April 18, 2012
Facebook and Twitter were overloaded yesterday with reaction and news about the passing of Dick Clark. The music and television legend made such a positive impression on so many people and they were all quick to get their feelings out through social media. This picture was posted on Facebook by former WABC Program Director Joe McCoy as the two of them waited for Fats Domino to go on stage at a radio convention in New Orleans. With the passing of Clark yesterday, not too long after the death of Don Cornelius in February, arguably, the two most important men who brought young people together through music and dancing are now gone. Clark died of a heart attack Wednesday morning at age 82. Nick Verbitsky was in business with Dick Clark for 33 years. They co-founded United Stations Radio Networks in 1994. Verbitsky says, "His name was magic. He was encouraging, nurturing, and never abused his celebrity. When people hit hard times, he would leave money for them. He always took care of people.
Verbitsky tells Radio Ink he last saw Dick Clark in December; they always had dinner a week before the New Year's Rockin' Eve show, while Clark was in New York. "We would get interrupted 20 times by people wanting a photo," Verbitsky says. "Dick was very gracious. He's an icon."
Premiere Radio Networks personality and co-host of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve Ryan Seacrest said in a statement, "I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend Dick Clark. He has truly been one of the greatest influences in my life. I idolized him from the start, and I was graced early on in my career with his generous advice and counsel. When I joined his show in 2006, it was a dream come true to work with him every New Year's Eve for the last six years. He was smart, charming, funny, and always a true gentleman. I learned a great deal from him, and I'll always be indebted to him for his faith and support of me. He was a remarkable host and businessman and left a rich legacy to television audiences around the world. We will all miss him."
Clark began his career in radio at his college station at Syracuse University and his pro career at WFIL-AM/Philadelphia. He suffered a stroke in 2004 and had seldom appeared in public since, though he did make appearances on the annual editions of Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. Ryan Seacrest began co-hosting the show in 2006, and it's now known as Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest. Clark also of course co-founded United Stations Radio Networks in 1994 with then-Mutual Radio COO Verbitsky.
Dick Clark was perhaps best known as the host of American Bandstand, which began as a local program on WFIL-TV/Philadelphia and went national in 1957. The show moved to Los Angeles in 1963.
Clark also hosted the Pyramid game shows in several incarnations, and his Dick Clark Productions produces the American Music Awards, the Golden Globes, So You Think You Can Dance, and of course Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. The New Year's Rockin' Eve programs began their remarkable run with Clark as host in 1972.
(4/18/2012 11:25:02 PM)
Dick Clark was such a nice guy, he could have been a Canadian. But, he wasn't. He was a terrific American broadcaster.
(4/18/2012 10:25:23 PM)
Dick Clark was a true American success story. He was able to perform behind the mike, in front of the camera and also in the corporate office. Clark inspired me and his contributions to our industry will never be forgotten. He was a lifelong inspiration to me.
(4/18/2012 10:00:53 PM)
I was watching American Bandstand in 1956 while in junior high school. Dick Clark was one of my inspirations to become a radio DJ in 1959. I had the opportunity to meet and work with Dick Clark when I was running the ABC Owned FM Radio Stations in 1975. ABC TV executive Bob Shanks pioneered live rock concerts on ABC-TV's "In Concert" on saturday nights. Dick Clark produced the program and I was asked by Bob to work with Dick on promoting and simulcasting the TV audio on the 7 ABC Owned FM Radio Stations. I met with Dick Clark several times at his office on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood and my office at ABC in New York. I was amazed at how hard Dick worked as a producer. He was tough and set high expectations for the program. He was very nice to me, but could be rough when his staff screwed up. He is a giant in the industry and will be missed by many.
(4/18/2012 6:37:16 PM)
I first met Dick Clark while working for Art Laboe - what a wonderful, supportive man who really loved listeners and viewers, and our business.
He will be missed.
Mark Shander,
Executive Producer, NBC 1260/96.1FM
Contributing Editor, The Broadcasters' Desktop Resource
www.shander.com
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