Richard "Dick" Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929 – April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted American Bandstand from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid game show from 1973 to 1988 and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, which broadcast New Year's Eve celebrations in New York City's Times Square.
As host of American Bandstand, Clark introduced rock and roll to many Americans. The show gave many new music artists their first exposure to national audiences, including Ike & Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Simon & Garfunkel, Iggy Pop, Prince, Talking Heads and Madonna. Episodes he hosted were among the first in which black people and white people performed on the same stage, and they were among the first in which the live studio audience sat down together without racial segregation. Singer Paul Anka claimed that Bandstand was responsible for creating a "youth culture". Due to his perennially youthful appearance and his largely teenaged audience of American Bandstand, Clark was often referred to as "America's oldest teenager" or "the world's oldest teenager".
In his off-stage roles, Clark served as chief executive officer of Dick Clark Productions (though he sold his financial interest in the company during his later years). He also founded the American Bandstand Diner, a restaurant chain themed after the television program of the same name. In 1973, he created and produced the annual American Music Awards show, similar to the Grammy Awards.
Early life
Clark was born in Bronxville, New York, and raised in neighboring Mount Vernon, the second child of Richard Augustus Clark and Julia Fuller Clark, née Barnard. His only sibling, elder brother Bradley, a World War II P-47 Thunderbolt pilot, was killed in the Battle of the Bulge.
Clark attended Mount Vernon's A.B. Davis High School (later renamed A.B. Davis Middle School), where he was an average student. At the age of 10, Clark decided to pursue a career in radio. In pursuit of that goal, he attended Syracuse University, graduating in 1951 with a degree in advertising and a minor in radio. While at Syracuse, he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (Phi Gamma).
American Bandstand
In 1952, Clark moved to Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, where he took a job as a disc jockey at radio station WFIL, adopting the Dick Clark handle. WFIL had an affiliated television station (now WPVI) with the same call sign, which began broadcasting a show called Bob Horn's Bandstand in 1952. Clark was responsible for a similar program on the company's radio station and served as a regular substitute host when Horn went on vacation. In 1956, Horn was arrested for drunk driving and was subsequently dismissed. On July 9, 1956, Clark became the show's permanent host.
Bandstand was picked up by the ABC television network, renamed American Bandstand, and debuted nationally on August 5, 1957. The show took off, due to Clark's natural rapport with the live teenage audience and dancing participants as well as the "clean-cut, non-threatening image" he projected to television audiences. As a result, many parents were introduced to rock and roll music. According to Hollywood producer Michael Uslan, "he was able to use his unparalleled communication skills to present rock 'n roll in a way that was palatable to parents." James Sullivan of Rolling Stone stated that "Without Clark, rock & roll in its infancy would have struggled mightily to escape the common perception that it was just a passing fancy."
In 1958, The Dick Clark Show was added to ABC's Saturday night lineup. By the end of year, viewership exceeded 20 million, and featured artists were "virtually guaranteed" large sales boosts after appearing. In a surprise television tribute to Clark in 1959 on This Is Your Life, host Ralph Edwards called him "America's youngest starmaker", and estimated the show had an audience of 50 million.
Clark moved the show from Philadelphia to Los Angeles in 1964. The move was related to the popularity of new "surf" groups based in southern California, including The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. After moving to Los Angeles, the show became more diverse and featured more minorities. The show was notable for promoting desegregation in popular music and entertainment by prominently featuring black musicians and dancers. Prior to this point, the show had largely excluded black teenagers.
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1974
In the 1960s, the show's emphasis changed from merely playing records to including live performers. During this period, many of the leading rock bands and artists of the 1960s had their first exposure to nationwide audiences. A few of the many artists introduced were Ike and Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Beach Boys, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Simon and Garfunkel, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Bobby Fuller, Johnny Cash, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino and Chubby Checker.
During an interview with Clark by Henry Schipper of Rolling Stone magazine in 1990, it was noted that "over two-thirds of the people who've been initiated into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame had their television debuts on American Bandstand, and the rest of them probably debuted on other shows [they] produced." During the show's lifetime, it featured over 10,000 live performances, many by artists who were unable to appear anywhere else on TV, as the variety shows during much of this period were "antirock". Schipper points out that Clark's performers were shocking to general audiences:
Clark was therefore considered to have a negative influence on youth and was well aware of that impression held by most adults:
In 2002, many of the bands he introduced appeared at the 50th anniversary special to celebrate American Bandstand. Clark noted during the special that American Bandstand was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as "the longest-running variety show in TV history." In 2010, American Bandstand and Clark himself were honored at the Daytime Emmy Awards. Hank Ballard, who wrote "The Twist", described Clark's popularity during the early years of American Bandstand:
As a result of Clark's work on Bandstand, journalist Ann Oldenburg states "he deserves credit for doing something bigger than just putting on a show." Los Angeles Times writer Geoff Boucher goes further, stating that "with the exception of Elvis Presley, Clark was considered by many to be the person most responsible for the bonfire spread of rock 'n roll across the country in the late 1950s", making Clark a "household name". He became a "primary force in legitimizing rock 'n' roll", adds Uslan. Clark, however, simplified his contribution:
Shortly after becoming its host, Clark also ended the show's all-white policy by featuring black artists such as Chuck Berry. In time, blacks and whites performed on the same stage, and studio seating was desegregated. Beginning in 1959 and continuing into the mid-1960s, Clark produced and hosted the Caravan of Stars, a series of concert tours built upon the success of American Bandstand, which by 1959 had a national audience of 20 million. However, Clark was unable to host Elvis Presley, the Beatles or the Rolling Stones on either of his programs.
The reason for Clark's impact on popular culture has been partially explained by Paul Anka, a singer who appeared on the show early in his career: "This was a time when there was no youth culture—he created it. And the impact of the show on people was enormous." In 1990, a couple of years after the show had been off the air, Clark considered his personal contribution to the music he helped introduce:
Personal life
Clark was the son of Richard A. Clark, who managed WRUN radio in Utica, New York.
He was married three times. His first marriage was to Barbara Mallery in 1952; the couple had one son, Richard A. Clark, and divorced in 1961. He married Loretta Martin in 1962; the couple had two children, Duane and Cindy, and divorced in 1971. His third marriage, to Kari Wigton, whom he married in 1977, lasted until his death. He also had three grandchildren.
During an interview on Larry King Live in April 2004, Clark revealed that he had type 2 diabetes. His death certificate noted that Clark had coronary artery disease at the time of his death.
On December 6, 2004, Clark was hospitalized in Los Angeles after suffering what was initially termed a minor stroke. Although he was expected to be treated without any serious complications, it was later announced that Clark would be unable to host his annual New Year's Rockin' Eve broadcast, with Regis Philbin filling in for him. Clark returned to the series the following year, but the dysarthria that resulted from the stroke rendered him unable to speak clearly for the remainder of his life.
On April 18, 2012, Clark died from a heart attack at a hospital in Santa Monica, California, shortly after undergoing a transurethral resection procedure to treat an enlarged prostate. He was 82 years old. After his estate obtained the necessary environmental permits, he was cremated on April 20 and his ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.
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- SERVES
- 4
- COOK TIME
- 6 Hr 10 Min
Calling all bacon lovers! This recipe is for you. You'll be slow cookin' up a storm when you make our Pork with Apples and Bacon tonight. This hot and hearty dish has the right amount of sweetness with a touch of saltiness that we know you're gonna love!
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 (3-pound) pork butt or pork shoulder
- 2 sweet onions, sliced
- 2 apples, cored and cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp; remove and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon and set aside. Add pork to hot drippings and cook about 7 minutes, turning occasionally until browned on all sides.
- Coat a 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine crumbled bacon, onions, apples, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in slow cooker; place pork on top of mixture. Pour broth and vinegar over pork.
- Cover and cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours or until pork is tender.
1888 – Maurice Chevalier, French singer and actor (d. 1972)
1913 – Jesse Owens, American athlete (d. 1980)
1931 – George Jones, American country music singer (d.2013)
1940 – Linda Gray, American actress
National Chocolate
Milkshake Day on September 12th brings chocolate and ice cream lovers together. Forget the calories for just this one day and enjoy a sweet tall, thick and delicious, chocolate milkshake!
The term milkshake first appeared in print in 1885. During this period, milkshake referred to an alcoholic beverage described as a “sturdy, healthful eggnog type of drink” blended with eggs, whiskey, and other ingredients. Pharmacies served the drink as a tonic and a treat to customers. By 1900, pharmacies offered this “wholesome drink” with either chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla syrup.
- The early 1900s – People began asking for this “new treat” with a scoop of ice cream.
- 1911 – Hamilton Beach’s drink mixers began to be used at soda fountains.
- 1922 – Steven Poplawski invented the electric blender or drink mixer.
- Due to the invention of the blender, the milkshake began to take a chipped, aerated, and frothy form as they are today.
- By the 1920s & 1930s, milkshakes became a popular drink at malt shops everywhere.
Another addition to the milkshake was malted milk powder. Made from malted barley, wheat flour, and dehydrated whole milk, malted milk tastes a bit like toasted caramel. It made its debut around the 1870s as a shelf-stable dry milk product. Add the powder to a chocolate milkshake, and transform the creamy goodness into a malted chocolate milkshake. Along with milkshakes, malted milk milkshakes became popular drinks at soda fountains around the 1920s.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Enjoy a chocolate milkshake at your favorite restaurant or soda fountain.
