With former “American Bandstand” and “Dick Clark’s Rockin’ Eve” host Dick Clark (pictured) reportedly passing away Wednesday morning from a massive heart attack, here are five things you likely didn’t know about “America’s Oldest Teenager.”
1. Dick Clark was born in Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Clark’s parents were Julia Fuller Clark and Richard Augustus Clark. Clark went to A. B. Davis High School and eventually received a degree in Busines in 1951. Clark also had a brother named Bradley, but he died in World War II. [Source: Wikipedia]
2. Dick Clark started his career working for a radio station his father and uncle ran.
At WRUN in Rome, N.Y., Clark worked his way up from the mail room, eventually climbing the ladder to fill in for both the weatherman and announcer. [Source: ABC News]
3. Dick Clark hosted his seminal show “American Bandstand” for three decades.
“American Bandstand” began on local Philadelphia Channel 6, WFIL-TV, on October 6, 1952. While “Bandstand” was originally called “Bob Horn’s Bandstand” and hosted by Bob Horn, Clark supplanted Horn on July 9, 1956. At the time, Clark was only 26 years old. ABC later picked up the show and eventually moved it to Los Angeles. [Source: FiftiesWeb]
4. Dick Clark missed hosting his annual “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” in 2004.
In 2004, Clark was forced to miss New Year’s show “Rockin’ Eve” due to a stroke. While fellow TV personality Regis Philbin covered for Clark in ’04, by 2006, radio host Ryan Seacrest joined on as a co-host. Still, Clark hosted “Rockin’ Eve” for more than 30 years in New York’s Time Square. [Source: Yahoo TV]
5. Dick Clark was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2004.
Once Clark was diagnosed, he became a spokesman for the American Diabetes Association. As a spokesman, Clark once said:
“Adults with diabetes need to know that along with working with their healthcare provider to help manage their blood sugar level, it is also important to work with their healthcare provider to help manage the risk for heart disease.” [Source: MSNBC]
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