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IMDbPro

Dick Clark(1929-2012)

  • Producer
  • Actor
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeter
See rank
Dick Clark
A documentary about legendary songwriter and 70's icon Paul Williams.
Play trailer2:12
Paul Williams: Still Alive (2011)
5 Videos
99+ Photos
Dick Clark was born and raised in Mount Vernon, New York on November 30, 1929, to Julia Fuller (Barnard) and Richard Augustus Clark. He had one older brother, Bradley, who was killed in World War II. At the age of 16, Clark got his first job in the mailroom of WRUN, a radio station in Utica, New York, which was owned by his uncle and managed by his father. He worked his way up the ranks and was promoted to weatherman before becoming a radio announcer. After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in business administration, Clark began working at several radio and television stations before landing at WFIL radio in 1952. While working at the station, Clark became a substitute host for Bob Horn's Bandstand, an afternoon program where teenagers danced to popular music, broadcast by WFIL's affiliated television station. In 1956, Horn was arrested for drunk driving, giving Clark the perfect opportunity to step in as the full-time host.

After acquiring nationwide distribution the newly reformatted program, now titled "American Bandstand", premiered on ABC on August 5, 1957. In addition to the name change, Clark added interviews with artists (starting with Elvis Presley), lip-sync performances, and "Rate-a-Record," allowing teens to judge the songs on the show - and giving birth to the popular phrase, "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it." Clark also established a formal dress code, mandating dresses and skirts for the women and a coat and tie for the men. But perhaps the most impactful change that Clark made to the show was ending "American Bandstand's" all-white policy, allowing African American artists to perform on the show.

Under Clark's influence, "Bandstand" became one of the most successful and longest-running musical programs, featuring artists including Chuck Berry, the Doors, the Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, and Smokey Robinson. Sonny and Cher, The Jackson 5, Prince, and Aerosmith were among the influential artists and bands that made their television debuts on "Bandstand", which is also credited with helping to make America more accepting of rock 'n' roll.

With the success of "American Bandstand", Clark became more invested in the music publishing and recording businesses, and began managing artists, hosting live sock hops, and arranging concert tours. But in 1960, when the United States Senate began investigating "payola", the practice in which music producing companies paid broadcasting companies to favor their products, Clark became caught up in the scandal. The investigation found he had partial copyrights to over 150 songs, many of which were featured on his show. Clark denied he was involved in any way, but admitted to accepting a fur and jewelry from a record company president. In the end, the Senate could not find any illegal actions by Clark, but ABC asked Clark to either sell his shares in these companies or leave the network so there was no conflict of interest. He chose to sell and continue on as host of "American Bandstand", which was unaffected by the scandal.

In 1964, Clark moved Bandstand from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and became more involved in television production. Under his company Dick Clark Productions, he produced such shows as "Where the Action Is", "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes", and more recently, "So You Think You Can Dance", as well as made-for-television movies including "Elvis", "The Birth of the Beatles", "Wild Streets", and "The Savage Seven". Clark also hosted television's "$10,000 Pyramid", "TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes" (with co-host Ed McMahon), "Scattergories", and "The Other Half". Clark also had several radio programs, including "The Dick Clark National Music Survey", "Countdown America", and "Rock, Roll & Remember".

In 1972, he produced and hosted the very first edition of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve", a musical program where Clark counted down until the New Year ball dropped in Times Square, featuring taped performances from musical artists. "New Year's Rockin' Eve" soon became a cultural tradition, airing on ABC every year with Clark as host (except in 1999 when ABC aired "ABC 2000: Today", a news milestone program hosted by Peter Jennings). In December 2004, Clark suffered a minor stroke and was unable to host, so Regis Philbin stepped in as a substitute. The following year, Clark returned as co-host alongside primary host Ryan Seacrest. Many were worried about Clark due to his slurred and breathless speech, and he admitted on-air he was still recovering but that he wouldn't have missed the broadcast for the world. The following year, Seacrest became "New Year's Rockin' Eve's" primary host, but Clark always returned for the countdown.

Clark has received several notable awards including four Emmy Awards, the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994, and the Peabody Award in 1999. He was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1976, The Radio Hall of Fame in 1990, Broadcasting Magazine Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame. Clark had been in St. John's hospital in Los Angeles after undergoing an outpatient procedure the night of April 17, 2012. Clark suffered a massive heart attack following the procedure. Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful and he died the next morning of April 18, 2012.
BornNovember 30, 1929
DiedApril 18, 2012(82)
BornNovember 30, 1929
DiedApril 18, 2012(82)
IMDbProStarmeter
See rank
  • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy

Photos123

Tuesday Weld, Warren Berlinger, and Dick Clark in Because They're Young (1960)
Tuesday Weld, Warren Berlinger, Michael Callan, and Dick Clark in Because They're Young (1960)
Tuesday Weld, Warren Berlinger, and Dick Clark in Because They're Young (1960)
Dick Clark and Victoria Shaw in Because They're Young (1960)
Dick Clark in Because They're Young (1960)
Jeffrey Jones, Dick Clark, and Mary Gross in The People Next Door (1989)
Dick Clark, Diane Varsi, and Robert Walker Jr. in Killers Three (1968)
Tuesday Weld, Warren Berlinger, Michael Callan, Dick Clark, Victoria Shaw, and Roberta Shore in Because They're Young (1960)
Tuesday Weld, Warren Berlinger, Michael Callan, Dick Clark, Victoria Shaw, and Roberta Shore in Because They're Young (1960)
Will Smith and Dick Clark in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990)
Dick Clark in Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Secrest 2011 (2010)
Dick Clark and Kari Clark in Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Secrest 2011 (2010)

Known for

Sam Rockwell in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
7.0
  • Dick Clark
  • 2002
The $10,000 Pyramid (1973)
The $10,000 Pyramid
6.9
TV Series
  • Self - Host
ABC Afterschool Specials (1972)
ABC Afterschool Specials
7.2
TV Series
  • Producer
American Bandstand (1952)
American Bandstand
7.6
TV Series
  • Producer

Credits

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IMDbPro

Producer

  • The Fast Money Club
    • Completed
  • 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards (2012)
    47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards
  • Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg in Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Secrest 2011 (2010)
    Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Secrest 2011
  • Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2010
  • 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards (2009)
    44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards
  • 2008 American Music Awards Red Carpet Live
  • New Year's Rockin' Eve 2008
  • Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve 2007 (2006)
    Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve 2007
  • 2006 American Music Awards (2006)
    2006 American Music Awards
  • New Year's Rockin' Eve 2006 (2005)
    New Year's Rockin' Eve 2006
  • Golden Globe Arrivals
  • The 40th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards (2005)
    The 40th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards
  • American Dreams (2002)
    American Dreams
  • Glenn Close in The 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards 2005 (2005)
    The 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards 2005
  • Greatest Moments 2004
  • Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve 2005

Actor

  • Elliott Gould, Joely Fisher, Adam Arkin, and Holland Taylor in Baby Bob (2002)
    Baby Bob
  • Sam Rockwell in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
    Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
  • Laura San Giacomo, George Segal, Wendie Malick, David Spade, and Enrico Colantoni in Just Shoot Me! (1997)
    Just Shoot Me!
  • American Dreams (2002)
    American Dreams
    • (voice, uncredited)
  • Dharma & Greg (1997)
    Dharma & Greg
  • Danny Bonaduce, Dick Clark, Mario Lopez, and Melody Alderman in The Other Half (2001)
    The Other Half
  • Recess Christmas: Miracle on Third Street (2001)
    Recess Christmas: Miracle on Third Street
    • (voice)
  • Michael Boatman, Sandra Oh, Jim Turner, and Robert Wuhl in Arli$$ (1996)
    Arli$$
  • Alan Cumming, Daryl Sabara, and Alexa PenaVega in Spy Kids (2001)
    Spy Kids
  • Nick Bakay and Richard Steven Horvitz in The Angry Beavers (1997)
    The Angry Beavers
    • (voice)
  • Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny in The X-Files (1993)
    The X-Files
  • Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, and Yeardley Smith in The Simpsons (1989)
    The Simpsons
    • (voice)
  • Katey Sagal, John DiMaggio, Lauren Tom, and Billy West in Futurama (1999)
    Futurama
    • (voice)
  • The Suburbans (1999)
    The Suburbans
  • Rickey D'Shon Collins, Jason Davis, Ashley Johnson, Andrew Lawrence, Courtland Mead, and Pamela Adlon in Recess (1997)
    Recess
    • (voice)

Additional Crew

  • Michael Jackson and Bubbles in Michael Jackson and Bubbles: The Untold Story (2010)
    Michael Jackson and Bubbles: The Untold Story
  • The Dark (1979)
    The Dark
  • Where the Action Is (1965)
    Where the Action Is

Videos5

Theatrical Version
Trailer 2:12
Theatrical Version
The Wrecking Crew
Trailer 2:27
The Wrecking Crew
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever: Complete collection
Trailer 1:56
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever: Complete collection
The Wrecking Crew
Trailer 1:54
The Wrecking Crew
U.S. Theatrical Trailer
Trailer 2:25
U.S. Theatrical Trailer

Personal details

Edit
    • November 30, 1929
    • Mount Vernon, New York, USA
    • April 18, 2012
    • Santa Monica, California, USA(cardiac arrest)
    • Kari ClarkJuly 7, 1977 - April 18, 2012 (his death)
    • Duane Clark
  • Other works
    TV commercial: Havoline Motor Oil.
  • Publicity listings
    • 2 Print Biographies
    • 3 Portrayals
    • 2 Interviews
    • 8 Articles
    • 1 Pictorial
    • 2 Magazine Cover Photos

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    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, CA at that time was PO Box 7777.
  • Quotes
    Humor is always based on a modicum of truth. Have you ever heard a joke about a father-in-law?
    • His departing catchphrase delivered with a military salute.

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