Dick Clark was known as America’s oldest teenager having hosted American Bandstand on TV for years. Clark passed away in 2012 after an illustrious career in TV and Radio.Clark got his radio start at WRUN-AM in Rome, New York in 1945. He worked at the station owned by his uncle and run by his father. It is a station that I listened to long after Clark had left since I also lived in Rome, New York.
Clark’s big break came on August 5, 1957 when “American Bandstand” made its national debut on ABC-TV. His first guests on the show were The Chordettes and Buddy Holly’s “That’ll Be The Day” was the first record played on the program.
American Bandstand actually had been airing since 1952 on a local Philadelphia TV station before ABC picked it up nationally. It became the longest running show in TV history and it all started nationally 60 years ago tomorrow.
I’d give the show a 9. It “had a good beat and you could dance to it”.
