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Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting '' American Bandstand'' 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 ''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 ev ...
'', which transmitted New Year's Eve celebrations in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
's
Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...
. As host of '' American Bandstand'', Clark introduced rock & roll to many Americans. The show gave many new music artists their first exposure to national audiences, including
Ike & Tina Turner Ike & Tina Turner were an American musical duo consisting of husband and wife Ike Turner and Tina Turner. From 1960 to 1976, they performed live as the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, supported by Ike Turner's band the Kings of Rhythm and backing voca ...
, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel, Iggy Pop,
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
,
Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talki ...
, and Madonna. 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 Racial segregation is the systematic separation of people into race (human classification), racial or other Ethnicity, ethnic groups in daily life. Racial segregation can amount to the international crime of apartheid and a crimes against hum ...
. Singer
Paul Anka Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his signature hit songs including " Diana", " Lonely Boy", " Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and "(You're) Having My Baby". Anka also ...
claimed that ''Bandstand'' was responsible for creating a "
youth culture Youth culture refers to the societal norms of children, adolescents, and young adults. Specifically, it comprises the processes and symbolic systems that are shared by the youth and are distinct from those of adults in the community. An emphasi ...
". 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 company (though he sold off his financial interest in his later years). He also founded the ''American Bandstand Diner'', a restaurant chain modeled after the
Hard Rock Cafe Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a British-based multinational chain of theme restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and r ...
. In 1973, he created and produced the annual
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
show, similar to the Grammy Awards.


Early life

Clark was born in Bronxville, New York, and raised in neighboring
Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is an American landmark and former plantation of Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States George Washington and his wife, Martha. The estate is on ...
, the second child of Richard Augustus Clark and Julia Fuller Clark, Barnard. His only sibling, elder brother Bradley, a
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
P-47 Thunderbolt The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a World War II-era fighter aircraft produced by the American company Republic Aviation from 1941 through 1945. It was a successful high-altitude fighter and it also served as the foremost American fighter-bom ...
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, graduating in 1951 with a degree in advertising and a minor in radio. While at Syracuse, he was a member of
Delta Kappa Epsilon Delta Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as ''DKE'' or ''Deke'', is one of the oldest fraternities in the United States, with fifty-six active chapters and five active colonies across North America. It was founded at Yale College in 1844 by fiftee ...
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 Utica () is a city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 in the 2020 U.S. Census. Located on the Mohawk River at the ...
, 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, 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 WKTV (channel 2) is a television station in Utica, New York, United States, affiliated with NBC, CBS, and The CW Plus. Owned by Heartland Media, the station has studios on Smith Hill Road in Deerfield (with a Utica postal address), and ...
in
Utica, New York Utica () is a city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 in the 2020 U.S. Census. Located on the Mohawk River at the ...
. His first television-hosting job was on ''Cactus Dick and the Santa Fe Riders'', a country-music program. He later replaced Robert Earle (who later hosted the ''
GE College Bowl ''College Bowl'' (which has carried a naming rights sponsor, initially General Electric and later Capital One) is a radio, television, and student quiz show. ''College Bowl'' first aired on the NBC Radio Network in 1953 as ''College Quiz 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 Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire an ...
under the name Progress Broadcasting. In 1967, he purchased KGUD-AM-FM (now
KTMS KTMS (990 AM, "News Talk AM 990") is a commercial radio station in Santa Barbara, California. It is owned by Rincon Broadcasting and airs a talk radio format. KTMS is simulcast on FM translator station K250BS at 97.9 MHz, licensed to Solimar ...
and KTYD respectively) in
Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning "Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Co ...
.


''American Bandstand''

In 1952, Clark moved to
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania Drexel Hill is a neighborhood and census-designated place (CDP) located in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. The population was 29,181 at the 2020 census, up from 28,043 at the 2010 census, and accounting for over a third of Upper Darby's population. ...
, a suburb of
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
, 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) with the same
call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assign ...
, 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 television network, renamed '' American Bandstand'', 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 Michael E. Uslan (; born June 2, 1951) is an American lawyer and film producer. Uslan has also dabbled in writing and teaching, he is known for being the first instructor to teach an accredited course on comic book folklore at any university. Ear ...
, "he was able to use his unparalleled communication skills to present
rock 'n roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
in a way that was palatable to parents." In 1958, '' The Dick Clark Show'' 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'', host
Ralph Edwards Ralph Livingstone Edwards (June 13, 1913DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . Pp. 86-87. – November 16, 2005) was an American radio ...
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 The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by the ...
and
Jan and Dean Jan and Dean was an American rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf music style ...
. 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 groups of the 1960s had their first exposure to nationwide audiences. A few of the many artists introduced were
Ike and Tina Turner Ike or IKE may refer to: People * Ike (given name), a list of people with the name or nickname * Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969), Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II and President of the United States Surname ...
, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles,
The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band that formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by the ...
, Stevie Wonder,
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
, Simon and Garfunkel, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly,
Bobby Fuller Robert Gaston Fuller (October 22, 1942 – July 18, 1966)Bashe, P. R., & George-Warren, H., ''The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll'' (Third ed.). New York, Fireside, 2005, p. 360 was an American Rock and roll, rock singer, songwriter, ...
, Johnny Cash, Sam Cooke,
Fats Domino Antoine Dominique Domino Jr. (February 26, 1928 – October 24, 2017), known as Fats Domino, was an American pianist, singer and songwriter. One of the pioneers of rock and roll music, Domino sold more than 65 million records. Born in New O ...
and Chubby Checker. During an interview with Clark by Henry Schipper of ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' 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 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 groups 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 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 Hank Ballard (born John Henry Kendricks; November 18, 1927 – March 2, 2003) was an American singer and songwriter, the lead vocalist of The Midnighters and one of the first rock and roll artists to emerge in the early 1950s. He played an inte ...
, 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 ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'', 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 Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
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 taking over, Clark also ended the show's all-white policy by featuring black artists such as
Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...
. 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 have the Beatles appear when they came to America. The reason for Clark's impact on popular culture has been partially explained by
Paul Anka Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor. He is best known for his signature hit songs including " Diana", " Lonely Boy", " Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and "(You're) Having My Baby". Anka also ...
, 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 few 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 The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
investigated
payola Payola, in the music industry, is the illegal practice of paying a commercial radio station to play a song without the station disclosing the payment. Under US law, a radio station must disclose songs they were paid to play on the air as spons ...
, 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 Eugene Shalit (born March 25, 1926) is an American retired journalist, television personality, Film criticism, film and Literary criticism, book critic and author. After starting to work part-time on NBC's ''Today (American TV program), The Toda ...
was Clark's press agent in the early 1960s. Shalit reportedly "stopped representing" Clark during the Congressional investigation of
payola Payola, in the music industry, is the illegal practice of paying a commercial radio station to play a song without the station disclosing the payment. Under US law, a radio station must disclose songs they were paid to play on the air as spons ...
. 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 show was cancelled in 1964 and replaced by '' Missing Links'', which had moved from
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
. Clark took over as host, replacing
Ed McMahon Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009) was an American announcer, game show host, comedian, actor, singer, and combat aviator. McMahon and Johnny Carson began their association in their first TV series, the ABC game sh ...
. Clark became the first host of ''
The $10,000 Pyramid ''Pyramid'' is the collective name of a series of American television game shows that has aired several versions domestically and internationally. The original series, ''The $10,000 Pyramid'', debuted on March 26, 1973, and spawned seven subsequ ...
'', 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 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! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead given gene ...
''. 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 version. Earlier, he was also a guest during the Bill Cullen version of ''The $25,000 Pyramid'', which aired simultaneously with Clark's daytime version of the show. ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' 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. During the 1990–91 season, Clark and Greenberg also co-produced a revival of ''
Let's Make a Deal ''Let's Make a Deal'' (also known as ''LMAD'') is an American television musical comedy variety-game show that originated in the United States in 1963 and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The program was created an ...
'' for NBC with
Bob Hilton Robert Wesley Hilton (born July 23, 1943) is an American television game show personality. He hosted ''The Guinness Game'', a revival of '' Truth or Consequences'', and the 1990 revival of ''Let's Make a Deal'' for one season and replaced by Monty ...
as the host. Hilton was later replaced by original host
Monty Hall Monty Hall (born Monte Halparin; August 25, 1921 – September 30, 2017) was a Canadian radio and television show host who moved to the United States in 1955 to pursue a career in broadcasting. After working as a radio newsreader and sport ...
. Clark later hosted '' Scattergories'' 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's TV game show ''
Greed Greed (or avarice) is an uncontrolled longing for increase in the acquisition or use of material gain (be it food, money, land, or animate/inanimate possessions); or social value, such as status, or power. Greed has been identified as und ...
'', which ran from November 5, 1999, to July 14, 2000, and was hosted by
Chuck Woolery Charles Herbert Woolery (born March 16, 1941) is an American game show host, talk show host, and musician. He has had long-running tenures hosting several game shows. Woolery was the original host of ''Wheel of Fortune'' (1975–1981), the orig ...
. At the same time, Clark also hosted the Stone-Stanley-created '' Winning Lines'', which ran for six weeks on CBS from January 8 through February 12, 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 The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
which included coverage of the ball drop festivities in New York City. Clark aimed to challenge the dominance of
Guy Lombardo Gaetano Alberto "Guy" Lombardo (June 19, 1902 – November 5, 1977) was an Italian-Canadian-American bandleader, violinist, and hydroplane racer. Lombardo formed the Royal Canadians in 1924 with his brothers Carmen, Lebert and Victor, and oth ...
's New Year's specials on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
, as he believed its
big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...
music skewed too old. After two years on NBC, and being hosted by
Three Dog Night Three Dog Night is an American rock band formed in 1967, with founding members consisting of vocalists Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, and Chuck Negron. This lineup was soon augmented by Jimmy Greenspoon (keyboards), Joe Schermie (bass), Michael A ...
and
George Carlin George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American comedian, actor, author, and social critic. Regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time, he was dubbed "the dean of countercu ...
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 ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...
's '' ABC 2000 Today'' 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. Reaction to Clark's appearance was mixed. While some TV critics (including Tom Shales of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'', in an interview with the
CBS Radio Network CBS News Radio, formerly known as CBS Radio News and historically known as the CBS Radio Network, is a radio network that provides news to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by Paramount Global. ...
) 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, taking over 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'', filling in for
Casey Kasem Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio personality, who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably ''American Top 40''. He was the first actor to voice No ...
. In 1981, he created ''The Dick Clark National Music Survey'' for the
Mutual Broadcasting System The Mutual Broadcasting System (commonly referred to simply as Mutual; sometimes referred to as MBS, Mutual Radio or the Mutual Radio Network) was an American commercial radio network in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the Old-time radio, golden ...
. 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 Edward R. Salamon is an American entertainment industry executive and radio broadcaster. He is credited as one of the people who led to country music becoming a major force in the mid-1990s. He was dubbed “country radio’s most influential prog ...
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 Dick Clark's Rock, Roll and Remember (sometimes shortened to ''Rock, Roll and Remember'') was a weekly American rock and roll radio documentary show hosted by Dick Clark featuring oldies music. It was broadcast on United Stations Radio Networks ...
'', 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 United Stations Radio Networks (USRN) is a radio network that provides a variety of radio programs and programming services for radio stations throughout the United States and elsewhere. It is based in New York City. History The company was fou ...
continues in operation as of 2020. Dick Clark's longest-running radio show began on February 14, 1982. ''
Dick Clark's Rock, Roll & Remember Dick Clark's Rock, Roll and Remember (sometimes shortened to ''Rock, Roll and Remember'') was a weekly American rock and roll radio documentary show hosted by Dick Clark featuring oldies music. It was broadcast on United Stations Radio Networks ...
'' 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 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'' (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 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'' at 10:30 p.m. Sundays on ABC. A variation of producer Irving Mansfield's earlier
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
series, ''
This Is Show Business ''This Is Show Business'' is an American variety television program that was broadcast first on CBS and later on NBC beginning July 15, 1949, and ending September 11, 1956. It was CBS-TV's first regular series broadcast live from coast to coast. It ...
'' (1949–1956), it featured three celebrity panelists, including comedian
Jack E. Leonard Jack E. Leonard (born Leonard Lebitsky; April 24, 1910 – May 10, 1973) was an American comedian and actor who made frequent appearances on television variety and game shows. Biography Leonard was born Leonard Lebitsky on April 24, 1910, in ...
, 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 best-known guest appearances was in the final episode ("The Case of the Final Fade-Out") of the original ''
Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...
'' TV series, in which Clark was revealed to be the killer of both murder victims in that episode : an egomaniacal actor during the production of a television show, and later, the producer of that same filmed television show in order to cover up the first murder. He appeared as a drag-racing-strip owner in a 1973 episode of the procedural drama series '' Adam-12''. Clark's most humorous appearance was on an episode ("Testimony of Evil") of '' Police Squad!'' in which he asks an informant about
ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
and borrows his skin cream to keep himself looking young, a parody of the fact that Clark was known for his perennial youthful appearance. Clark attempted to branch into the realm of
soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became ...
with the series ''Soul Unlimited'' in 1973. The series, hosted by
Buster Jones Edward L. Jones (December 12, 1943 – September 16, 2014) was an American voice actor and television host. He is probably best known from his roles as Black Vulcan in '' Super Friends'', Blaster in '' The Transformers'', Doc in '' G.I. Joe: A ...
, was a more risqué and controversial imitator of the popular series '' Soul Train'' 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 Donald Cortez Cornelius (September 27, 1936 – February 1, 2012) was an American television show host and producer widely known as the creator of the nationally syndicated dance and music show ''Soul Train'', which he hosted from 1971 until 1993 ...
, the two men later collaborated on several specials featuring black artists. Clark hosted the short-lived '' Dick Clark's Live Wednesday'' 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 ''TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes'' is an American television series. Debuting as a weekly series, new episodes have been broadcast as infrequent specials during most of its run. It premiered on NBC in 1984, moved to ABC in 1998, and was revived i ...
'' with co-host
Ed McMahon Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009) was an American announcer, game show host, comedian, actor, singer, and combat aviator. McMahon and Johnny Carson began their association in their first TV series, the ABC game sh ...
. Clark and McMahon were longtime Philadelphia acquaintances, and McMahon praised Clark for first bringing him together with future TV partner Johnny Carson 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 Kermit Schafer (March 24, 1914 – March 8, 1979) was an American writer and producer for radio and television in the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for his collections of "bloopers"—the word Schafer popularized for mistakes and gaffes o ...
, 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 concert, an all star concert designed by Bob Geldof to end world hunger. During the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike, 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'' in 1995. Two years later, he hosted the Pennsylvania Lottery 25th Anniversary Game Show special with then-Miss Pennsylvania Gigi Gordon for Jonathan Goodson Productions. He also created and hosted two Fox television specials in 2000 called '' Challenge of the Child Geniuses'', the last game show he hosted. From 2001 to 2003, Clark was a co-host of '' The Other Half'' with
Mario Lopez Mario Lopez (born October 10, 1973) is an American actor and television host. He has appeared on several television series, in films, and on Broadway. He is known for his portrayal of A.C. Slater on '' Saved by the Bell'', '' Saved by the Bell ...
, Danny Bonaduce and
Dorian Gregory Dorian Gregory (born January 26, 1971) is an American actor and television host who played Darryl Morris on the television show ''Charmed'' (1998–2005) and was the fourth and final permanent host of ''Soul Train'', replacing Shemar Moore. ...
, a syndicated daytime talk show intended to be the male equivalent of '' The View''. Clark also produced the television series ''
American Dreams ''American Dreams'' is an American drama television series that ran on NBC for three seasons & 61 episodes, from September 29, 2002, to March 30, 2005. The show tells the story of the Pryor family of Philadelphia during the mid-1960s, with many ...
'' 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'', a Western drama that served as a promotional vehicle for Bakersfield country musicians
Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American country music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Haggard was born in Oildale, California, toward the end of the Great Depression. His childhood was troubled a ...
and Bonnie Owens. Clark also appears in interview segments of another 2002 film, '' Confessions of a Dangerous Mind'', which was based on the "unauthorized autobiography" of Chuck Barris. (Barris had worked at ABC as a standards-and-practices executive during ''American Bandstand'' run on that network.) In the 2002 '' Dharma and Greg'' 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 Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh ...
's character host bloopers from past episodes of that sitcom. With Ed McMahon, Clark was a pitch man for American Family Sweepstakes until he quit over controversy from the company regarding their sales techniques. Though McMahon briefly continued until the company went out of business, Clark's previous issues managing to escape the Payola scandal motivated him to be very sensitive about his public image. Clark was noteworthy for giving an award to
Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...
in WWF's
The War to Settle the Score The War to Settle the Score was a professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It took place at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York on February 18, 1985. The main event featured Hulk Hogan defending the WW ...
event that appeared MTV with Hulk Hogan,
Lou Albano Louis Vincent Albano (July 29, 1933 – October 14, 2009) was an Italian-American professional wrestler, manager and actor, who performed under the ring/stage name "Captain" Lou Albano. He was active as a professional wrestler from 1953 until 1 ...
, and Roddy Piper. Piper appeared to disagree with Lauper's award, assaulted Albano and Lauper appeared to get caught up in it trying to defend Albano, a real life personal friend. Fortunately, Clark had left the ring at that point.


Business ventures

In 1965, Clark branched out from hosting, producing ''
Where The Action Is ''Where the Action Is'' is a music-based television variety show that aired in the United States from 1965 to 1967. It was carried by the ABC network and aired each weekday afternoon. Created by Dick Clark as a spin-off of '' American Bandstan ...
'', an afternoon television program shot at different locations every week featuring house band
Paul Revere and the Raiders Paul Revere & the Raiders (also known as Raiders) were an American rock band formed in Boise, Idaho, in 1958. They saw considerable U.S. mainstream success in the second half of the 1960s and early 1970s. The band was known for including Revol ...
. In 1973, Clark began producing the highly-successful
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
. 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 A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...
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 Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1,608,139 residents as of 2020. It is the fifth-most populous city in the United States, and the on ...
, one location in the Molly Pitcher travel plaza on the New Jersey Turnpike in Cranbury, New Jersey, and one location at "Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater" in
Branson, Missouri Branson is a city in the U.S. state of Missouri. Most of the city is situated in Taney County, with a small portion in the west extending into Stone County. Branson is in the Ozark Mountains. The community was named after Reuben Branson, postm ...
. Until recently,
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, th ...
, Utah had an airport location. "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 Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
's ''
Dollywood Dollywood is a theme park jointly owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Family Entertainment. It is located in the Knoxville metropolitan area in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, near the gateway to The Great Smoky Mountains. Hosting nearly ...
'' 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 Utica () is a city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 in the 2020 U.S. Census. Located on the Mohawk River at the ...
. 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 ''Larry King Live'' was an American television talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was the channel's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly. Mainly aired from CNN's Los Angeles ...
'' in April 2004, Clark revealed that he had type 2 diabetes. His death certificate noted that Clark had coronary artery disease at the time of his death.Dick Clark death certificate
autopsyfiles.org; accessed November 16, 2016.
In December 2004, the 75-year-old Clark was hospitalized in Los Angeles after suffering what was initially termed a minor stroke. Although he was expected to be fine, it was later announced that Clark would be unable to host his annual ''New Year's Rockin' Eve'' broadcast, with
Regis Philbin Regis Francis Xavier Philbin (; August 25, 1931 – July 25, 2020)Archived aGhostarchiveand thWayback Machine was an American television presenter, talk show host, game show host, comedian, actor, and singer. Once called "the hardest working ma ...
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 Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing t ...
, aged 82, shortly after undergoing a transurethral resection procedure to treat an
enlarged prostate Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also called prostate enlargement, is a noncancerous increase in size of the prostate gland. Symptoms may include frequent urination, trouble starting to urinate, weak stream, inability to urinate, or loss o ...
. After his estate obtained the necessary environmental permits, he was cremated on April 20, and his ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean. Motown founder
Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record l ...
and singer Diana Ross 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 The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successf ...
on tour with the " Caravan of Stars" and on ''American Bandstand'', where I got my start," Ross said.


Credits


Filmography

* '' Jamboree'' (1957) – Himself * '' Because They're Young'' (1960) – Neil Hendry * ''
The Young Doctors ''The Young Doctors'' is an Australian early-evening soap opera originally broadcast on the Nine Network and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation, it aired from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March 1983. The series is prima ...
'' (1961) – Dr. Alexander * '' Killers Three'' (1968) – Roger * ''
The Phynx ''The Phynx'' is a 1970 American comedy film directed by Lee H. Katzin about a rock and roll band named The Phynx and their mission in foreign affairs. The group is sent to Albania to locate celebrity hostages taken prisoner by Communists. This ...
'' (1970) – Himself * '' Spy Kids'' (2001) – Financier * ''
Bowling For Columbine ''Bowling for Columbine'' is a 2002 documentary film written, produced, directed, and narrated by Michael Moore. The film explores what Moore suggests are the primary causes for the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 and other acts of gun ...
'' (2002) – Himself (Documentary)


Television

* '' ABC 2000 Today'' – Times Square correspondent * '' Adam-12'' (1972) – as drag strip owner Mr. J. Benson in the season 4 episode "Who Won?" * '' American Bandstand'' – 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?" * '' The Challengers'' – host * '' Futurama'' - himself (as a head in a jar), season 1, episode 1, " Space Pilot 3000" * '' Happening'' (1968–69) – producer * '' It Takes Two'' (1997) – host * '' The Krypton Factor'' (1981) – host * '' Lassie'' (1966) – as J.H. Alpert in the episode "The Untamed Land" * '' Missing Links'' (1964) – host * '' Miss Teen USA'' (1988, 1991–1993) – host * '' Miss Universe'' (1990–1993) – host * ''
Miss USA Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020, ...
'' (1989–1993) – host * '' Final Draw: 1994 FIFA World Cup'' (1993) – host * '' New Year's Rockin' Eve'' (1972–2004)  – host, (2006–2012) – co-host, producer * ''
Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a c ...
'', (1966) Season 9, episode 30, "The Case of the Final Fadeout" * '' The Object Is'' (1963–1964) – host * ''
The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy. Jones plays a widowed mother, and Cassidy plays the oldest of her five children, in a family who embarks on a music career. It ran from S ...
'', guest star, season 1, episode 13, Star Quality * ''
Pyramid A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilat ...
'' – host (1973–1988), guest (''The $25,000 Pyramid'', 1970s; ''Pyramid'', 2002) * '' The Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show'' (1958–1960) – host * '' Scattergories'' – host * '' Stoney Burke'' (1963) – Sgt. Andy Kincaid in the episode "Kincaid" * ''
TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes ''TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes'' is an American television series. Debuting as a weekly series, new episodes have been broadcast as infrequent specials during most of its run. It premiered on NBC in 1984, moved to ABC in 1998, and was revived i ...
'' – co-host, producer * ''
Where the Action Is ''Where the Action Is'' is a music-based television variety show that aired in the United States from 1965 to 1967. It was carried by the ABC network and aired each weekday afternoon. Created by Dick Clark as a spin-off of '' American Bandstan ...
'' (1965–67) – host * '' Police Squad!'' - himself, episode Testimony of Evil (Dead Men Don't Laugh) * ''
Wolf Rock TV ''Wolf Rock TV'' is a 1984 American live action/animated series produced by DIC Enterprises and Dick Clark Productions, featuring the voice of Wolfman Jack. The series ran for seven episodes on ABC before it was canceled due to low ratings. ''Wol ...
'' - producer * '' Winning Lines'' – host * '' The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'' – himself (two episodes)


Albums

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


Awards and honors

Television * Five Emmy Awards **Four for Best Game Show Host (1979, 1983, 1985, and 1986) **
Daytime Emmy The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (N ...
Lifetime Achievement Award Lifetime achievement awards are awarded by various organizations, to recognize contributions over the whole of a career, rather than or in addition to single contributions. Such awards, and organizations presenting them, include: A * A.C. ...
(1994) * Peabody Award (1999) Halls of Fame * Hollywood Walk of Fame (1976) *
National Radio Hall of Fame The Radio Hall of Fame, formerly the National Radio Hall of Fame, is an American organization created by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. Three years later, Bruce DuMont, founder, president, and CEO of the Museum of Broadcast Communicati ...
(1990) * Broadcasting Magazine Hall of Fame (1992) * Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame (1992) * Television Hall of Fame (1992) * Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1993) * Disney Legends (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 * * * * *
Dick Clark's Rock, Roll and Remember newspaper comic strip series

Dick Clark interviewed
on the
Pop Chronicles The ''Pop Chronicles'' are two radio documentary series which together "may constitute the most complete audio history of 1940s–60s popular music." They originally aired starting in 1969 and concluded about 1974. Both were produced by John ...
(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 personalities American restaurateurs American television hosts Businesspeople from New York (state) Culture of Philadelphia Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host winners Deaths from coronary artery disease Peabody Award winners People from Bronxville, New York People from Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania People with Parkinson's disease People with type 2 diabetes S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications alumni Television producers from New York (state) Mount Vernon High School (New York) alumni