America's Oldest Teen, Dick Clark, Dies at 82

[lordsmurf]

I've edited out some of the fluff from the CNN article:

Los Angeles (CNN) -- Broadcast icon Dick Clark, the longtime host of "American Bandstand," has died, publicist Paul Shefrin said. He was 82.

Clark suffered a heart attack while at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica for an outpatient procedure, his publicist said Wednesday. "Attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful." The family has not yet decided if there will be a public memorial service for Clark, although Shefrin said, "There will be no funeral."

Clark suffered what was then described as "a mild stroke" in December 2004, just months after announcing he had been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. That stroke forced Clark to cut back on his on-camera work, including giving up the hosting duties for the "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" specials. He returned as a co-host with Ryan Seacrest on December 31, 2005. Clark anguished each year over whether to continue appearing on the annual show because of limitations on his speech from the stroke, U.S. Rep. David Dreier, a longtime friend, told CNN Wednesday.

"But then he would get deluged by people who were stroke victims and other people who had infirmities and they were such admirers of his fighting spirit," said Dreier, R-California. Clark appeared on the last show for New Year's Eve 2011. "He loved it, but at the same time he knew that his continued diligence was providing inspiration to a lot of people who were going through difficulties, facing infirmities themselves," Drier said.

Clark's "American Bandstand" work, which he began when it was a local TV show in Philadelphia in 1956, earned him the nickname "America's oldest living teenager." The show was picked up by ABC and broadcast nationally a year later. The entrepreneur helped introduce new rock 'n' roll performers to millions of TV viewers and radio listeners. "Only God is responsible for making more stars than Dick Clark," said singer Tony Orlando, who was 16 when he first appeared on Clark's show in 1961. "You had to go through the world and universe of Dick Clark in order to part of the record business," Orlando said.

Clark became wealthy also as a businessman, producing successful TV shows through Dick Clark Productions. He sold the company to Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder in 2007. "One of the real draws when we purchased Dick Clark Productions was the opportunity to build on the tremendous foundation of programming that this icon of American broadcasting created," Snyder said Wednesday. "I got to know Dick over the past five years and he was just as personable and warm in person as he was on television. Once you got to know Dick, it was obvious why he was so beloved by his fans. He was, in every sense of the word, a giant."

Born Richard Wagstaff Clark in Mount Vernon, New York, on November 30, 1929, he began his broadcast career working at a radio station managed by his father. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Clark in its nonperformer category in 1993.

Clark also hosted numerous other television favorites, including $25,000 Pyramid and TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes. "This guy was the best," said singer Freddy Cannon, who appeared on "American Bandstand" 110 times. "He helped me from the very bottom of my career all through the '80s and the '90s, and he's going to be missed a lot."

[dwen]

Yeah this is a sad day indeed, although I am a advocate news watcher...it was my 7 year old daughter the broke the news to me she said " Daddy, the guy whole drops the balls is dead". I said excuse me? And she said "You know that guy who drops the ball on New Year's" which is who she knows Dick Clark as....sure enough I looked at the Yahoo page at there it was. Me, my wife and daughter celebrated our last years watching him on TV as my wife and I have done so far every year for the past 14 years we have been together....indeed a sad day.

[grillgoil43]

Yes, a sad day for those of us left behind. But I firmly believe in 'being called Home.' Rock 'n Roll has lose a lot of it's LEGENDS in as recently as the last 14 months...just off the top of my head (and so close to my heart) there were Rick Coonce and Rob Grill, both from The Grass Roots, then Davy Jones and now Dick Clark. As it was so beautifully put in the Righteous Brothers song from the 70's...

If you believe in forever. Then life is just a one-night stand.
If there's a rock and roll heaven. Well, you know they've got a hell of a band, band, band.

Thanks so much to Dick Clark for giving so many of our great artists a venue to share their talents with us and helping bring so much joy and love into our lives! You'll be missed, but it's great to know that you're there getting the ULTIMATE Rock 'n Roll Show organized for the rest of us!

[wiseguy182]

for those that may be too young to know, American Bandstand was DAMN HUGE back in the day. Teens literally raced home from school to watch it.

Kind of annoying that the CNN article glossed over his other work, although that's the kind of thing I expect from CNN, aka the Sanjay Gupta Channel.

For the record, Clark was huge in the game show circuit, hosting such shows as the various Pyramid incarnates, Scattegories and the Challengers. Also, he has done much radio work, including the oldies program "Rock, Roll and Remember". He also produced American Dreams, and could be seen in the show through flashback clips. There are also some "best of American Bandstand" cd's. I have the 80's version, and have been meaning to get the others.

For now, Dick Clark. So long.

[wayshway]

It's strange that I didn't see the medias making a big deal about this.