he was America’s oldest teenager welcome
to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
learning more about the life and career
of Dick Clark oh my he’s become a
spokesman for the great wholesome
majority of American teenagers tonight
this is Richard Wagstaff Clark was born
November 30th 1929 and raised in Mount
Vernon New York he built on his
childhood love of broadcasting in 1945
when he joined a local radio station
that led to a TV job and he soon began
his rise to stardom with a business
degree from Syracuse University he moved
to Pennsylvania in 1952 and got his big
break Clark became the stand-in host on
Bandstand and by 1956 he was the sole
face of the program Clark’s hard work
paid off when ABC picked up the show for
broadcast to the entire nation on August
5th 1957 American Bandstand debuted and
became the soundtrack of a generation
musical performances by popular artists
fresh-faced teen dancers and even the
rate a record segment were audience
favorites and bridge the gap between
traditional values and rebellious
rock-and-roll Clark himself developed
iconic status and was credited with
shaping early television and influencing
popular music this influence came into
question during the 1950’s when he was
involved in the payola scandal Clark’s
shares in various music businesses were
seen as a conflict of interest because
of his impact on music trends before
charges of wrongdoing were laid during
the US Senate investigation he sold his
shares and continued his thriving career
on Bandstand and the short-lived Dick
Clark show soon American Bandstand made
history by allowing African American
teenagers to appear alongside white
dancers in 1963 the show went from a
weekday to a weekly production where it
remained a Saturday afternoon staple
until its end in 1989 Bandstand also
moved from Philly to Hollywood where
Clark’s TV producing career exploded in
1972 he became the face of New Year’s by
producing and hosting Dick Clark’s New
Year’s rockin Eve for decades
Clark counted America down to midnight
live from Times Square Clark then joined
the $10,000 pyramid in March 1973 that
game show franchise eventually won Clark
three Emmy Awards for his work as hosts
1973 was a busy year
Clark debuted the American Music Awards
as a challenger to the Grammys and soul
unlimited as a competitor to Soul Train
though that effort was short-lived soon
Dick Clark Productions took over the
Golden Globe ceremonies by 1984 he
partnered with Ed McMahon to produce and
co-host the long-running TVs bloopers
and practical jokes in addition his
production company brought more specials
and series to television which helped
Clark become one of the wealthiest men
in the biz to create
look at him you’re incredible looking
you look just fantastic he’s 87 years
old do you know he was also considered a
pioneer in syndicated radio with his
shows playing across the country into
the 1990s he added more game shows to
his own resume he was inducted into both
the television and The Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame in 1993 and the following
year he received a Lifetime Achievement
Award from the Daytime Emmys
clerks accomplishments continued into
the new millennium which he helped kick
off from Times Square in 2001 he tackled
co-hosting duties on the other half the
next year he produced American dreams
about a pair of girls during the
American Bandstand era and sold Dick
Clark Productions for one hundred and
forty million dollars but Clark’s health
soon declined in early 2004 he announced
he had type 2 diabetes and by year’s end
he suffered a stroke that left him
unable to undertake his New Year’s Eve
duties for the first time since 1972 he
returned to TV on December 31st 2005
with Ryan Seacrest as co-host and
co-producer though his deteriorating
health was obvious his appearance was
widely considered inspirational the
television industry soon bestowed
numerous awards and honors on this
legend Clark himself continued bringing
us into the new year until 2012 however
on April 18th that year he suffered a
massive heart attack and died his
influence was subsequently celebrated by
those who admired him a TV mainstay a
brilliant producer and a savvy
businessman Dick Clark is remembered as
a pop-culture institution what do you
hope will happen not only in 1984 but
for the rest of your professional life
what are your dreams what’s left to rule
the world this is Madonna his eternal
youth work ethic and ability to
instinctively understand the public kept
him relevant for over five decades for
now Dick Clark so long
to watchmojo.com and today we’ll be
learning more about the life and career
of Dick Clark oh my he’s become a
spokesman for the great wholesome
majority of American teenagers tonight
this is Richard Wagstaff Clark was born
November 30th 1929 and raised in Mount
Vernon New York he built on his
childhood love of broadcasting in 1945
when he joined a local radio station
that led to a TV job and he soon began
his rise to stardom with a business
degree from Syracuse University he moved
to Pennsylvania in 1952 and got his big
break Clark became the stand-in host on
Bandstand and by 1956 he was the sole
face of the program Clark’s hard work
paid off when ABC picked up the show for
broadcast to the entire nation on August
5th 1957 American Bandstand debuted and
became the soundtrack of a generation
musical performances by popular artists
fresh-faced teen dancers and even the
rate a record segment were audience
favorites and bridge the gap between
traditional values and rebellious
rock-and-roll Clark himself developed
iconic status and was credited with
shaping early television and influencing
popular music this influence came into
question during the 1950’s when he was
involved in the payola scandal Clark’s
shares in various music businesses were
seen as a conflict of interest because
of his impact on music trends before
charges of wrongdoing were laid during
the US Senate investigation he sold his
shares and continued his thriving career
on Bandstand and the short-lived Dick
Clark show soon American Bandstand made
history by allowing African American
teenagers to appear alongside white
dancers in 1963 the show went from a
weekday to a weekly production where it
remained a Saturday afternoon staple
until its end in 1989 Bandstand also
moved from Philly to Hollywood where
Clark’s TV producing career exploded in
1972 he became the face of New Year’s by
producing and hosting Dick Clark’s New
Year’s rockin Eve for decades
Clark counted America down to midnight
live from Times Square Clark then joined
the $10,000 pyramid in March 1973 that
game show franchise eventually won Clark
three Emmy Awards for his work as hosts
1973 was a busy year
Clark debuted the American Music Awards
as a challenger to the Grammys and soul
unlimited as a competitor to Soul Train
though that effort was short-lived soon
Dick Clark Productions took over the
Golden Globe ceremonies by 1984 he
partnered with Ed McMahon to produce and
co-host the long-running TVs bloopers
and practical jokes in addition his
production company brought more specials
and series to television which helped
Clark become one of the wealthiest men
in the biz to create
look at him you’re incredible looking
you look just fantastic he’s 87 years
old do you know he was also considered a
pioneer in syndicated radio with his
shows playing across the country into
the 1990s he added more game shows to
his own resume he was inducted into both
the television and The Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame in 1993 and the following
year he received a Lifetime Achievement
Award from the Daytime Emmys
clerks accomplishments continued into
the new millennium which he helped kick
off from Times Square in 2001 he tackled
co-hosting duties on the other half the
next year he produced American dreams
about a pair of girls during the
American Bandstand era and sold Dick
Clark Productions for one hundred and
forty million dollars but Clark’s health
soon declined in early 2004 he announced
he had type 2 diabetes and by year’s end
he suffered a stroke that left him
unable to undertake his New Year’s Eve
duties for the first time since 1972 he
returned to TV on December 31st 2005
with Ryan Seacrest as co-host and
co-producer though his deteriorating
health was obvious his appearance was
widely considered inspirational the
television industry soon bestowed
numerous awards and honors on this
legend Clark himself continued bringing
us into the new year until 2012 however
on April 18th that year he suffered a
massive heart attack and died his
influence was subsequently celebrated by
those who admired him a TV mainstay a
brilliant producer and a savvy
businessman Dick Clark is remembered as
a pop-culture institution what do you
hope will happen not only in 1984 but
for the rest of your professional life
what are your dreams what’s left to rule
the world this is Madonna his eternal
youth work ethic and ability to
instinctively understand the public kept
him relevant for over five decades for
now Dick Clark so long
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