Dick Clark,
the music industry maverick, longtime TV host and powerhouse producer
who changed the way we listened to pop music with "American Bandstand,"
and whose trademark "Rockin' Eve" became a fixture of New Year's
celebrations, died today at the age of 82.
Clark's agent Paul Shefrin said in statement that the veteran host died this morning following a "massive heart attack."
Born in Mount Vernon, N.Y., on Nov. 30, 1929, Richard Wagstaff Clark began his lifelong career in show business
began before he was even out of high school. He started working in the
mailroom of WRUN, a radio station in upstate New York run by his father
and uncle. It wasn't long before the teenager was on the air, filling
in for the weatherman and the announcer.
Clark pursued his passion at Syracuse University, working as a disc
jockey at the student-run radio station while studying for his degree in business.
After graduating in 1951, Clark went back to his family's radio
station, but within a year, a bigger city and bigger shows were calling.
Clark landed a gig as a DJ at WFIL in Philadelphia in 1952, spinning
records for a show he called "Dick Clark's Caravan of Music." There he
broke into the big time, hosting Bandstand, an afternoon dance show for
teenagers.
Within five years, the whole country was watching. ABC took the show national, and "American Bandstand" was born.
Donna Svennevik/ABC
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Blazing a New Trail in Pop Music
"American Bandstand's" formula was simple. Clean-cut boys and girls danced to the hottest hits and the newest singles.
In between, Clark chatted with the teens, who helped "rate-a-record,"
turning songs into sensations. Everyone showed up on "American
Bandstand," from Elvis Presley to Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry to Chubby
Checker.
When Dick Clark moved to Hollywood in 1963, "American Bandstand" moved
with him. He started Dick Clark Productions, and began cranking out one
hit show after another; his name became synonymous with everything from
the $25,000 "Pyramid" to "TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes" to the
"American Music Awards." In 1972, Dick Clark became synonymous with one
of the biggest nights of the year.
New Year's Rockin' Eve
"Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" on ABC became a Dec. 31 tradition,
with Clark hosting the festivities for more than three decades,
introducing the entertainment acts and, of course, counting down to
midnight as the ball dropped in New York's Times Square.
But the traditional celebration saw a temporary stop in 2004, when Clark
suffered a stroke that left him partially paralyzed and struggling to
speak. Regis Philbin stepped in. But by the next New Year's Eve, Dick
Clark was back, his speech still impaired. In halting words, he told
the audience, "I had to teach myself how to walk and talk again. It's
been a long, hard fight. My speech is not perfect but I'm getting
there."
But that didn't stop him: he returned each year, and recently he was joined by Ryan Seacrest, the radio and television personality known for E!, "American Idol," and a reality TV empire.
"I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend Dick Clark,"
Seacrest said in a statement today. "He has truly been one of the
greatest influences in my life. I idolized him from the start, and I was
graced early on in my career with his generous advice and counsel. When
I joined his show in 2006 , it was a dream come true to work with him
every New Year's Eve for the last 6 years. He was smart, charming, funny
and always a true gentleman. I learned a great deal from him, and I'll
always be indebted to him for his faith and support of me. He was a
remarkable host and businessman and left a rich legacy to television
audiences around the world. We will all miss him."
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