SAG-AFTRA Mourns the Loss of Dick Clark

SAG-AFTRA mourns the passing of Dick Clark, a true maverick of television entertainment. We send our condolences to his family and the staff of dick clark productions.

A member of both AFTRA and SAG since 1952, Clark was a true pioneer in television programming. His career started just as television was taking a firm spot as the new medium for families to gather, be entertained and informed. His move to host American Bandstand in 1956 marked the beginning of an era and firmly established Clark as a television legend. There was never a program like Bandstand before it aired, nor has there been one quite like it since. As Bandstand host, he not only was a working union member, but he welcomed and introduced America to thousands of recording artists and performers who were fellow union members. From Bandstand to the series of Pyramid game shows, to co-hosting Bloopers and Practical Jokes and The Other Half, to ringing in each New Year, Clark was a fixture in American culture. As a producer, dick clark productions shared a strong history with the union, from the Golden Globe Awards to the American Music Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards.

We will miss his innovation, and applaud the legacy he has left behind.