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Dick Clark Dead at 82

Dick Clark, the man synonymous with New Year’s Eve, died of a “massive heart attack” at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California on Wednesday (April 18). He was 82.

Dubbed “America’s Oldest Teenager,” the pop culture icon is credited with bridging the generational gap between the “rebellious new music scene and traditional show business.” In addition to being the longtime host of American Bandstand and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, Clark also hosted The $25,000 Pyramid, TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes, produced by his company Dick Clark Productions. In 1974, he created the American Music Awards, at ABC’s request, after the lost the broadcast rights to the Grammy Awards.

Dick Clark Productions became a major player in the world of television and film throughout the years. It’s credits including the Academy of Country Music and Golden Globe Awards, and the the Emmy-winning The Woman Who Willed a Miracle (1984).

“There’s hardly any segment of the population that doesn’t see what I do,” Clark told The Associated Press in a 1985 interview. “It can be embarrassing. People come up to me and say, ‘I love your show,’ and I have no idea which one they’re talking about.”

He suffered a stroke in 2004, forcing him to miss his annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve for the first time. He returned the following, although with his speech noticeably altered, and at times difficult to understand. “I’m just thankful I’m still able to enjoy this once-a-year treat,” he told The Associated Press by e-mail in December 2008.

Richard Wagstaff Clark was born on November 30, 1929, in Mount Vernon, N.Y. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1951 and began his career at radio station WRUN-AM in nearby Utica.

He is survived by his wife, Kari, and his three children, RAC, Duane and Cindy.