Dick Clark

Inducted 2000
Born:  November 30, 1929, Bronxville, N.Y.  

Dick Clark is an American entertainment icon who has been active in broadcasting for nearly 50 years.  Clark, who rose to fame as the host of American Bandstand, the longest-running musical/variety series on television, is the chairman and CEO of Dick Clark Productions Inc., an entertainment company based in Burbank, Calif.  

Clark's interest in broadcasting began in high school when he listened to radio programs featuring recordings introduced by personable hosts.  When his family moved to Utica, N.Y., Clark took a summer job at WRUN radio station as an assistant in the mail room.  Before long, he was announcing weather forecasts, station breaks, and news.    

Clark studied advertising and radio in college, acting as disc jockey on the student-run radio station and working weekends during his senior year as an announcer and disc jockey at radio station WOLF in Syracuse.  After college, he went to work for Utica's television station, WKTV.  There, he learned television production, announced the news, moved scenery, and hosted a country music show.   

In 1952 Clark took a job with WFIL Radio in Philadelphia and soon landed his own weekday show, Dick Clark's Caravan of Music.  He also appeared on occasion as the host of the WIFL-TV afternoon music and interview program, Bandstand, and in 1956, he was named the show's full-time host.   

In 1957, Philadelphia's Bandstand was picked up by ABC and became American Bandstand.  Growing rapidly to a network of more than 105 stations within one year, the show provided new music to a mass audience and became a model for teenage dance shows.   American Bandstand proved to be a prime force in shaping dances, dress, and hairstyles of the teenage generation.  In 1964, Clark moved the show to Los Angeles and founded Dick Clark Productions. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s he acted as emcee in television game shows, produced variety series and musical specials, and continued to preside over American Bandstand.  

Since 1972, he has hosted and produced a New Year's Eve television special countdown to midnight show.  He hosts radio oldies shows for United Stations Radio Network, a radio programming network which he helped found in 1981.  He hosts television game shows, award shows, and comedy specials.  

Clark was awarded five Emmy Awards and is the author of several books.  He was honored by the National Academy of Arts and Sciences for his accomplishments on both sides of the camera.  He received PAB's Gold Medal in 1986.