC with Bob Hilton as the host. Hilton was later replaced by original host Monty Hall. Clark later hosted ''
Scattergories ''Scattergories'' is a creative-thinking category-based party game originally published by Parker Brothers in 1988. Parker Brothers was purchased by Hasbro a few years later, which published the game internationally under its Milton Bradley bra ...
'' on NBC in 1993; and The Family Channel's version of '' It Takes Two'' in 1997. In 1999, along with Bob Boden, he was one of the executive producers of
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
's TV game show '' Greed'', which ran from November 5, 1999, to July 14, 2000, and was hosted by Chuck Woolery. At the same time, Clark also hosted the Stone-Stanley-created ''
Winning Lines ''Winning Lines'' is a National Lottery game show that was broadcast on BBC One from 12 June 1999 to 16 October 2004. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo and then by Phillip Schofield. Gameplay Round 1 Forty-nine contestants take part in t ...
'', which ran for six weeks on CBS from January 8 through February 12, 2000,
Geraldo Rivera Geraldo Rivera (born Gerald Riviera; July 4, 1943) is an American journalist, attorney, author, political commentator, and former television host. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Geraldo'' from 1987 to 1998. He gained publicity with the liv ...
was actually supposed to host ''
Winning Lines ''Winning Lines'' is a National Lottery game show that was broadcast on BBC One from 12 June 1999 to 16 October 2004. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo and then by Phillip Schofield. Gameplay Round 1 Forty-nine contestants take part in t ...
'' but couldn't agree on the contract, so CBS selected Clark to host. He concluded his game show hosting career with another of his productions, ''
Challenge of the Child Geniuses Challenge of the Child Geniuses (subtitled Who is the Smartest Kid in America?, also known as Battle of the Child Geniuses in TV promos) was a series of two Fox television specials aired in May and November 2000. Dick Clark hosted both specials and ...
'', a series of two two-hour specials broadcast on Fox in May and November 2000.


''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve''

In 1972, Dick Clark first produced ''New Year's Rockin' Eve'', a New Year's Eve music special for NBC which included coverage of the ball drop festivities in New York City. Clark aimed to challenge the dominance of Guy Lombardo's New Year's specials on CBS, as he believed its big band music was too dated. After two years on NBC—during which the show was hosted by Three Dog Night and George Carlin, respectively—the program moved to ABC, and Clark assumed hosting duties. Following Lombardo's death in 1977, ''Rockin' Eve'' experienced a surge in popularity and later became the most-watched annual New Year's Eve broadcast. Clark also served as a special correspondent for ABC News's ''
ABC 2000 Today ''ABC 2000 Today'' was ABC News' special programming covering the new millennium celebrations around the world from December 31, 1999, into January 1, 2000, as part of the ''2000 Today'' programming in the United States. Peter Jennings anchore ...
'' broadcast, covering the arrival of 2000. Following his stroke (which prevented him from appearing at all on the 2004–05 edition), Clark returned to make brief appearances on the 2005–06 edition while ceding the majority of hosting duties to
Ryan Seacrest Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American media personality and producer. He is the co-host of ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'', as well as the host of multiple media shows including ''American Idol'', ''American Top 40'', and '' ...
. Reaction to Clark's appearance was mixed. While some TV critics (including Tom Shales of '' The Washington Post'', in an interview with the CBS Radio Network) felt that he was not in good enough shape to do the broadcast, stroke survivors and many of Clark's fans praised him for being a role model for people dealing with post-stroke recovery. Seacrest remained host and an executive producer of the special, assuming full duties after Clark's death.


Radio programs

Clark's first love was radio and, in 1963, he began hosting a radio program called ''The Dick Clark Radio Show''. It was produced by Mars Broadcasting of Stamford. Despite Clark's enormous popularity on ''American Bandstand'', the show was only picked up by a few dozen stations and lasted less than a year. On March 25, 1972, Clark hosted ''
American Top 40 ''American Top 40'' (previously abbreviated to ''AT40'') is an internationally syndicated, independent song countdown radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs. The program is currently hosted by Ryan Seacr ...
'', filling in for Casey Kasem. In 1981, he created ''The Dick Clark National Music Survey'' for the Mutual Broadcasting System. The program counted down the top 30 contemporary hits of the week in direct competition with ''American Top 40''. Clark left Mutual in October 1985, and Bill St. James (and later Charlie Tuna) took over the National Music Survey. Clark's United Stations purchased RKO Radio Network in 1985 and, when Clark left Mutual, he began hosting USRN's "Countdown America" which continued until 1995. In 1982, Clark launched his own radio syndication group with partners Nick Verbitsky and Ed Salamon called the United Stations Radio Network. That company later merged with the Transtar Network to become Unistar. In 1994, Unistar was sold to Westwood One Radio. The following year, Clark and Verbitsky started over with a new version of the USRN, bringing into the fold '' Dick Clark's Rock, Roll & Remember'', written and produced by Pam Miller (who also came up with the line used in the show and later around the world: "the soundtrack of our lives"), and a new countdown show: ''The U.S. Music Survey'', produced by Jim Zoller. Clark served as its host until his 2004 stroke. United Stations Radio Networks continues in operation as of 2020. Dick Clark's longest-running radio show began on February 14, 1982. '' Dick Clark's Rock, Roll & Remember'' was a four-hour oldies show named after Clark's 1976 autobiography. The first year, it was hosted by veteran Los Angeles disc jockey Gene Weed. Then in 1983, voiceover talent Mark Elliot co-hosted with Clark. By 1985, Clark hosted the entire show.
Pam Miller Pam Miller served as the mayor of Lexington, Kentucky from 1993 to 2003. On January 3, 1993, she became Lexington's first woman mayor. She was first elected to the Urban County Council in 1973 and was the first woman elected to public office in ...
wrote the program and Frank Furino served as producer. Each week, Clark profiled a different artist from the rock and roll era and counted down the top four songs that week from a certain year in the 1950s, 1960s or early 1970s. The show ended production when Clark suffered his 2004 stroke. Reruns from the 1995–2004 era continued to air in syndication until USRN withdrew the show in 2020.


Other television programs

At the peak of his ''American Bandstand'' fame, Clark also hosted a 30-minute Saturday night program called ''
The Dick Clark Show ''The Dick Clark Show'' (also known as ''Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show'') was an American musical variety show broadcast weekly in the United States on the ABC television network 7:30-8 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Saturdays from February 15 ...
'' (aka ''The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show''). It aired from February 15, 1958, until September 10, 1960, on the ABC television network. It was broadcast live from the "Little Theater" in New York City and was sponsored by Beech-Nut gum. It featured the rock and roll stars of the day lip-synching their hits, just as on ''American Bandstand''. However, unlike the afternoon ''Bandstand'' program, which focused on the dance floor with the teenage audience demonstrating the latest dance steps, the audience of ''The Dick Clark Show'' sat in a traditional theater setting. While some of the musical numbers were presented simply, others were major production numbers. The high point of the show was Clark's unveiling, with great fanfare at the end of each program, of the top ten records of the previous week. This ritual became so embedded in American culture that it was imitated in many media and contexts, which in turn were satirized nightly by
David Letterman David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He hosted late night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982 debut of ''Late Night with David Letterman' ...
on his own Top Ten lists. From September 27 to December 20, 1959, Clark hosted a 30-minute weekly talent/variety series entitled ''
Dick Clark's World of Talent ''Dick Clark's World of Talent'' is a talent/variety television show produced by Irving Mansfield and broadcast weekly in the United States on the ABC television network from 10:30-11 p.m. (ET) on Sundays during the 1959-60 season. History The ...
'' at 10:30 p.m. Sundays on ABC. A variation of producer Irving Mansfield's earlier CBS series, '' This Is Show Business'' (1949–1956), it featured three celebrity panelists, including comedian Jack E. Leonard, judging and offering advice to amateur and semi-professional performers. While this show was not a success during its nearly three-month duration, Clark was one of the few personalities in television history on the air nationwide seven days a week. One of Clark's guest appearances was in the final episode ("The Case of the Final Fade-Out") of the original '' Perry Mason'' TV series, playing a character named "Leif Early" in a show that satirized the show business industry. He appeared as a drag-racing-strip owner in a 1973 episode of the
procedural drama A procedural or procedural drama is a cross-genre type of literature, film, or television program involving a sequence of technical detail. A documentary film may also be written in a procedural style to heighten narrative interest. Television pro ...
series ''
Adam-12 ''Adam-12'' is an American television police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed as they patrol the stre ...
''. Clark appeared in an episode of '' Police Squad!'', in which he asks an underworld contact about ska and obtains skin cream to keep himself looking young. Clark attempted to branch into the realm of soul music with the series ''Soul Unlimited'' in 1973. The series, hosted by Buster Jones, was a more risqué and controversial imitator of the popular series ''
Soul Train ''Soul Train'' is an American musical variety television show. It aired in syndication from October 2, 1971, to March 25, 2006. Across its 35-year history the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists. The series w ...
'' and alternated in the ''Bandstand'' time slot. The series lasted for only a few episodes. Despite a feud between Clark and ''Soul Train'' creator and host Don Cornelius, the two men later collaborated on several specials featuring black artists. Clark hosted the short-lived ''
Dick Clark's Live Wednesday ''Dick Clark's Live Wednesday'' is a 1978 NBC variety television series, sometimes called simply ''Live Wednesday''. Hosted by Dick Clark, it was a musical show much like Clark's '' American Bandstand''. Announcers on the series included Jerry Bi ...
'' in 1978 for NBC. In 1980, Clark served as host of the short-lived series '' The Big Show'', an unsuccessful attempt by NBC to revive the variety show format of the 1950s/60s. In 1984, Clark produced and hosted the NBC series '' TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes'' with co-host Ed McMahon. Clark and McMahon were longtime Philadelphia acquaintances, and McMahon praised Clark for first bringing him together with future TV partner
Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...
when all three worked at ABC in the late 1950s. The ''Bloopers'' franchise stemmed from the Clark-hosted (and produced) NBC ''Bloopers'' specials of the early 1980s, inspired by the books, record albums and appearances of Kermit Schafer, a radio and TV producer who first popularized outtakes of broadcasts. For a period of several years in the 1980s, Clark simultaneously hosted regular programs on all three major American television networks – ABC (''Bandstand''), CBS (''Pyramid''), and NBC (''Bloopers''). In July 1985, Clark hosted the ABC primetime portion of the historic
Live Aid Live Aid was a multi-venue benefit concert held on Saturday 13 July 1985, as well as a music-based fundraising initiative. The original event was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise further funds for relief of the 1983–1985 fami ...
concert, an all star concert designed by
Bob Geldof Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof (; born 5 October 1951) is an Irish singer-songwriter, and political activist. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s as lead singer of the Rock music in Ireland, Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats, who achieved ...
to end world hunger. During the
1988 Writers Guild of America strike The 1988 Writers Guild of America strike was a strike action taken by members of both the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) against major United States television and film studios represented by the ...
, Clark (as host and producer) filled in a void on CBS' fall schedule with ''Live! Dick Clark Presents''. Clark also hosted various pageants from 1988 to 1993 on CBS. He did a brief stint as announcer on ''
The Jon Stewart Show ''The Jon Stewart Show'' is a late night talk show that was hosted by comedian Jon Stewart. The program premiered on MTV in 1993 as a 30-minute daily offering and became one of the network’s more popular shows. Through a series of events that ...
'' in 1995. Two years later, he hosted the
Pennsylvania Lottery The Pennsylvania Lottery is operated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lottery was created by the Pennsylvania General Assembly on August 26, 1971; two months later, Henry Kaplan was appointed as its first executive director. The Pennsylv ...
25th Anniversary Game Show special with then-Miss Pennsylvania Gigi Gordon for
Jonathan Goodson Productions Jonathan Michael Goodson (born August 20, 1945) is an American television producer who specializes in game shows. He is the son of legendary game show producer Mark Goodson and began his television career in 1973 as chief counsel of Goodson-Todm ...
. He also created and hosted two Fox television specials in 2000 called ''
Challenge of the Child Geniuses Challenge of the Child Geniuses (subtitled Who is the Smartest Kid in America?, also known as Battle of the Child Geniuses in TV promos) was a series of two Fox television specials aired in May and November 2000. Dick Clark hosted both specials and ...
'', the last game show he hosted. From 2001 to 2003, Clark was a co-host of '' The Other Half'' with Mario Lopez,
Danny Bonaduce Dante Daniel Bonaduce (born August 13, 1959) is an American radio personality, actor, television personality, and professional wrestler. Bonaduce is the son of veteran TV writer and producer Joseph Bonaduce (''The Dick Van Dyke Show'', '' One Da ...
and Dorian Gregory, a syndicated daytime talk show intended to be the male equivalent of '' The View''. Clark also produced the television series '' American Dreams'' about a Philadelphia family in the early 1960s whose daughter is a regular on ''American Bandstand''. The series ran from 2002 to 2005.


Other media appearances

Clark wrote, produced and starred in the 1968 film ''
Killers Three ''Killers Three'' is an American crime drama film produced in 1968 in film, 1968 by Dick Clark Productions and released by American International Pictures starring Robert Walker (actor, born 1940), Robert Walker Jr., Diane Varsi and Dick Clark. Ot ...
'', a Western drama that served as a promotional vehicle for Bakersfield country musicians Merle Haggard and
Bonnie Owens Bonnie Owens (October 1, 1929 – April 24, 2006), born Bonnie Campbell, was an American country music singer who was married to Buck Owens and later Merle Haggard. Biography She was born Bonnie Campbell in Blanchard, Oklahoma, United Stat ...
. In 1967, Clark made an appearance in the ''Batman'' television series. Clark also appears in interview segments of a 2002 film, '' Confessions of a Dangerous Mind'', which was based on the "unauthorized autobiography" of
Chuck Barris Charles Hirsch Barris (June 3, 1929 – March 21, 2017) was an American game show creator, producer, and host. Barris was known for hosting ''The Gong Show'' and creating ''The Dating Game'' and ''The Newlywed Game''. He was also a songwrite ...
, who had worked at ABC as a standards-and-practices executive during ''American Bandstand'' run on that network. In the 2002 ''
Dharma and Greg Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
'' episode "Mission: Implausible", Greg is the victim of a college prank, and he devises an elaborate plan to retaliate, part of which involves his use of a disguise kit; the first disguise chosen is that of Dick Clark. During a fantasy sequence that portrays the unfolding of the plan, the real Clark plays Greg wearing his disguise. He also made brief cameos in two episodes of '' The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air''. In one episode he plays himself at a Philadelphia diner, and in the other he helps Will Smith's character host
blooper A blooper is a short clip from a film or video production, usually a deleted scene, containing a mistake made by a member of the cast or crew. It also refers to an error made during a live radio or TV broadcast or news report, usually in terms o ...
s from past episodes of that sitcom. With Ed McMahon, Clark was a spokesman for American Family Sweepstakes until he quit over controversy from the company regarding their sales techniques. Though McMahon continued until the company went out of business, Clark's previous involvement in the Payola scandal motivated him to be sensitive about his public image.


Business ventures

In 1965, Clark branched out from hosting, producing '' Where The Action Is'', an afternoon television program shot at different locations every week featuring house band Paul Revere and the Raiders. In 1973, Clark began producing the highly-successful American Music Awards. In 1987, Dick Clark Productions went public. Clark remained active in television and movie production into the 1990s. Clark had a stake in a chain of music-themed restaurants licensed under the names "Dick Clark's American Bandstand Grill", "Dick Clark's AB Grill", "Dick Clark's Bandstand — Food, Spirits & Fun" and "Dick Clark's AB Diner". There are currently two airport locations in Newark, New Jersey and Phoenix, Arizona, one location in the Molly Pitcher travel plaza on the
New Jersey Turnpike The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highways in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although maintained by NJTA, is not consi ...
in Cranbury, New Jersey, and one location at "Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater" in Branson, Missouri. Until recently, Salt Lake City, Utah had an airport location. Other restaurants that have closed were located in King Of Prussia (Pennsylvania), Miami,
Columbus Columbus is a Latinized version of the Italian surname "''Colombo''". It most commonly refers to: * Christopher Columbus (1451-1506), the Italian explorer * Columbus, Ohio, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio Columbus may also refer to: Places ...
, Cincinnati,
Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...
and Overland Park (Kansas). "Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater" opened in Branson in April 2006, and nine months later, a new theater and restaurant entitled "Dick Clark's American Bandstand Music Complex" opened near Dolly Parton's '' Dollywood'' theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. From 1979 to 1980, Clark reportedly owned the former Westchester Premier Theatre in Greenburgh, New York, renaming it the Dick Clark Westchester Theatre.


Personal life

Clark was the son of Richard A. Clark, who managed WRUN radio in Utica, New York. He was married three times. His first marriage was to Barbara Mallery in 1952; the couple had one son, Richard A. Clark, and divorced in 1961. He married Loretta Martin in 1962; the couple had two children, Duane and Cindy, and divorced in 1971. His third marriage, to Kari Wigton, whom he married in 1977, lasted until his death. He also had three grandchildren.


Illness and death

During an interview on '' Larry King Live'' in April 2004, Clark revealed that he had type 2 diabetes. His death certificate noted that Clark had
coronary artery disease Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic heart disease (IHD), myocardial ischemia, or simply heart disease, involves the reduction of blood flow to the heart muscle due to build-up of atherosclerotic pla ...
at the time of his death.Dick Clark death certificate
autopsyfiles.org; accessed November 16, 2016.
In December 2004, Clark was hospitalized in Los Angeles after suffering what was initially termed a minor stroke. Although he was expected to be treated without any serious complications, it was later announced that Clark would be unable to host his annual ''New Year's Rockin' Eve'' broadcast, with Regis Philbin filling in for him. Clark returned to the series the following year, but the dysarthria that resulted from the stroke rendered him unable to speak clearly for the remainder of his life. On April 18, 2012, Clark died from a heart attack at a hospital in Santa Monica, California, aged 82, shortly after undergoing a transurethral resection procedure to treat an enlarged prostate. After his estate obtained the necessary environmental permits, he was cremated on April 20, and his ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.


Legacy

Following Clark's death, longtime friend and House Rules Committee Chairman David Dreier eulogized Clark on the floor of the U.S. Congress. President Barack Obama praised Clark's career: "With ''American Bandstand'', he introduced decades' worth of viewers to the music of our times. He reshaped the television landscape forever as a creative and innovative producer. And, of course, for 40 years, we welcomed him into our homes to ring in the New Year."
Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...
founder Berry Gordy and singer
Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...
spoke of Clark's impact on the recording industry: "Dick was always there for me and Motown, even before there was a Motown. He was an entrepreneur, a visionary and a major force in changing pop culture and ultimately influencing integration," Gordy said. "He presented Motown and the Supremes on tour with the " Caravan of Stars" and on ''American Bandstand'', where I got my start," Ross said.


Credits


Filmography

* ''
Jamboree In Scouting, a jamboree is a large gathering of Scouting, Scouts who rally at a national or international level. History The 1st World Scout Jamboree was held in 1920, and was hosted by the United Kingdom. Since then, there have been twenty-thre ...
'' (1957) – Himself * ''
Because They're Young ''Because They're Young'' is a 1960 American drama film directed by Paul Wendkos and starring Dick Clark as Neil Hendry, an American high-school teacher who tries to make a difference in the lives of his students. The film co-stars Tuesday Weld, ...
'' (1960) – Neil Hendry * '' The Young Doctors'' (1961) – Dr. Alexander * ''
Killers Three ''Killers Three'' is an American crime drama film produced in 1968 in film, 1968 by Dick Clark Productions and released by American International Pictures starring Robert Walker (actor, born 1940), Robert Walker Jr., Diane Varsi and Dick Clark. Ot ...
'' (1968) – Roger * '' The Phynx'' (1970) – Himself * ''
Spy Kids ''Spy Kids'' is an American spy family action-adventure comedy franchise created by Robert Rodriguez. The plot follows adventures of Carmen and Juni Cortez, two children who become involved in their parents' espionage organization. The films inc ...
'' (2001) – Financier * '' Bowling For Columbine'' (2002) – Himself (Documentary)


Television

* ''
ABC 2000 Today ''ABC 2000 Today'' was ABC News' special programming covering the new millennium celebrations around the world from December 31, 1999, into January 1, 2000, as part of the ''2000 Today'' programming in the United States. Peter Jennings anchore ...
'' – Times Square correspondent * ''
Adam-12 ''Adam-12'' is an American television police procedural crime drama television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb. The series follows Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed as they patrol the stre ...
'' (1972) – as drag strip owner Mr. J. Benson in the season 4 episode "Who Won?" * ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...
'' – host * '' Branded'' – guest-starred as J.A. Bailey in season 2 episode "The Greatest Coward on Earth" * '' Burke's Law'' – as Peter Barrows, the son of a murdered financier in season 1 episode "Who Killed What His Name?" * '' Coronet Blue'' – guest-starred as Victor Brunswick in the episode "The Flip Side of Timmy Devon" * '' The Challengers'' – host * '' The Chamber'' – producer * ''
Futurama ''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years a ...
'' – himself (as a head in a jar), season 1, episode 1, " Space Pilot 3000" * '' Greed'' – producer * ''
Happening A happening is a performance, event, or situation art, usually as performance art. The term was first used by Allan Kaprow during the 1950s to describe a range of art-related events. History Origins Allan Kaprow first coined the term "happen ...
'' (1968–69) – producer * '' It Takes Two'' (1997) – host * ''
The Krypton Factor ''The Krypton Factor'' is a British game show produced by Granada Television for broadcast on ITV. The show originally ran from 7 September 1977 to 20 November 1995, and was hosted by Gordon Burns and usually broadcast on the ITV network on ...
'' (1981) – host * ''
Lassie Lassie is a fictional female Rough Collie dog and is featured in a short story by Eric Knight that was later expanded to a full-length novel called ''Lassie Come-Home''. Knight's portrayal of Lassie bears some features in common with another fic ...
'' (1966) – as J.H. Alpert in the episode "The Untamed Land" * '' Missing Links'' (1964) – host * ''
Miss Teen USA Miss Teen USA is a beauty pageant formerly run, since 1983, by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. Unlike its sister pageants Miss Universe, which currently broadcasts on Fox and Miss USA, this pageant is webcast on the Mis ...
'' (1988, 1991–1993) – host * '' Miss Universe'' (1990–1993) – host * '' Miss USA'' (1989–1993) – host * '' Final Draw: 1994 FIFA World Cup'' (1993) – host * ''
New Year's Rockin' Eve ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'' (''NYRE'') is an annual New Year's Eve television special broadcast by ABC. The special broadcasts primarily from New York City's Times Square and prominently features coverage of its annual ball drop eve ...
'' (1972–2004)  – host, (2006–2012) – co-host, producer * '' Perry Mason'', (1966) Season 9, episode 30, "The Case of the Final Fadeout" * ''
The Object Is ''The Object Is...'' is a game show which aired on ABC from December 30, 1963 to March 27, 1964. The series was the first game for host Dick Clark. Mike Lawrence was the announcer. Gameplay Three celebrities and three contestants competed in a gam ...
'' (1963–1964) – host * '' The Partridge Family'', guest star, season 1, episode 13, Star Quality * '' Pyramid'' – host (1973–1988), guest (''The $25,000 Pyramid'', 1970s; ''Pyramid'', 2002) * '' The Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show'' (1958–1960) – host * ''
Scattergories ''Scattergories'' is a creative-thinking category-based party game originally published by Parker Brothers in 1988. Parker Brothers was purchased by Hasbro a few years later, which published the game internationally under its Milton Bradley bra ...
'' – host * '' Stoney Burke'' (1963) – Sgt. Andy Kincaid in the episode "Kincaid" * '' TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes'' – co-host, producer * '' Where the Action Is'' (1965–67) – host * '' Police Squad!'' – himself, episode "Testimony of Evil (Dead Men Don't Laugh)" * '' Wolf Rock TV'' – producer * ''
Winning Lines ''Winning Lines'' is a National Lottery game show that was broadcast on BBC One from 12 June 1999 to 16 October 2004. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo and then by Phillip Schofield. Gameplay Round 1 Forty-nine contestants take part in t ...
'' – host * '' The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' – himself (two episodes)


Albums

* ''Dick Clark, 20 Years of Rock N' Roll'' (Buddah Records) (1973) (#9 Canada) * ''Rock, Roll & Remember, Vol. 1,2,3'' (CSP) (1983) * ''Dick Clark Presents Radio's Uncensored Bloopers'' (Atlantic) (1984)


Awards and honors

Television * Five
Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
s **Four for Best Game Show Host (1979, 1983, 1985, and 1986) ** Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award (1994) *
Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...
(1999) Halls of Fame *
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
(1976) * National Radio Hall of Fame (1990) * Broadcasting Magazine Hall of Fame (1992) * Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame (1992) *
Television Hall of Fame The Television Academy Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to U.S. television. The hall of fame was founded by former Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) president John H. Mitchell (1921–1988). In ...
(1992) *
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
(1993) *
Disney Legends The Disney Legends Awards is a Hall of Fame program that recognizes individuals who have made an extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company. Established in 1987, the honor was traditionally awarded annually during a speci ...
(2013) Organizational * Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Person of the Year (1980)


References


External links


Dick Clark's personal/radio web site

Dick Clark Productions


at
Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York. Established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church, the university has been nonsectarian since 1920. Locate ...
* * * * * *
Dick Clark's Rock, Roll and Remember newspaper comic strip series

Dick Clark interviewed
on the Pop Chronicles (recorde
March 11, 1968
*

*
FBI file on Dick Clark

Reuters review of 2008 documentary ''The Wages of Spin''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Dick Dick Clark, 1929 births 2012 deaths 20th-century American businesspeople 21st-century American businesspeople Actors from Mount Vernon, New York American chief executives in the media industry American company founders American game show hosts American radio DJs American radio personalities American restaurateurs Businesspeople from New York (state) Culture of Philadelphia Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host winners Deaths from coronary artery disease Disney Legends Mount Vernon High School (New York) alumni Peabody Award winners People from Bronxville, New York People from Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania People with Parkinson's disease S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications alumni Television producers from New York (state) Television show creators