Dick Clark

by Erika Cox


Known for his youthful appearance and known as America’s oldest teenager, Dick Clark, through his long running show American Bandstand helped to launch rock and roll into mainstream America in the 1950’s. His show American Bandstand was the first show dedicated to rock music and was one of the longest running musical shows.

Dick Clark was born Richard Wagstaff Clark on November 30, 1929 in the Bronx, New York his family moved to Mount Vernon, NY were he was raised. He was an average student in school until he discovered radio. After he graduated from high school, Clark started working at a radio station owned by his uncle and managed by his father. At first he was only an office boy running errands and helping out but it didn’t take long before he began filling in doing commercial breaks and the weather.

Clark went on to college and majored in advertising with a minor in broadcasting at Syracuse University. During his senior year in college, Clark got a job with WOLF, a country radio station and afterward, he finished college and went back to his first radio station, WRUN, working under the name of Richard Clay. He eventually got his first television job with the station and changed his name to Dick Clark.

From there, he went on to work for several radio stations in New York and in Philadelphia. While in Philadelphia, Clark worked for a radio station that started following a new trend of playing records on the air. Soon after, local radio stations started trying the same format with television.

A local DJ, Bob Horn, aired a music video on a new television show, which he named Bandstand, then Horn started inviting teenagers to the show to dance while the records played.

Of course, the show became very successful and a hit with the teenagers. The new sounds of rock and roll along with the chance to dance live on a TV show, it couldn’t get much better for most teenagers.

At this time, Clark had been hosting a similar program for another local radio station when he was asked to fill in while Horn went on vacation. He did, and in July 1956 his fill in became permanent when Horn was arrested and charged with drunk driving.

Clark who had a natural gift working with teenagers was a hit himself. Although, he didn’t know most of the songs he would ask the teenagers what were the favorite songs, the favorite dances, and the latest clothing trends. At 26, Clark was young enough (and looked even younger) to blend with the teenagers and be accepted as one of them.

He was not some threatening adult who tried to control what the teenagers did, he encouraged them and allowed the kids to pretty much dictate the show’s direction. It was a show for teenagers and it focused on teenage stuff, music, dances, and gossip.

After several years of success, the Bandstand went nationwide, and the name changed to American Bandstand. The show came on right after school was out, so it was perfect timing for kids to come home and tune into the show.

Rock and roll artists would perform on the show but the main focus at that time was the teenagers. Clark was on a roll, he had a nationally televised show that a success and in 1958, Clark got his own show the Dick Clark show, which featured music artists.

Clark continued his business dealings when he invested large shares into various record companies but eventually he had to sell all of his shares and assets of record companies when the Payola Scandal hit. Though, Clark testified at the hearings he escaped the Payola mess with clean hands and went on hosting American Bandstand until 1989.

In 1973, he produced the American Music Award Show, and hosted other TV shows in the 70’s, including the New Years Rockin’ Eve show in New York that he still host today. Clark was a businessman first of all, and although, he treated American Bandstand as a business, he treated the teenagers and the entertainers fair and was friendly to all of them.

Clark continues to host weekly radio programs despite his health problems and the American Bandstand is now a restaurant in several locations across the country. Clark made a large contribution to the success of rock and roll and had some responsibility in making it acceptable to mainstream America. Clark was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

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