Dick Clark, TV Personality / TV Producer

Born: 30 November 1929
Birthplace: Mt. Vernon, New York
Best Known As: Host of American Bandstand
Name at birth: Richard Wagstaff Clark

In 1952 Dick Clark started as a television newscaster in Philadelphia, and four years later he was named host of the hit show Bandstand, a local show that showcased national music acts. Clark changed the tone of the show to appeal to teenagers and featured newer, younger acts who lip-synched to records while teens danced in the studio. In 1957 ABC began broadcasting Clark's American Bandstand nationally, and for years the show influenced American pop charts. It became one of the longest-running shows in television history, going into syndication after ABC cancelled it in 1987. Clark, who somewhere along the line picked up the nickname "America's oldest teenager," has produced and hosted several other shows, including The $10,000 Pyramid, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes (with co-host Ed McMahon), Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve and the daytime talk show The Other Half (with Danny Bonaduce).