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Date of Birth
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30-November-1929
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Place of Birth
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Mount Vernon
(United States of America, New York, Westchester County)
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Nationality
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United States of America
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Also know as
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Richard Wagstaff Clark, The World's Oldest Teenager, Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark, Dick, Richard Augustus Wagstaff "Dick" Clark, Jr., Richard Augustus Wagstaff Clark, Jr., Dick Wagstaff Clark, Richard Wagstaff Clark, Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark, Dick, Richard Augustus Wagstaff "Dick" Clark, Jr., Richard Augustus Wagstaff Clark, Jr., Richard Wagstaff Clark, Richard Wagstaff Clark, Dick Clay
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Profession
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Game Show Host, Businessperson, TV Personality, Radio personality, Television Producer, Film Producer, Actor, Screenwriter
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Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark was an American radio and television personality, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting American Bandstand from 1957 to 1987. He also hosted the game show Pyramid and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, which transmitted Times Square's New Year's Eve celebrations. Clark was also well known for his trademark sign-off, "For now, Dick Clark. So long!", accompanied with a military salute.
As host of American Bandstand, Clark introduced rock & roll to many Americans. The show gave many new music artists their first exposure to national audiences, including Ike and Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Talking Heads and Simon & Garfunkel. Episodes he hosted were among the first where blacks and whites performed on the same stage and among the first where the live studio audience sat without racial segregation. Singer Paul Anka claimed that Bandstand was responsible for creating a "youth culture." Due to his perennial youthful appearance, Clark was often referred to as "America's oldest teenager".
In his capacity as a businessman, Clark served as Chief Executive Officer of Dick Clark Productions, part of which he sold off in his later years. He also founded the American Bandstand Diner, a restaurant chain modeled after the Hard Rock Cafe. In 1973, he created and produced the annual American Music Awards show, similar to the Grammy Awards.
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