Dick Clark

He and his wife, Kari Clark , were married on 7/7/77 in a ceremony that started at 7:00 pm. His address in Burbank at that time was PO Box 7777.

John Davidson s father was the man who performed Dick and Kari Clark s wedding vows.

First wife Barbara Mallery (aunt of composer Billy Mallery ) was his childhood sweetheart.

Before he was a successful television host and producer, he began his career in 1945, in the mailroom of WRUN in Utica, New York, working his way up to weatherman and then newsman. WRUN was owned by Dicks uncle and run by Dicks father.

Graduated from Syracuse University in 1951 with a degree in business administration.

When "Bandstand" (1952) was picked up by ABC in 1957, he changed its name to "American Bandstand", ended the shows all-white policy and began introducing black artists. By 1959, it was broadcast by 101 affiliates and reached an audience of 20 million.

In 1959, the United States Senate began investigating the practice of "payola", in which record companies bribed radio personalities to play new records. Clark admitted he accepted a fur stole and jewelry and held financial interests in artists and songs that were frequently on "Bandstand" (1952) . Even though he was cleared of any wrongdoing, he was ordered to either leave ABC or sell his interests; he sold.

Children with Loretta Martin: Duane Clark and Cindy Clark.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Was the co-owner of Film Ventures International Pictures with Edward L. Montoro for several years.

On 2/14/02, Dick Clark Productions announced it will be acquired for $140 million by Mosaic Media Group, Inc., Capital Communications CDPQ Inc., and Jules Haimovitz, a senior television executive. Stockholders will receive $14.50 per share in cash. Clark himself will receive $12.50 per share in cash for a portion of his shares. Dick Clark Productions was founded in 1957.

Child with first wife Barbara Mallery, Richard, Jr., was born 9 January 1957 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1990.

Filed suit in federal court in Los Angeles, alleging that Michael Greene, president and chief executive of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, maintains a "blacklist" policy that prevents stars - including Britney Spears , Michael Jackson , Sean Combs and Toni Braxton - from performing on both Greenes Grammy Awards and Clarks American Music Awards. The suit seeks $10 million in damages. (19 December 2001)

Rarely consumed alcoholic beverages, and every December 31, when he and his wife hosted "Rockin New Years Eve", she didnt drink, either.

In December of 2004 he was hospitalized for a mild stroke. He recovered.

In 2005, for the first time in 32 years, he was not around to see the New Year in with his "Rockin New Years Eve" celebration on television. It was hoped that after he had suffered his mild stroke in early December 2004 that he would recover enough to host the festivities. With Clark still in his hospital bed on New Years Eve, Regis Philbin filled in for him.

Was a close personal friend of singer Connie Francis. Connies music label was going to drop her if her last recorded song didnt sell. Thankfully, Dick played it, "Whos Sorry Now", on "Bandstand" (1952) and it became an instant hit. Dick stayed by her side even through her personal tragedies and she thanks him in every single one of her shows.

In one of his few dramatic roles, he played against his nice guy image to portray the murderer in the final episode (air date 2 May 1966) of "Perry Mason" . The episode was appropriately titled, "Perry Mason" {The Case of the Final Fade-Out (#9.30)} . He also played against type as a nerdy guy who turns out to be a psycho killer in the film, Killers Three .

He produced the late Friday night ABC-TV series, "In Concert" , which featured many of the top rock acts of the day including Alice Cooper , Jim Croce and The Allman Brothers Band.

Was considered as host of "Gambit" , but lost the job to fellow game show host Wink Martindale. Clark would do "The $10,000 Pyramid" , nearly 7 months later.

He had been in St. Johns Hospital in Los Angeles after undergoing an outpatient procedure the night of April 17, 2012. He suffered a massive heart attack following the procedure. Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful and he died the next morning, April 18, 2012.

Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1976.

Received a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994 and a Peabody Award in 1999.

Mentor and friend of Ryan Seacrest.

Longtime friend of Tony Orlando and Larry Klein.

Long before he was one of Hollywoods successful television hosts and producers, he worked at WOLF-AM, then a country music station, in Syracuse, New York.

Had hosted his New Years Rockin Eve every year from 1972 to 1999 (when it was preempted for ABC 2000: The Millennium ), then from 2001 to 2003, just the year before he suffered a massive stroke, which reduced his role, between 2005 to 2011.

Filled in for Casey Kasem once on American Top 40 in 1972.

Met Ed McMahon , when the two were both living in Philadelphia, and McMahon praised him for first bringing him together with future television partner Johnny Carson when all three worked at ABC in the late 1950s. More than a quarter of a century later, Clark would be re-teaming up with McMahon hosting "TVs Bloopers & Practical Jokes" .

Had worked with Charlie ODonnell three times, on "Bandstand" (1952) , "The $10,000 Pyramid" and "TVs Bloopers & Practical Jokes" .

Upon his death, he was cremated and his ashes were scattered into the Pacific Ocean.

Before his death, he underwent surgery to fix an enlarged prostate.

On an episode of "American Idol: The Search for a Superstar" , host and good friend Ryan Seacrest paid tribute to him, along with another television host, Don Cornelius , who died 2 1/2 months before him. [18 April 2012].

Over the years, his show "Bandstand" (1952) gave many new music artists their first exposure to national audiences, including those of Ike Turner and his ex-wife Tina Turner , Michael Jackson , Melba Moore , Donna Summer , Madonna , Michael Damian , Gladys Knight , Diana Ross , Smokey Robinson , Kenny Rogers , Mariah Carey , Cyndi Lauper , Talking Heads , The Beatles , The Monkees , Stevie Wonder , Simon & Garfunkel and Paul Anka.

Friends with: Bob Barker , Casey Kasem , Bob Eubanks , Richard Dawson , Gene Rayburn , Bill Cullen , Geoff Edwards , Wink Martindale , Chuck Woolery , Alex Trebek , Jim Lange , Ed McMahon , Dinah Shore , Johnny Gilbert , Charlie ODonnell , Connie Francis , Donna Summer , Bob Hope , Frank Sinatra , Sammy Davis Jr. , Dean Martin , Robert Conrad , Pat Sajak , Regis Philbin , Jo Anne Worley , Vicki Lawrence , Jamie Farr , Betty White , Weird Al Yankovic , Marla Gibbs and Barry Manilow.

At the beginning of Clarks 31st year (1986-87) of hosting "Bandstand" (1952) , ABC had reduced the series from a full hour to 30 minutes, and the guest list was dropped from 2 artists to 1 artist, for each show, and Clark was very disappointed in the show the direction was going, therefore, his show moved from ABC to syndication to The USA Cable Network, with David Hirsch replacing Dick Clark as host, in the final season of 1988.

In his 16-year tenure as the host of "The $10,000 Pyramid" , among the guests were Vicki Lawrence , Jamie Farr , Constance McCashin , Henry Polic II , Ed Begley Jr. , Martha Smith , Shelley Smith , Teresa Ganzel , Barry Jenner and David Graf.

Made 2 cameo appearances on "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.

Best remembered by the public as the host of "Bandstand" (1952) and "The $10,000 Pyramid" .

In his six-decade career, he had an almost 40-year history of hosting game shows, as well as a Top 40 radio countdown show.

Because he was hosting "The Challengers" at the time, he was unavailable to host the revamped version of "The $10,000 Pyramid" in early 1991, when John Davidson became the new host. On the premiere episode, he sent a pre-recorded message wishing Davidson well in hosting the show.

Made a guest appearance on an episode of "Lets Make a Deal" , where he was showing the dealers an item.

Was Bob Stewart s first choice as host of the new game show, "The $10,000 Pyramid" , which he accepted and stayed with the role, for 16 years, with only a couple of interruptions, between 1973 and 1989.

Before he was a successful television host, a game show host and a producer, he used to share afternoon duties with the then- "Bandstand" (1952) host, Bob Horn at WFIL-AM in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Horn was working on radio and television simultaneously, and wasnt happy about it.

Replaced Bob Horn as the new host of "Bandstand" (1952) , for which he had hosted for 31 years, from 1956 to 1987.

When "Bandstand" (1952) was first televised by ABC in 1957, the program started a half-hour earlier at 2:30 pm weekdays on local affiliate WFIL in Philadelphia, then joined the network at 3:00 pm. At 3:30 pm the telecast broke away for a half-hour and was replaced by the quiz show "Do You Trust Your Wife?" starring Johnny Carson , televised from New York. "Bandstand" returned to the air from 5:00-6:00 pm. This was a rarity, even by todays standards: a 90-minute live show, with another program serving as an intermission.

His idol, when he was very young, was Bill Cullen.

When he was new to Hollywood, Ryan Seacrest went to Clarks office to talk to him about breaking into show business. Clarks secretary initially turned him away, but Clark stopped her, inviting Seacrest into his office. The two became good friends and Seacrest credits Clark for being his mentor and helping launch his career.

He was a lifelong Republican and conservative.

In the history of "Bandstand" (1952) , only two recording artists performed the same song twice, in one appearance. This occurred in 1958, when Chuck Berry , in his network TV debut, sang "Rock and Roll Music" and in 1961, when Gary U.S. Bonds performed "A Quarter To Three",.

From 1965-67 he hosted "Where the Action Is" , a daily mid-afternoon rock/pop variety show similar in format to "Shindig!" and "Hullabaloo" , complete with go-go dancers and top recording acts. The show originated from various vacation resorts such as Californias Big Sur and Malibu. Regulars on the show performed their own songs, as well as other hits of the day, They included Linda Scott , Steve Alaimo and Paul Revere & The Raiders.

In its first season , ABC presented a nighttime version of "Bandstand" (1952) . It ran for a half-hour for 13 weeks on Monday nights (Oct. 7-Dec. 30). Dicks guests included The Everly Brothers , Mickey & Sylvia and The Billy Williams Quartette. Ironically, the nighttime "American Bandstand", hosted by Clark, would finally end the night before New Years Eve 1957. Beginning in 1972 and for four decades Clark would be a welcome guest in American households as host of "Dick Clarks Rockin New Years Eve".

He hosted "The Dick Clark Show" on ABC, from New York Citys Little Theater (renamed, in 1983, The Helen Hayes Theater). The half-hour weekly show headlined five top pop/rock acts each week. Many of the regular teens who appeared on "Bandstand" (1952) made the trip from Philadelphia to New York City and were seated in the audience.

Co-owner of Swan Records.

Dick Clark passed away on April 18, 2012, at age 82. This was just 2 1/2 months after Don Cornelius committed suicide. Both Clark and Cornelius had a feud when Clark created and produced the short-lived series Soul Unlimited, which was a more risqu and controversial imitator of the then-popular series "Soul Train" .

Had also hosted another long-running radio show, Rock, Roll & Remember, a four-hour oldies show named after Clarks 1976 autobiography. Each week, Clark would profile a different artist from the rock and roll era and count down the top four songs that week from a certain year in the 1950s, 1960s or early 1970s. He hosted the show, every year, for 23 years, until Clark suffered a stroke, late in 2004.

Met another disc jockey, Casey Kasem , on KTLAs after-school dance show, Shebang, in 1963. The friendship lasted 49 years, until Clarks death in 2012.

Graduated from A.B. Davis High School in Mount Vernon, New York, in 1947.

Before he was a successful game show host, television personality and producer, he worked as a principal in pro-broadcasters operator of 1440 KPRO in Riverside, California, from 20 years.

Though he never retired from hosting or producing television, he took a medical leave, at age 75, after a stroke.

At age 22, Clark moved to Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, in 1952, to pursue a career as a radio disc jockey and a television personality, who would live there until 1962.

Ranked #7 on Lifes 15 Best Game Show Hosts.

Disco singer Donna Summer guest hosted "Bandstand" (1952) , once. On that day, it was an All Salute To Disco..

His widow, Kari Clark , was 13 years his junior.

Had type-2 diabetes.

A member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (Phi Gamma).

An avid radio listener, when he was a boy.

Reunited with Casey Kasem on an episode of "It Takes Two" .

His birthplace, Mount Vernon, New York, is 5 miles West of Yonkers, New York, and 19 miles North of New York City, New York.

Episodes he hosted on "Bandstand" (1952) were among the first where blacks and whites performed on the same stage and among the first where the live studio audience sat without racial segregation. Singer Paul Anka claimed that Bandstand was responsible for creating a youth culture. Due to his perennial youthful appearance, Clark was often referred to as "Americas Oldest Teenager.".

His first radio exposure was hosting the short-lived program, The Dick Clark Radio Show..

In 1964, relocated from Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, to Los Angeles, California, where he lived until his death in 2012.

In 2002, many of the groups, he introduced appeared at the 50th anniversary special to celebrate "Bandstand" (1952) .

Clark noted during the special that "Bandstand" (1952) was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-running variety show in TV history..

Dick Clark passed away on April 18, 2012, at age 82. His former television boss Bob Stewart , passed away, just 2 weeks after Clark, at age 91.

Was featured in the documentary film Bowling for Columbine . He was criticized for hiring poor, unwed mothers to work long hours in his chain of restaurants for little pay. The mother featured is shown to work over 80 hours per week and is still unable to make her rent and then gets evicted which results in her having to have her son stay at his uncles house. At his uncles house the boy finds a gun and brings it to school where he shoots another first grader. In the documentary footage, Michael Moore, with cameraman in tow, approached Clark as he was pulling into his work parking space and attempted to question Clark about welfare policies that allow for those conditions. Moore tried to query him about the people he employed and the tax breaks he allegedly took advantage of, in employing welfare recipients; Clark refuses to answer any of Moores questions, shutting the car door and driving away.

His elder brother, Bradley, was killed in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.

Had an old diary, back in 1938, at the time, Clark was 8, he wrote, I listened to the radio..

Started seeing stage theater, for the first time, when he was age 13, such as: Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore.

Had English and German heritage.

Appeared on the second-to-last episode as himself, on an episode of "The Weird Al Show" , where he did counted down to the end of the show. Something he did everytime he hosted Dick Clarks Rockin New Years Eve.

Raised in an apartment building.

The last game show he ever hosted was "Winning Lines" .

Former U.S. senator from the state of Iowa, who served from January 1973 to January 1979. Chaired the Subcommittee on Africa within the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Also served on the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Humor is always based on a modicum of truth. Have you ever heard a joke,about a father-in-law?,Music is the soundtrack of our life.

Music is the soundtrack of our lives.

Humor is always based on a modicum of truth. Have you ever heard a joke about a father-in-law?,Music is the soundtrack of your life. .