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Mitch Ryder
Mitch Ryder on stage, Germany 2008
Background information
Birth name	William S. Levise, Jr.
Also known as	Mitch Ryder
Born	(1945-02-26) February 26, 1945 (age 67)
Origin	Hamtramck, Michigan, United States
Genres	Rock and roll, rhythm and blues, blue-eyed soul, frat rock, hard rock
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1962–present
Associated acts	The Detroit Wheels, Engerling
Website	http://www.mitchryder.net

William S. Levise, Jr (born 26 February 1945), better known by his stage name Mitch Ryder, is an American musician who has recorded over two dozen albums in more than four decades.^[1]

Career[link]

Ryder is noted for his gruff, wailing singing style, much influenced by Little Richard, and his dynamic stage performances. He was influenced by his father, a musician. As a teen, Ryder sang backup in a Black soul group known as the Peps, but racial animosities interfered with his continued presence in the group.^[2]

Ryder formed his first band (Tempest) when he was in high school, and the group gained some notoriety playing at a Detroit soul music club called The Village.^[3] Ryder next appeared fronting a band called Billy Lee & The Rivieras, which had limited success until they met the songwriter / record producer, Bob Crewe.^[3] Crewe renamed the group Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, and they recorded several hit records on his DynoVoice Records and New Voice labels in the mid to late 1960s, most notably "Devil with a Blue Dress On", their highest-charting single at #4, as well as "Sock It to Me-Baby!", a #6 hit in 1967, and "Jenny Take a Ride!", which reached #10 in 1965.

Since the early 1970s, Ryder's musical endeavors have not met with the same success that they did before. Ryder himself has blamed his lack of subsequent hits on his unsuccessful aim (largely prodded by Bob Crewe, who most^[who?] music critics say had the idea in the first place, thus breaking up the Wheels) at the Tom Jones-type cabaret/night club audience just as the counterculture was becoming dominant in 1967 and 1968. In 1968, Trumpeters Mike Thuroff and John Stefan were hired to tour with his great horn section and band. Mike Thuroff and John Stefan also recorded the trumpet parts on Mitch's song, "Ring My Bell." Although this was a "Great Song" with a "Real Nice Groove," it was not permitted to be played on radio air time in many States due to its sexual innuendos. Mitch had one hit single from that period, a cover of "What Now, My Love," but no other success approaching his run with the Wheels. His last successful ensemble release was Mitch Ryder's Detroit in 1971, which featured the drummer from the original Detroit Wheels, Johnny (Johnny Bee) Badjanek and called the new band Detroit. The album saw Ryder moving from his earlier soul music-influenced sound to a guitar-dominated hard rock sound more in keeping with the early 1970s; the new band's version of Lou Reed's anthemic "Rock and Roll" is considered a minor classic.^{[by whom?]}

According to allmusic.com (which calls Ryder "the unsung hero" of Michigan rock and roll), Ryder withdrew from music after experiencing throat trouble, moving to Colorado with his wife and taking up writing and painting. In 1983 Ryder returned to a major label with the John Mellencamp-produced Never Kick a Sleeping Dog. The album featured a cover of the Prince song "When You Were Mine," which was Ryder's last foray into the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. Ryder continues to record and tour, and his influence is felt in the music of such blue collar rock artists as Bob Seger, John Mellencamp, and Bruce Springsteen-whose version of "Devil With a Blue Dress" highlighted the No Nukes concert album in the early 1980s. He has also been cited as a primary musical influence by Ted Nugent.^[4]

Winona Ryder took "Ryder" as a stage name, after seeing a Mitch Ryder album in her father's collection.^[5]

Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels were inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends online Hall of Fame in 2005.^[6] Two of the band's recordings have been voted Legendary Michigan Songs: the group's biggest hit, "Devil with a Blue Dress On/Good Golly, Miss Molly" in 2008, and "Sock it To Me-Baby!" in 2011.^[7] In 2009, Ryder was inducted into Michigan Rock and Roll Legends for a second time in recognition of his long career as a solo artist.^[8]

On February 14, 2012 Ryder released "The Promise", his first US release in almost 30 years.^[9] Ryder currently resides in South Lyon, Michigan, a western suburb of Detroit, Michigan. He continues to tour and perform throughout the United States and Europe.

Discography[link]

Singles[link]

Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels

• 1965 "I Need Help (Help Help) / I Hope"
• 1965 "Come See About Me / A Face in the Crowd" (New Voice Records 828 Promotion Copy. Uncertain if ever released commercially in the U.S.)
• 1965 "Jenny Take a Ride! / Baby Jane (Mo-Mo Jane)"(U.S. #10); (UK #33)^[10]
• 1966 "Little Latin Lupe Lu" (US #17)
• 1966 "Break Out / I Need Help" (US #62)
• 1966 "Takin' All I Can Get / You Get Your Kicks" (US #100)
• 1966 "Devil with a Blue Dress On / Good Golly Miss Molly" (US #4)
• 1967 "Sock It to Me-Baby! / I Never Had it Better" (US #6)
• 1967 "Too Many Fish in the Sea/Three Little Fishes" (US #24)

Mitch Ryder

• 1962 "That's the Way it's Gonna Be / Fool for You"
• 1964 "You Know / Won't You Dance With Me?"
• 1967 "Joy" / "I'd Rather Go To Jail" (New Voice Records 824) (US #41)
• 1967 "What Now My Love / Blessings in Disguise" (US #30)
• 1967 "You Are My Sunshine / Wild Child" (US #88)
• 1967 "(You've Got) Personality - Chantilly Lace / I Make a Fool of Myself" (US #87)
• 1968 "Baby I Need Your Lovin' (& Theme For Mitch) / Ring Your Bell"
• 1969 "Sugar Bee (We Three) / I Believe (There Must Be Someone)"
• 1969 "It's Been a Long Time / Direct Me"
• 1971 "I Can't See Nobody / Girl from the North Country"
• 1971 "Sing a Simple Song / Ring Your Bell"
• 1979 "Rock And Roll / Soul Kitchen"
• 1979 "Nice And Easy / Passion's Wheel"
• 1979 "Freezin' In Hell / Long Hard Road"
• 1980 "Ain't Nobody White / It's My Life"
• 1980 "We're Gonna Win / Beyond The Wall-Bare Your Soul"
• 1981 "War / Don't Wanna Hear It"
• 1981 "Red Scar Eyes / We're Gonna Win"
• 1983 "Er ist Nicht Mein President / Berlin"
• 1983 "When You Were Mine" (Riva Polygram) (US #87)
• 1985 "Like A Rolling Stone / Can Do"
• 1987 "Good Golly Ask Ollie / Good Gollie Ask Ollie (dun mix)"

Detroit Featuring Mitch Ryder

• 1971 "It ain't Easy / Long Neck Goose"
• 1972 "Rock and Roll / Box of Old Roses"(written by Lou Reed)
• 1972 "Ohh-La La La-Dee Da Doo / Gimme Shelter"

Albums[link]

Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels

• 1966 Take A Ride (New Voice)
• 1966 Breakout! (New Voice)
• 1967 Sock It To Me (New Voice)
• 1967 All Mitch Ryder Hits (New Voice)
• 1967 All The Heavy Hits (Crewe)
• 1968 Mitch Ryder Sings The Hits (New Voice)

Mitch Ryder

• 1967 What Now My Love (Dynovoice)
• 1969 The Detroit/Memphis Experiment (with Booker T and the MGs)
• 1979 How I Spent My Vacation (Line)
• 1980 Naked But Not Dead (Line)
• 1981 Live Talkies (Line)
• 1981 Got Change For A Million (Line)
• 1981 Look Ma, No Wheels (Quality)
• 1981 Greatest Hits (Quality)
• 1982 Smart Ass (Line)
• 1983 Never Kick a Sleeping Dog (Line)
• 1985 Legendary Full Moon Concert (Line)
• 1986 In The China Shop (Line)
• 1988 Red Blood, White Mink (Line)
• 1990 The Beautiful Toulang Sunset (Line)
• 1992 La Gash (Line)
• 1992 Live at the Logo Hamburg (Line)
• 1994 Rite Of Passage (with Engerling) (Line)
• 1999 Monkey Island (Line)
• 2003 The Old Man Springs a Boner (with Engerling) (Buschfunk)
• 2004 A Dark Caucasian Blue (with Engerling) (Buschfunk)
• 2006 TheAcquitted Idiot (with Engerling) (Buschfunk)
• 2008 You deserve my Art (with Engerling) (Buschfunk)
• 2009 Detroit ain't dead yet (The Promise)?? studio production with Don Was
• 2009 Air Harmonie (with Engerling) (Buschfunk)
• 2012 The Promise^[9]

Detroit Featuring Mitch Ryder

• 1971 Detroit (Paramount/MCA)

Quotations[link]

• "Hollywood, that's where I could've gone if I wasn't such a punk. If I just learned to bend over and say thank you a little more politely, it could've been great."—Mitch Ryder^[1]

• "There's six members on the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame board of directors and three of those men are my enemies. So what are my chances of getting in there?" —Mitch Ryder^[1]

See also[link]

• List of soul musicians

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mitch Ryder official website
• "The Ryder stipulates," Metro Times Detroit, September 15, 2004
• The New Mitch Ryder On-Line Fan Site
• Transcription of 1970 Ryder interview with rock journalist Rick McGrath

Dick Clark
Dick Clark in 1961
Born	Richard Wagstaff Clark (1929-11-30)November 30, 1929 Bronxville, New York, U.S.
Died	April 18, 2012(2012-04-18) (aged 82)[1] Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart attack
Other names	America's Oldest Teenager (nickname)
Alma mater	Syracuse University
Occupation	Businessman Game show host Radio/television personality
Years active	1945–2012
Spouse	Barbara Mallery (m. 1952–1961; divorced) Loretta Martin (m. 1962–1971; divorced) Kari Wigton (1977–2012, his death)
Children	Richard A. Clark II Duane Clark Cindy Clark
Website
DickClarkProductions.com

Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark^[2] (November 30, 1929 – April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, best known for hosting American television's longest-running variety show, American Bandstand, from 1957 to 1987. He also hosted the game show Pyramid and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, which transmitted Times Square's New Year's Eve celebrations worldwide.

As host of American Bandstand, with his strong communication skills, Clark was a "primary force in legitimizing rock and roll," not only to teenagers, but also to America's adult population. The show gave many new music artists their first exposure to national audiences, including Ike and Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Talking Heads and Simon & Garfunkel. His shows were among the first where blacks and whites performed on the same stage and the live audience seating was desegregated. Singer Paul Anka claimed that Bandstand was responsible for creating a "youth culture." Due to his youthful appearance, Clark was often referred to as "America's oldest teenager".^[3]

As a successful businessperson,^[3] he served as chairman and chief executive officer of Dick Clark Productions, part of which he sold off in his later years. He also founded the American Bandstand Diner, a restaurant chain modeled after the Hard Rock Cafe. In 1973, he created and produced the annual American Music Awards show, similar to the Grammy Awards.

Clark suffered a massive stroke in December 2004.^[4] With speech ability still impaired, Clark returned to his New Year's Rockin' Eve show on December 31, 2005/January 1, 2006. Subsequently, he appeared at the Emmy Awards on August 27, 2006, and every New Year's Rockin' Eve show through the 2011/2012 show. Clark died on April 18, 2012, after suffering a heart attack following a medical procedure.^[5]

Early life[link]

Clark was born in Bronxville, New York, and was raised in nearby Mount Vernon,^[6] the son of Julia Fuller (née Barnard) Clark and Richard Augustus Clark. His only sibling, older brother Bradley, was killed in World War II.

Clark attended A.B. Davis High School (later renamed A.B. Davis Middle School) in Mount Vernon, where he was an average student.^[7] At age 10, Clark decided to pursue a career in radio.^[7] In pursuit of that goal, he attended Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, graduating in 1951 with a degree in advertising and a minor in radio.^[7] While at Syracuse, he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (Phi Gamma).^[8]

Radio and television career[link]

In 1945, Clark began his career working in the mailroom at WRUN, an AM radio station in Rome, New York, that was owned by his uncle and managed by his father. Almost immediately, he was asked to fill in for the vacationing weatherman, and within a few months he was announcing station breaks.^[7]

While attending Syracuse, Clark worked at WOLF-AM, then a country music station. After graduation, he returned to WRUN for a short time where he went by the name Dick Clay.^[7] After that, Clark got a job at the television station WKTV in Utica, New York.^[7] His first television-hosting job was on Cactus Dick and the Santa Fe Riders, a country-music program. He would later replace Robert Earle (who would later host the GE College Bowl) as a newscaster.^[9]

Clark was principal in pro broadcasters operator of 1440 KPRO in Riverside, California, from 1962 to 1982. In the 1960s, he was owner of KGUD AM/FM (later KTYD AM/FM) in Santa Barbara, California.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 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.^[10] 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.^[7] In 1956, Horn was arrested for drunk driving and subsequently dismissed.^[7] On July 9, 1956, Clark became the show's permanent host.^[7]

Clark with audience during a 1957 show

Bandstand was picked up by the ABC television network, renamed American Bandstand, and debuted nationally on August 5, 1957 with a Clark interview of Elvis Presley.^[11] The show took off, due both to Clark's natural rapport with the live teenage audience and dancing participants and the non-threatening image he projected to television audiences, including many parents being 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."^[12]

In 1958, the show was added to ABC's Saturday night line up.^[7] By the end of year, viewership exceeded 20 million, and featured artists were "virtually guaranteed" large sales boosts after appearing.^[7] 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.^[7] The move was related to the popularity of new "surf" groups based in Southern California, including The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. The show ran daily Monday through Friday until 1963, then weekly on Saturdays until 1987. Bandstand was briefly revived in 1989, with Clark again serving as host. By the time of its cancellation, the show had become longest running variety show in TV history.^[7]

In the 1960s, the show's emphasis changed from merely playing records to including live performers. During this period, many of the leading rock groups 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, Stevie Wonder, the Talking Heads, Simon and Garfunkel, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino and Chubby Checker.^[13][14]

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."^[15] During the show's lifetime, it featured over 10,000 live performances, many by artists who would have been unable to appear anywhere else on TV, as the variety shows during much of this period were "antirock."^[15] Schipper points out that Clark's performers were shocking to general audiences:

The music establishment, and the adults in general, really hated rock and roll. Politicians, ministers, older songwriters and musicians foamed at the mouth. Frank Sinatra reportedly called Elvis Presley a "rancid-smelling aphrodisiac.^[15]

Clark was therefore considered to have a negative influence on youth, and was well aware of that impression held by most adults:

I was roundly criticized for being in and around rock and roll music at its inception. It was the devil's music, it would make your teeth fall out and your hair turn blue, whatever the hell. You get through that.^[16]

In 2002, many of the groups he introduced appeared at the 50th anniversary special to celebrate American Bandstand.^[17] 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.^[18] Hank Ballard, who wrote "The Twist," described Clark's popularity during the early years of American Bandstand:

The man was big. He was the biggest thing in America at that time. He was bigger than the president!^[19]

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."^[19] 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."^[12] He became a "primary force in legitimizing rock 'n' roll," adds Uslan. Clark, however, simplified his contribution:

I played records, the kids danced, and America watched.^[20]

Shortly after taking over, 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.^[13] During the late 1950s and 1960s, Clark produced and hosted a series of concert tours around the success of American Bandstand, which by 1959 had a national audience of 20 million.^[19] However, Clark was unable to get the Beatles to appear when they came to America.^[12]

The reason for Clark's impact on popular culture was partly 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."^[21] In 1990, a few years after the show had been off the air, Clark considered his personal contribution to the music he helped introduce:

My talent is bringing out the best in other talent, organizing people to showcase them and being able to survive the ordeal. I hope someday that somebody will say that in the beginning stages of the birth of the music of the Fifties, though I didn't contribute in terms of creativity, I helped keep it alive.^[15]

Payola hearings[link]

In 1960, the United States Senate investigated payola, the practice of music-producing companies paying broadcasting companies to favor their product. As a result of Clark's personal investments in music publishing and recording companies, his investments were considered a conflict of interest, and he sold his shares in those companies.^[22] Clark denied any involvement in "payola" and was not charged with any illegal activities.

When asked about some of the causes for the hearings, Clark speculated about some of the contributing factors not mentioned by the press:

Politicians . . . did their damnedest to respond to the pressures they were getting from parents and publishing companies and people who were being driven out of business [by rock]. . . . It hit a responsive chord with the electorate, the older people. . . . they full-out hated the music. [But] it stayed alive. It could've been nipped in the bud, because they could've stopped it from being on television and radio.^[15]

Game show host[link]

In 1963, Clark branched out into hosting game shows, presiding over The Object Is.^[23] The show was cancelled in 1964, and replaced by Missing Links, which had moved from NBC. Clark took over as host, replacing Ed McMahon.^[23]

Dick Clark as host of The $10,000 Pyramid

Clark became the first host of The $10,000 Pyramid, which premiered on CBS March 26, 1973.^[24] The show — a word association game created and produced by daytime television producer Bob Stewart — moved to ABC in 1974. Over the coming years, the top prize changed several times (and with it the name of the show), and several prime time spin-offs were created.^[24] Clark continued to host the day time version through most of its history, winning three Emmy Awards for best game show host.^[25] In total, Pyramid won nine Emmy Awards for best game show during his run, a mark that is eclipsed only by the twelve won by the syndicated version of Jeopardy!.^[26] Clark retired from the program in 1988.

Clark subsequently returned to Pyramid as a guest in later incarnations. During the premiere of the John Davidson version in 1991, Clark sent a pre-recorded message wishing Davidson well in hosting the show. In 2002, Clark played as a celebrity guest for three days on the Donny Osmond version. Earlier, he was also a guest during the Bill Cullen version of The $25,000 Pyramid which aired simultaneously with Clark's daytime version of the show.

Entertainment Weekly credited Clark's "quietly commanding presence" as a major factor in the game show's success.^[24]

In 1990 and 1991, he hosted the syndicated television game show The Challengers, which only lasted for one season. In 1993, he hosted Scattergories. In 1999, along with Bob Boden, he was one of the executive producers of Fox's TV game show Greed, which ran from November 5, 1999, to July 14, 2000, and was hosted by Chuck Woolery. At the same time, Clark also hosted the Stone-Stanley-created Winning Lines, which ran for six weeks on CBS from January 8, 2000 – February 12, 2000.

[edit] Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve

In 1972, Clark produced and hosted Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, the first of an ongoing series of specials still broadcast on New Year's Eve.^[27] The program has typically consisted of live remotes of Clark in Times Square in New York City, counting down until the New Year ball comes down. After the ball drops, the focus of the program switches to musical segments taped prior to the show in Hollywood, California. The special is live in the Eastern Time Zone, and it is delayed for the other time zones so that those segments of the audience could ring in the New Year with Clark and can continue to with subsequent hosts when midnight strikes in their area.

Clark backstage at the 1990 Grammy Awards

ABC has broadcast the event on every New Year's Eve since 1972 except in 1999 when it was preempted for ABC 2000 Today, news coverage of the milestone year hosted by Peter Jennings. However, during that broadcast, Clark, along with ABC News correspondent Jack Ford, announced his signature countdown to the new year. He was a correspondent, according to the transcript of the broadcast released by ABC News.^[28] Ford had been assigned to Times Square during the broadcast, and thus, Clark's role was limited. Nevertheless, he won a Peabody Award for his coverage.

Clark was unable to host the 2004/05 edition of the show, as he was recovering from his stroke; Regis Philbin substituted as host.^[26] Having not been seen in public since his stroke, Clark announced in an August 2005 statement that he would be back in Times Square for the annual tradition, bringing on Hilary Duff and Ryan Seacrest as co-hosts. In the same press release, it was announced that Seacrest would eventually take over as the sole host should Clark decide to retire, or be unable to continue. As planned, Clark returned to the show for the 2005/06 countdown, although Ryan Seacrest served as primary host.^[26] On air, he stated, "Last year I had a stroke. It left me in bad shape. I had to teach myself how to walk and talk again. It's been a long, hard fight. My speech is not perfect but I'm getting there." Before counting down to 2006, he mentioned he "wouldn't have missed this for the world."

Reaction to Clark's appearance was mixed. While some TV critics (including Tom Shales of The Washington Post, in an interview with the CBS Radio Network) felt he was not in good enough shape to do the broadcast, stroke survivors and many of Clark's fans praised him for being a role model for people dealing with post-stroke recovery.^[29]

From 2005 to 2011, Clark co-hosted New Year's Rockin Eve with Seacrest. In the four decades it has been on the air, the show has become a mainstay in U.S. New Year's Eve celebrations. Watching the ball in Times Square drop on Clark's show was considered an annual cultural tradition for the New Year's holiday for the last decades of his life.^[26]

Radio programs[link]

Clark also had a long stint as a top-40 radio countdown show host. He began in 1963, hosting a radio program called The Dick Clark Radio Show. It was produced by Mars Broadcasting of Stamford. Despite his enormous popularity on American Bandstand, the show was only picked up by a few dozen stations and lasted less than a year.^[30]

Photo of Clark in 1963. His ABC radio show was called "Dick Clark Reports".

On March 25, 1972, Clark hosted American Top 40, filling in for Casey Kasem.^[31] In 1981, he created The Dick Clark National Music Survey for the Mutual Broadcasting System.^[25] The program counted down the Top 30 contemporary hits of the week in direct competition with American Top 40. Clark left Mutual in 1986, and Charlie Tuna took over the National Music Survey.^[25] Clark then launched his own radio syndication group; the United Stations Radio Network, or Unistar, and took over the countdown program, "Countdown America". It ran until 1994, when Clark sold Unistar to Westwood One Radio. The following year, Clark started over, building a new version of the USRN and a new countdown show: "The U.S. Music Survey". He served as its host until his 2004 stroke.^[25]

Dick Clark's longest running radio show began on February 14, 1982. "Rock, Roll & Remember" was a four hour oldies show named after Clark's 1976 autobiography. The first year, it was hosted by veteran Los Angeles disc jockey Gene Weed. Then in 1983 voice over talent Mark Elliot co-hosted with Clark. By 1985, Clark hosted the entire show. Pam Miller served as producer. Each week, Clark would profile a different artist from the Rock and Roll era. He would also count down the top four songs that week from a certain year in the 1950s, 1960s or early 1970s. The show ended production when Clark suffered his 2004 stroke. However, re-runs continue to air in syndication and on Clark's website "dickclarkonline.com".^[25]

Beginning in 2009, Clark merged elements of "Rock, Roll and Remember" with the syndicated oldies show, "Rewind with Gary Bryan". The new show was called "Dick Clark Presents Rewind with Gary Bryan". Bryan, a Los Angeles radio personality, serves as the main host. Clark contributed profile segments.

Other television programs[link]

At the peak of his American Bandstand fame, Clark also hosted a 30-minute Saturday night program called The Dick Clark Show (aka The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show). It aired from February 15, 1958, until September 10, 1960, on the ABC television network. It was broadcast live from the "Little Theater" in New York City and was sponsored by Beech-Nut Gum. It featured the rock and roll stars of the day lip synching their hits, just as on American Bandstand. However, unlike the afternoon Bandstand program which focused on the dance floor with the teenage audience demonstrating the latest dance steps, the audience of The Dick Clark Show (consisting mostly of squealing girls) sat in a traditional theater setting. While some of the musical numbers were presented simply, others were major production numbers. The high point of the show was the unveiling with great fanfare at the end of each program, by Clark, of the top ten records of the coming week.^[32]

From September 27 to December 20, 1959, Clark hosted a thirty-minute weekly talent/variety series entitled Dick Clark's World of Talent at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday nights on ABC. A variation of producer Irving Mansfield's earlier CBS series, This Is Show Business (1949–1956), it featured three celebrity panelists, including comedian Jack E. Leonard, judging and offering advice to amateur and semi-professional performers. While this show was not a success, during its nearly three month duration, Clark was one of the few personalities in television history on the air nationwide seven days a week.^[32]

One of Clark's most well-known guest appearances was in the final episode of the original Perry Mason TV series ("The Case of the Final Fadeout") in which he was revealed to be the killer in a dramatic courtroom scene.^{[33][verification needed]}

Clark attempted to branch into the realm of soul music with the series Soul Unlimited in 1973. The series, hosted by Buster Jones, was a more risqué and controversial imitator of the then-popular series Soul Train and alternated in the Bandstand time slot. The series lasted for only a few episodes.^[34] Despite a feud between Clark and Soul Train creator and host Don Cornelius, the two would later collaborate on several specials featuring black artists. Clark hosted the short-lived Dick Clark's LIVE Wednesday in 1978.^[35]

In 1984, Clark produced and co-hosted with Ed McMahon the NBC series TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes. The series ran through 1988 and continued in specials hosted by Clark (sometimes joined by another TV personality) into the 21st century, first on NBC, later on ABC, and currently on TBS (the last version re-edited into 15-minute/filler segments airing at about 5 A.M.). Clark and McMahon were longtime Philadelphia acquaintances, and McMahon praised Clark for first bringing him together with future TV partner Johnny Carson when all three worked at ABC in the late 1950s. The "Bloopers" franchise stems from the Clark-hosted (and produced) NBC "Bloopers" specials of the early 1980s, inspired by the books, record albums and appearances of Kermit Schafer, a radio and TV producer who first popularized outtakes of broadcasts.^[33] For a period of several years in the 1980s, Clark simultaneously hosted regular programs on the 3 major American television networks: ABC (Bandstand), CBS (Pyramid) and NBC (Bloopers).

In July 1985, Clark hosted the ABC prime time portion of the historic Live Aid concert, an all star concert designed by Bob Geldof to end world hunger.^[36]

Clark also hosted various pageants from 1988 to 1993 including Miss USA and Miss Universe.

Clark did a brief stint as announcer on The Jon Stewart Show, in 1995.^[37]

From 2001 to 2003, Clark was a co-host of The Other Half with Mario Lopez, Danny Bonaduce and Dorian Gregory, a syndicated daytime talk show intended to be the male equivalent of The View. Clark also produced the television series American Dreams about a Philadelphia family in the early 1960s whose daughter is a regular on American Bandstand. The series ran from 2002 to 2005.^[33]

Other media appearances[link]

Clark was featured in the 2002 documentary film Bowling for Columbine. He was criticized for hiring poor, unwed mothers to work long hours in his chain of restaurants for little pay. The mother featured is shown to work over 80 hours per week and is still unable to make her rent and then gets evicted which results in her having to have her son stay at his uncle's house. At his uncle's house the boy finds a gun and brings it to school where he shoots another first grader. In the documentary footage featuring Clark, Michael Moore tries to approach him to inform him of the welfare policies that allow for these conditions, and questions him about the people he employs and the tax breaks he takes advantage of, in employing welfare recipients; Clark refuses to answer any of Moore's questions, shutting the car door and driving away.^[38]

Clark also appeared in interview segments of another 2002 film, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, which was based on the "unauthorized autobiography" of Chuck Barris. (Barris had worked at ABC as a standards-and-practices executive during American Bandstand's run on that network.)^[39]

In the 2002 Dharma and Greg episode "Mission: Implausible," Greg is the victim of a college prank, and devises an elaborate plan to retaliate, part of which involves his use of a disguise kit; the first disguise chosen is that of Dick Clark. During a fantasy sequence that portrays the unfolding of the plan, the real Clark plays Greg wearing his disguise.^[40]

He also made brief cameos in two episodes of the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In one episode he plays himself at a Philadelphia diner, and in the other he helps Will Smith's character host bloopers from past episodes of that sitcom.^[41]

Post stroke[link]

On August 27, 2006, Clark appeared on NBC's telecast of the 2006 Emmy Awards. He was introduced by Simon Cowell after the show paid tribute to his successful career that has spanned decades. He was shown seated behind a lectern, and although his speech was still slurred, he was able to address the audience and introduce Barry Manilow's performance.

Clark was honored at the 37th Daytime Emmy Awards on CBS TV. It was a tribute to his 40 years hosting American Bandstand.

Business ventures[link]

In 1965, Clark branched out from hosting, producing Where The Action Is, a variety show hosted by Paul Revere and the Raiders.^[7] In 1973, he produced the American Music Awards Show.^[7] In 1987, Dick Clark Productions went public.^[7] Clark, remained active in television and movie production into the 1990s.^[7]

Clark had a stake in a chain of music-themed restaurants licensed under the names "Dick Clark's American Bandstand Grill", "Dick Clark's AB Grill", "Dick Clark's Bandstand — Food, Spirits & Fun" and "Dick Clark's AB Diner". There are currently three airport locations in Newark, New Jersey; Phoenix, Arizona; and Salt Lake City, Utah, one location in the Molly Pitcher travel plaza on the New Jersey Turnpike in Cranbury, New Jersey, and one location at "Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater" in Branson, Missouri.^[42]

"Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater" opened in Branson in April 2006,^[43] and nine months later, a new theater and restaurant entitled "Dick Clark's American Bandstand Music Complex" opened near Dolly Parton's Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.^[44]

In popular culture[link]

Before his stroke, Clark's perennial youthful appearance, despite his advancing years, was a subject of jokes and commentary in the popular culture, most notably his nickname of "the World's Oldest Teenager". One of Gary Larson's The Far Side cartoons has the caption, "Suddenly, on a national talk show in front of millions of viewers, Dick Clark ages 200 years in 30 seconds." In the Police Squad! episode "Testimony of Evil (Dead Men Don't Laugh)," Dick Clark, appearing as himself, purchases Secret Formula Youth Cream from street snitch Johnny the Shoeshine Boy.^[45] In The Simpsons 1999 Y2K episode "Treehouse of Horror X," at midnight a computer glitch causes Dick Clark to melt and he is revealed to be a robot. In a stand-up comedy routine, Bill Hicks referenced Clark as the "anti-Christ," pointing to his unusually youthful appearance as evidence.^[46]

Personal life[link]

Clark was married three times. His first marriage was to Barbara Mallery in 1952; the couple had one son, Richard ("R.A.", or "Rac"), 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, in 1977 to Kari Wigton, lasted until his death.^[47]

Stroke[link]

During an interview on Larry King Live in April 2004, Clark revealed that he had Type 2 diabetes.^[48]

On December 8 2004, the then 75-year-old was hospitalized in Los Angeles after suffering what was initially termed a minor stroke. Clark's spokeswoman, Amy Streibel, said that he was hospitalized but was expected to be fine. However, on December 13, 2004, it was announced that Clark would be unable to host his annual New Year's Rockin' Eve broadcast.^[49] 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.

Death[link]

On April 18, 2012, Clark died after suffering a heart attack following surgery to fix an enlarged prostate, a transurethral resection of the prostate,^[50] at Saint John's Health Center and the Pacific Urology Institute in Santa Monica, California.^[5][12] Clark's family did not immediately decide on whether there would be a public memorial service, but stated "there will be no funeral".^[31] Clark was cremated on April 20, and his ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean.^[51]

Following Clark's death, U.S. President Barack Obama praised Clark's career: "With American Bandstand, he introduced decades' worth of viewers to the music of our times. He reshaped the television landscape forever as a creative and innovative producer. And, of course, for 40 years, we welcomed him into our homes to ring in the New Year."^[52]

Motown founder Berry Gordy and singer Diana Ross spoke of Clark's impact on the recording industry: "Dick was always there for me and Motown, even before there was a Motown. He was an entrepreneur, a visionary and a major force in changing pop culture and ultimately influencing integration," Gordy said. "I will always appreciate what he did for me and for popular music. He presented Motown and the Supremes on tour with the "Caravan of Stars" and on American Bandstand, where I got my start. Dick Clark was a pioneer, he was a music star maker, he was a legend and was my friend," Ross said.^[52]

Ryan Seacrest, who began hosting New Year's Rockin' Eve after Clark suffered a stroke, paid tribute to Clark on American Idol,^[53][54] which, along with Game Show Network, broadcast tributes to Clark during the week of April 22-28.^{[dated info][55]}

Credits[link]

Television[link]

• ABC 2000 Today, Times Square correspondent
• American Bandstand, host
• The Challengers, host
• The Krypton Factor, host (1981)
• Missing Links, host (1964)
• Miss Teen USA, host (1988, 1991–1993)
• Miss Universe, host (1990–1993)
• Miss USA, host (1989–1993)
• New Year's Rockin' Eve, host (1972–2004), co-host (2006–2012), producer
• The Object Is, host (1963–1964)
• Pyramid, host ($10,000, $20,000, $25,000, $50,000, $100,000 version), guest (2003 version)
• The Saturday Night Beech-Nut Show, host (1958–1960)
• Scattergories, host
• TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes, co-host, producer
• Winning Lines, host

Notable awards[link]

Clark received the following awards:

• Emmy Awards (1979, 1983, 1985, and 1986)
• Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award (1994)
• Peabody Award (1999)

He was also an inductee at several Hall of Fame locations:

• Hollywood Walk of Fame (1976)
• National Radio Hall of Fame (1990)
• Broadcasting Magazine Hall of Fame (1992)
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1993)
• Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame (1993)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dick Clark

• Dick Clark's personal/radio web site
• Dick Clark Productions
• Dick Clark Papers at Syracuse University
• Dick Clark at the National Radio Hall of Fame
• Dick Clark at the Internet Movie Database
• Dick Clark's Rock, Roll and Remember newspaper comic strip series
• Dick Clark interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (recorded March 11, 1968)
• Dick Clark collected news and commentary at The New York Times

Videos[link]

• "American Bandstand 30 Year Special", 1982
• 37th Daytime Emmy Awards - Tribute to American Bandstand and Dick Clark, June 27, 2010