Dick Clark Dies From a Massive Heart Attack at the Age of 82

Sad news to report today. Dick Clark died of a massive heart attack today. He was 82.

Clark was a long time TV host, well known for "American Bandstand," and whose trademark "Rockin' Eve" had all of us watching him on New Years Eve as well as many others. His health began to decline when he suffered a stroke in 2004. He then retired from hosting "New Year's Rockin' Eve," which he started in 1972. Ryan Seacrest took over the show in 2006, but Clark appeared on the show sporadically ever since.

Clark's rep tells TMZ, that he had been in St. John's hospital in L.A. after undergoing an outpatient procedure last night. He suffered the "massive" heart attack following the procedure. Attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

"For now, Dick Clark... so long."

His career in show business started in 1945 when he started working in the mailroom of a radio station owned by his uncle and managed by his father in Utica, New York. Clark was soon promoted to weatherman and news announcer. The Museum of Broadcast Communications has done the math, and figures that Dick Clark Productions has turned out more than 7,500 hours of television programming, including more than 30 series and 250 specials, as well as more than 20 movies for theatre and TV.

Clark had been inducted into practically every hall of fame on the planet; including the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame.

Clark is survived by his wife Karen Wigton, a St. Cloud native, and his three children, RAC, Duane and Cindy.

Karen  grew up in St. Cloud. Her dad worked for local contracting company, Barbarossa and Sons. Kari — as she’s called — was a cheerleader at Tech High School and was the Homecoming Queen in 1959. She graduated from Tech in 1960.

(ABC)