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
''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 pr ...
'' 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 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 U ...
'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 pr ...
'', 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 voc ...
,
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, sou ...
,
Simon & Garfunkel,
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 " Godfather of Punk", he was the vocalist and lyricist of proto-punk band The Stooges, who w ...
,
Prince
A prince is a Monarch, 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 title, hereditary, in s ...
,
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.[Talkin ...](_blank)
, 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 racial or other ethnic groups in daily life. Racial segregation can amount to the international crime of apartheid and a crime against humanity under the Statute of the Intern ...
. 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 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. 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, and raised in neighboring Mount Vernon, 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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
P-47 Thunderbolt pilot, was killed in the Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...
.
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
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 fift ...
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 foot ...
, 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 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 foot ...
.[ 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
''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 under the name Progress Broadcasting. In 1967, he purchased KGUD-AM-FM (now KTMS 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 Coa ...
.
''American Bandstand''
In 1952, Clark moved to Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, 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 assig ...
, 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
''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 pr ...
'', 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."
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 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
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 and Jan and Dean. 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, 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, sou ...
, Prince
A prince is a Monarch, 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 title, hereditary, in s ...
, Simon and 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 "T ...
, 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 music, country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later s ...
, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino and Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker (born Ernest Evans; October 3, 1941) is an American rock and roll singer and dancer. He is widely known for popularizing many dance styles, including The Twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard & The Midnig ...
.[
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 co ...
'' 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 and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music an ...
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
''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
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 int ...
, 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, Virg ...
'', 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 taking over, 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 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, 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 ...
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 show was cancelled in 1964 and replaced by '' Missing Links'', which had moved from NBC. 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'', 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
Syndication may refer to:
* Broadcast syndication, where individual stations buy programs outside the network system
* Print syndication, where individual newspapers or magazines license news articles, columns, or comic strips
* Web syndication, ...
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 ge ...
''. 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 cult ...
'' 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'' for NBC with Bob Hilton as the host. Hilton was later replaced by original host Monty Hall. 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
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'').
Twelv ...
'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 undes ...
'', 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 th ...
'', 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 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
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 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
ABC News is the journalism, news division of the American broadcast network American Broadcasting Company, ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other progra ...
'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. 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 n ...
'', 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, 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 golden age of U.S. rad ...
. 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 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
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 Letterma ...
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
Th ...
'' 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 best-known guest appearances was in the final episode ("The Case of the Final Fade-Out") of the original '' Perry Mason'' 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
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 ...
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 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 pop ...
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: ...
, 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 ...
'' 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 B ...
'' 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
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, 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
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-Tod ...
. 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'', 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 ...
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
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 songw ...
. (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'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 in WWF's The War to Settle the Score 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'', 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
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 appearance ...
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 List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat, seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County and the second largest city within the New Yo ...
and 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 o ...
, 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 co ...
in Cranbury, New Jersey, and one location at "Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater" in Branson, Missouri. 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's '' Dollywood'' theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
From 1979 to 1980, Clark reportedly owned the former Westchester Premier Theatre in Greenburgh, New York
Greenburgh is a town in western Westchester County, New York. The population was 95,397 at the time of the 2020 census.
History
Greenburgh developed along the Hudson River, long the main transportation route. It was settled by northern Europeans ...
, 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 foot ...
.
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
Type 2 diabetes, formerly known as adult-onset diabetes, is a form of diabetes mellitus that is characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urinati ...
. 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 Ischemia, the reduction of blood flow to the myocardium, heart muscle due to build-up o ...
at the time of his death.[Dick Clark death certificate](_blank)
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 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 language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
, aged 82, shortly after undergoing a transurethral resection
Transurethral resection of the prostate (commonly known as a TURP, plural TURPs, and rarely as a transurethral prostatic resection, TUPR) is a urological operation. It is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). As the name indicates, ...
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. Motown founder Berry Gordy 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
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'' (1960) – Neil Hendry
* '' The Young Doctors'' (1961) – Dr. Alexander
* '' Killers Three'' (1968) – Roger
* '' The Phynx'' (1970) – Himself
* '' Spy Kids'' (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'' (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 pr ...
'' – 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
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall Str ...
'' (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
''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'' (1963–1964) – host
* '' The Partridge Family'', 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, quadrila ...
'' – 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'' – 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 th ...
'' – 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 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 (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, Calif ...
(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 (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 and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music an ...
(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
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 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