Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Legendary Dick Clark Passes Away in Los Angeles


Dick Clark Dies


ICON

Dick Clark, November 30, 1929-April 18, 2012

Frank Hagan/Kiss Mask
Los Angeles, CA.

Dick Clark, a television legend who brought rock and roll into the nation's living rooms for decades and decades has passed away from a massive heart attack in Los Angeles this morning. He was in St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica last night for a routine procedure and suffered a heart attack and could not be resuscitated.

Responsible for the sock hop movement in TV, Clark landed in Philadelphia in 1952, spun records before producing and hosting American Bandstand from WFIL ( now WPVIL 6-ABC) studios in West Philadelphia, PA., in 1956. In a matter of weeks, ABC-TV took  Bandstand national. Clark took the show to Los Angeles, CA., in 1964. Clark was also a successful television game show host with many variation of Pyramid game show series. American Bandstand  and Dick Clark were responsible for many artist's first big break.

Dick Clark reinvented how people wrung in the new year with Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve in 1972. Ryan Seacrest in recent year's with hosting chores, after Clark suffered a stroke in 2004 limiting his on camera time. Dick's final appearance this past year with a special message for 2012. Dick Clark Productions also produced the American Music Awards, Country Music Awards, the Golden Globes are among many productions.

. Dick Clark was generous with KISS and "got" the band very early on, booking  their first television appearance in front of a National audience with Dick Clark's  In Concert in 1974,. Through out the years Kiss made numerous appearances on Clark's shows through out the 70's, 1994 and 1996 New Years' Rockin' Eve.

Kiss has publicly cited Dick Clark a huge supporter of the band from early on and a friendship formed that has lasted almost 40 years. In the 60's, 70's and 80's an appearance from Dick Clark could catapult a career as did with Madonna in 1983.

Clark is survived by  his wife Kari Wigton and his three children from his two previous marriages.

Here's Kiss on many Dick Clark shows including from their very first National TV appearance.

Nothin' To Loose, ABC's In Concert,1974

New Year's Rockin' Eve 1998-97

Rock And Roll All Nite, American Bandstand, 1978

Makin' Love, New Year's Rockin' Eve, 1993-94

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