Rockin’ Facts About Dick Clark, America’s Oldest Teenager
Fresh-faced and charming, Dick Clark was a fixture of American TV from the late 1950s until his 2012 passing. As host of American Bandstand, he introduced rock’n’roll to a whole generation of impressionable teenagers and helped launch the careers of many famous musicians. But behind his boyish grin was a man involved in the shadier side of the music business—including the 1960 Payola scandal.
Dick Clark Facts
1. He Chose His Career At A Young Age
Most of us dabble in a few things before deciding on our career, but Clark knew what he wanted when he saw it.
Born in 1929 as Richard Wagstaff Clark, Dick Clark grew up an average student in Mount Vernon, New York—until he encountered radio and immediately knew what he wanted to do with his life. In 1945, he began working at WRUN in Utica, NY.
However, while it was an exciting beginning, it came at an incredibly tragic time.
2. His Brother Passed In The Battle Of The Bulge
A death in the family is always a tragedy and for Clark, more than most.
Right around the time he started working in radio, Clark got the news of his brother Brandon's’s passing unexpectedly: In the form of condolences from his apartment building superintendent.
Devastated doesn’t even begin to describe Clark’s reaction to the passing of the older brother he adored and looked up to.
Fortunately, Clark could throw himself into his newfound passion.
3. He Was A Nepo Baby
Most people have to start at the bottom and work their way up, but Clark got a boost. Clark began his entertainment career in the mailroom, but he quickly took over for the weatherman, then became the official announcer during station breaks. Of course, his uncle owned the station and his father managed it, so he might have had a slight advantage there.
Either way, he already had some experience in radio when he attended Syracuse University to minor in radio and major in advertising.
