Dick Clark got his start in a Utica mailroom
Before American Bandstand, Clark worked in the mailroom at WRUN radio in Utica, which his father managed, and later at WKTV.
By Tom Brezinski
Dick Clark is remembered for American Bandstand and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. His career started in Utica.
In 1945 he went to work in the mailroom at WRUN, an AM radio station in Utica owned by his uncle and managed by his father. After he finished college he came back to WRUN for a short time and went on the air as “Dick Clay.” He then got a job at WKTV, the Utica television station.
From there he went to Philadelphia and American Bandstand, which he hosted from 1956 to 1989. The show introduced rock and roll to a lot of Americans and gave national exposure to acts from the Supremes and Stevie Wonder to Talking Heads and Madonna. He also hosted several versions of the game show “Pyramid” and, for decades, the New Year’s Eve broadcast from Times Square.
Clark died on April 18, 2012.