Dick Clark AutographsRichard Wagstaff Clark was born on November 30, 1929. His first job in the entertainment industry was as a disc jockey at Syracuse University in 1951. He soon found work at radio and television stations in Syracuse and Utica, New York. In 1952, he moved to Philadelphia to work at WFIL radio. Later that year, Clark became a substitute host for "Bob Horn's Bandstand," a local dance show on WFIL TV. Clark was very popular in that role, and he became full time host on July 9, 1956. Clark changed the focus of the show to teenage acts, and "Bandstand" soon became a venue that attracted the hottest young acts. The acts lip-synched their performances. (B.B. King was the only performer in the history of the show who did not lip-synch). Clark's "American Bandstand" went national in August 1957 when it was picked up by ABC. The youthful looking but aging Clark became popularly known as "America's Oldest Teenager." Clark's interviews became a regular part of each show. Teenagers loved the “Rate-a-Record” segment, even if the verdict was more often than not "I like the beat, 'cause it's easy to dance to." Other popular segments were “spotlight dance,” the “dance contest”, and “American Bandstand's Top Ten”. "American Bandstand” show aired it's last show on September 5, 1987. While working on "Bandstand", Clark built a business empire which included record companies, song publishing, and artist management. After "Bandstand," "Dick Clark Productions" produced game shows, TV movies, award shows and variety shows. TV's "Bloopers and Practical Jokes" and "the $10,000 Pyramid" were enormously popular. In 1972, Clark brought "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" to TV. It has became a New Year's Eve tradition for millions of Americans. Dick Cark suffered a mild stroke in 2004, and was unable to appear as host of the show. The following year Clark returned, but Ryan Seacrest took over as primary host. Dick Clark has always been very responsive to mail requests, and was always friendly when approached in public. His autographs are very inexpensive, considering that he is a true American pop icon, and more well-known than most of the acts he once showcased. Signed photos sell for less than $20 and signatures for as little as $5.
I have several Dick Clark examples in my collection. I paid just $5 on eBay for this signed letter: On "Dick Clark Productions" stationary, it is dated August 9, 1996 and reads, "Thank you, Michael for sending The Contours material. They were a pleasure to work with in Columbus ... professional and buttoned-up... Please rest assured we'll keep them in mind for the future... Thanks again.... Sincerely, (signed Dick)." I found the photo at the top of this page at a flea market in a stack of signed photos that were once part of a class project. I bought about 50 signed photos and cards, each broke down to about 50 cents each.
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