Dick Clark
He was 82 and when you think pop music culture and New Years Eve, you think Dick Clark. As the founder of Dick Clark Productions, his company was the biggest supplier of movies, games, music award shows, beauty contests and more. Clark, started as part of radio as partner in the United Stations Radio Networks, which provided among others the original “American Bandstand.” Bandstand ran from 1957 to 1987. Many a star was introduced such as Buddy Holly, Janis Joplin, the Jackson 5, Talking Heads, Prince, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, the Platters, Sting and Madonna. Clark’s was accused of a music industry scandal. In 1960, during a congressional investigation of “payola, but beat the charges.He was cleared of any suspicions but was required by ABC to divest himself of record-company interests to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1994 and served as spokesman for the American Association of Diabetes Educators. His stroke in December 2004 forced him to miss his annual appearance on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” He returned the following year and was honored at the Emmy Awards in 2006. Paul Shefrin stated that this legend had a heart attack Wednesday morning at Saint John’s hospital in Santa Monica, a day after he was admitted for an outpatient procedure.
Clark, was twice divorced and survived by his son Richard Augustus II, with first wife Barbara Mallery and two children, Duane and Cindy, with second wife Loretta Martin. He married Kari Wigton in 1977.
Posted by Suzanna Bowling
on April 18, 2012. Filed under ENTERTAIMENT,Music,NEWS,Obituaries.
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