[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6013]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         REMEMBERING DICK CLARK

  Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, today I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring the memory of Dick Clark, one of our country's most beloved 
cultural icons who entertained grateful viewers in America and around 
the world for more than 60 years. He passed away on April 17, 2012, at 
age 82.
  Richard Wagstaff Clark was born on November 30, 1929 in Mount Vernon, 
NY. As a child, Dick looked up to his older brother, Bradley, who 
became a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and was 
killed in the Battle of the Bulge. Dick became depressed after his 
brother's death, and the only thing that lifted his spirits was music.
  In some ways, Dick Clark was destined to work in the broadcasting 
industry. As a child, he became interested in radio after his parents 
took him to a live broadcast of the Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore show. 
Ever the affable young man, Dick participated in A.B. Davis High 
School's drama club and was elected class president.
  After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in business 
administration, Dick began working on ``Bandstand'' at Philadelphia's 
WFIL Radio. The popularity of this program led WFIL-TV to begin 
broadcasting it as an afternoon television show, which Dick started 
hosting in 1956. The following year, he pitched the show to the 
American Broadcasting Company, and it became nationally broadcast as 
``American Bandstand.''
  ``American Bandstand'' became a phenomenon, a trendsetting show that 
touched people around the world across lines of race, culture, and 
ethnicity. ``Bandstand's'' integration of African Americans as 
musicians and dancers played a role breaking down racial barriers at a 
time when the civil rights movement was coming to the forefront. Over 
the next three decades, while the show moved from weekdays to Saturdays 
and from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, Dick Clark introduced American 
families to many artists who later became icons, including the 
Supremes, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Prince. Aretha Franklin 
recently noted, ``If you didn't go on `American Bandstand,' you hadn't 
made it yet.''
  Over the course of his career, Dick Clark came to be known as one of 
the most hard-working people in show business. With Dick Clark 
Productions, founded in 1956, Clark produced television shows, made-
for-TV movies, award shows, and beauty pageants. Unistar, which he 
cofounded and owned, distributed Clark's radio shows including 
``Countdown America'' and ``Dick Clark's Rock, Roll & Remembers.''
  In 1972 ``Rockin' Eve'' premiered, and since then generations of 
Americans have welcomed in the New Year with Dick Clark and watched 
with him as the ball dropped in New York City--a tradition that 
continued for 40 years. Throughout his time as host, Dick Clark only 
missed one New Year's Eve celebration in 2005 due to a stroke. The 
following year he was once again on the air welcoming the New Year with 
his beloved wife Kari and showing all of us that with tenacity, 
anything is possible.
  Throughout his career, Clark left an indelible mark on the landscape 
of American music and television, from his 1974 creation of the 
American Music Awards to his productions of the Academy of Country 
Music Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards, Live Aid, and Farm Aid. 
For his successful career and tireless work ethic, Dick Clark was 
honored with Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards, Daytime and Primetime 
Lifetime Achievement Awards, and inductions into the Radio Hall of 
Fame, the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame, the Academy of Television Arts & 
Sciences Hall of Fame, and the Philadelphia Walk of Fame.
  I extend my heartfelt condolences to Dick's wife Kari, his sons 
Richard Augustus II and Duane, his daughter Cindy, and his 
grandchildren. He will be missed by the millions of people worldwide 
who were touched by his work.

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