July, 1956 Dick Clark takes over as host of Bandstand, a local record hop show in Philadelphia. Within a month, Dick Clark's American Bandstand debuts on ABC-TV where it remains a fixture for 31 years.
Dick Clark's career in show business began in 1945 (age 16) when he started working in the mail room of his uncle's radio station (WRUN) in Utica, New York. Propelled by his father, who was the station manager, young Clark soon was promoted to weatherman and news announcer. Despite family ties, Clark attended Syracuse University and was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (Phi Gamma). He graduated from Syracuse in 1951 and began his television career at station WKTV in Utica. Later he became a DJ on 1490 WOLF-AM in Syracuse. Clark's first television hosting job was on Cactus Dick and the Santa Fe Riders, a country music program.
In 1952 Dick Clark moved to Philadelphia and took a job as a disc jockey at radio station WFIL. The station's TV counterpart began broadcasting a show called Bob Horn's Bandstand in 1952. Clark was a regular substitute host on the show, and when Horn was arrested for drunk driving in July of 1956, WFIL management made Clark the full time host. Showing an early talent for marketing both popular music and himself, Clark sold the show to ABC programmers who were looking to expand into the afternoon hours. American Bandstand began nationally on ABC-TV on August 5, 1957. Clark wasted no time in establishing both the format and the character of the youth oriented program with an interview of another enterprising young man who would become a cultural youth icon, Elvis Presley. Rock and Roll music at that time held outlaw status among the older generation. In order to blunt criticism by parents, Clark instituted a strict dress code on the show, requiring teen boys to wear suits and ties and young ladies to wear dresses. Another innovation was that the show was integrated, with black teens dancing side by side with Caucasian couples. The show also introduced many rhythm and blues acts such as Little Richard and The Supremes, launching them as mainstream acts that eventually found acceptance with the entire nation.
Dick Clark was often referred to the "America's Oldest teenager. He appeared infrequently on the air after having had a stroke in 2004, but his company continued to produce new shows such as So You Think You Can Dance.
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Clark also wisely looked toward the future, investing in record companies and music publishing. In 1963, the show was moved to a Saturday morning time slot, and in 1964, he moved the show to Los Angeles (the hub of both Radio, TV, Records and Film) where the show was subsequently increased from thirty minutes to one hour. Clark then began developing other shows for television. Ever the businessman, Clark retained the rights to the Bandstand shows that he produced, building a catalog of live appearances of some of the most famous performers to ever appear on television. Within a few years, Clark became a major mogul in the entertainment industry with game shows, prime time specials, radio shows and music tours among his properties.
In 1987, ABC wanted to cut Bandstand to a half hour show. Dick Clark opted to go into syndication. Eventually, the show landed on the USA Network without Dick as host, and the show, without its signature host, did not catch on. American Bandstand left the air in 1989, after a record 31 years on network television and 33 years in production. Clark went on to produce many memorable shows and specials even after suffering a stroke 2004, and his company, Dick Clark Productions remains an entertainment powerhouse of the industry.
Dick Clark passed away in May of 2012 after suffering a heart attack during a routine medical procedure. He left a legacy of progressive thinking and policies which advanced the cause of civil rights.
Dick Clark passed away in May of 2012 after suffering a heart attack during a routine medical procedure. He left a legacy of progressive thinking and policies which advanced the cause of civil rights.
