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Larry King remembers Dick Clark

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    TV icon pays tribute to life and legacy of TV/music pioneer

  • Duration 10:10
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This transcript is automatically generated

But right now.

-- television legend -- one and only Dick Clark.

Welcome do American -- then once again Dick -- all the twists.

-- data that is just.

How long you've been making professional right.

Well I think about.

But he's putting your dreams were plugged into real well virtually everybody was anybody appeared on the show with the exceptions of Elvis Presley.

The Beatles and the Rolling Stone.

We've ever had on a good thing small mom married again.

Am.

I.

-- -- Today Dick Clarke died from massive heart attack he was 82 but he will always be remembered as a tireless -- -- -- TV host and producer.

Talk show host Larry King knew Dick Clark very well Larry King joins us -- and -- Larry it's always great to say yeah.

Great seeing you Greta.

Larry why was Dick Clark so successful do thank.

I think it was every man he was.

He was -- he was Smart.

The -- he was brilliant in many regards he understood the business.

He loved what he did in that came through.

He was a pioneer.

He took risks.

He hosted a show that set records for daytime television American Bandstand is a revolutionary on that show in the fifties.

This may shock some they actually have blacks and whites dance together this never happened on television before.

Anyone on the -- conceived quiz shows produced massive entertainment -- produce the Golden Globes and many other shows of that like.

Then he went on to do post and own his own -- radio network.

He was just an incredible force.

In American broadcasting -- we've never seen his -- really they'll never be another Dick Clark.

There are some of Ryan Seacrest is certainly on the way to that but right now Dick Clark stands alone in -- what he did and what he did.

Was touch everybody.

You know sort of a test showed -- idea and giving you the greatest -- -- so much rain so many different things they did and this is some semis admired about you you -- interview -- -- do -- very good news international crisis you can do psyches and do anything sweet he -- in many ways had incredible range like that when there's this.

It seemed like he -- do everything in in that in show -- as as he was a finer.

He was a great to generalist.

-- did Clark you're right he could do anything he had a tremendous business sense.

He knew.

He know what the public wanted and he had a way.

Of touching that he doesn't like American -- Cingular back on that that was a genius show.

To bring those musical -- on and have those kids dancing to -- it was kind of hypnotic.

He was he was so creative.

But at the same time there was -- about it he was he was I never storm angry.

I never storm get upset.

He had a way about him that endeared himself right I said.

The camera liked him and he ended the -- well you know he was.

Hewitt you are happy to see -- when Dick Clark -- if you if you open the door unwelcome Dick Clark didn't you smiled.

That's a wonderful wonderful thing to have he had.

He had presence.

He had.

There's nothing he didn't have and then he turned New Year's Eve -- magic he made that happen.

He was almost equal to the event without ever being above that.

It was uncanny.

And I I think what -- learned a long time ago those in the business.

The Godfrey told me the same -- along time ago that the only secret in this business is there's no secret to being yourself.

Dick Clark was himself what you saw.

Was what you got that was him I would but I was not different off the air than on.

But it's certainly interested and had to bring you into this again but -- as they had Johnny Carson never offended.

Dick Clark never offended then you never offended an -- as any -- and Dell all three we had enormous success in the business where you -- today yards since it.

You know people it's there's a lot of offending.

Going I'm -- -- it's almost like this do you guys talk more to the audience.

There will today too many in broadcasting within the guests are props for the host.

The host it tries to overcome the Johnny Carson's -- was he always one of the -- to be funny here than him.

Because he ward off the -- he came back tomorrow.

The secret is the host comes back tomorrow night he doesn't have to commend you he doesn't have to scream at you he doesn't have to grab your throat and say watch me.

This too much of that.

And I always felt.

That I respected my audience our respect -- my -- start try to ask good questions listen to the answers.

Hopefully -- answers provided information and I was a conduit I didn't try to command that.

Dick Clark -- his great credit.

Credit he never tried to overwhelm.

His musical guests he he didn't say the word I -- if you turn on a broadcast.

And the host is on more than the guest something's wrong with the broadcast.

Dick Clark was never on more than the musical guests that war on on his show you know those -- big worthy of him Carson.

Was great on the Tonight Show because he did he was very was funny but he didn't command that.

There's a lot to be said for that.

How important was a Dick Clark to the artists who appeared on American Bandstand that he changed their lives was he was -- enough of course for the in the music industry that if you if you're lucky enough to be Ab performed on American Bandstand chances are that your career is -- enormous boost.

Good.

Point I would say he made career -- certainly helped enormously people like -- point Bobby Darren Connie Francis so when the other so many musical groups the Vietnam.

He would introduce new acts.

Chubby Checker in the twist which you played early had a lot to do.

We chubby checkers enormous success.

Of of that show was watched by teenagers by records -- more records them.

They controlled the markets and he was their magic he was that -- two and an American man's dead.

And adults who watched it would -- too because he had a way.

The -- he would lean against that podium the way would introduce the artists the camera work following the dancers.

Revolutionize.

The business and of course.

Prompted the accident being larger than life and being an enormous successes.

-- He let you know -- -- and you shouldn't use the word irreplaceable -- because life goes on.

But I can say with regard to Dick Clark is one of -- time he was irreplaceable.

You won't see his likes again.

Well it's sort of interesting he was so important to careers and yet the way you describe as a DNA profile that he is it his guests and everything is guest for the stars in -- to -- -- try to overwhelm them.

Yet I can't imagine that show been successful with.

Any other -- what he couldn't just sort of stick another host and that because he was so essential to the success of that show.

Correct because he understood that -- -- discounted.

He had a way of bringing that -- -- -- forward interviewing the -- well making them perform another in their best light and he came back the next day.

-- Paul Newman said that to me once you know you know the secret is businesses you come back tomorrow.

The host comes back he was always in control it was Dick Clark's American -- -- So he knew he was Smart enough to let the guests project.

Where's he was always there his presence was always felt without having to commandeer it.

He was then you could say was a genius.

Do you what do you think -- thought about Daisuke -- have a seven a little bit curious when he thought about American Idol was American Idol sort of beyond American Bandstand current.

Yeah except.

One difference was American -- and put on a lot of artists who were already well known.

In -- -- in addition introducing new artists American Idol is introducing new artists all the time.

I know the people associated with American Idol said today they wouldn't be an American Idol.

Without an American Bandstand that may be true and I certainly think the only modern day person.

In that vein of Dick Clark is Ryan Seacrest.

As a businessman.

As a host as a generalist he is the closest thing we have in that vein.

To Dick Clark and that's the best problem -- -- can pay him.

What does he add -- O'Connor easy interview when you interviewed him.

Easy.

He was forthcoming he responded to the question he listen the question -- the and he knew what you want and he never gave you one word he was.

You don't it was a mistake clocked in order nervous and I -- he was big clocked in fact he's one word.

He wasn't -- wasn't talking was a mistake -- he was Dick -- he wasn't a limousine that.

He was a regular guy.

He was a regular guy who made it and he loved his business.

You know Larry and know you love the business and you know I've missed you immensely and it although with the -- -- -- on the -- gets to the rest of -- chance to get some viewers.

So but -- I appreciate all join us tonight it's -- nice to see you -- I miss you do -- was always great being with the U.

It was always fun thank you very.

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