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Former WKTV'ers Jack Fredericks and Shell Storrier on Dick Clark

By WKTV News

Story Created: Apr 19, 2012 at 5:12 PM EDT

Story Updated: Apr 19, 2012 at 5:19 PM EDT

Many people that Dick Clark inspired nationally have been coming forward to remember the television music icon, who died Wednesday of a heart attack at the age of 82.

However, over the years, some local broadcasters have sat back and reflected on their time working with WKTV's most famous alum. Dick Clark started working at WKTV in the mid 1950s under the name Dick Clay. He came to television after a career at local radio station WRUN, which had been run by his father.

In 1994, WKTV on-air personality Jack Fredericks and former General Manager Shell Storrier remembered Clark fondly.

"The job was open as far as staff announcer was concerned, and Dick applied and calling himself Dick Clay, and then he was with us for, as long as I think, it's about a year, year and a half," Fredericks said.

"A job in radio opened up in Philadelphia and Dick Clark thought 'here's a great break. a big market, the number 5 market in the United States,'" Storrier said. "So, he went down there in radio and the executive vice president here said 'my gosh, you're taking a step backwards. you're going from television into radio!' Well, he got to Philadelphia and a month later the kid's show host had a problem and Dick Clark was the closest and the best, so they moved him up into that program and the rest is history, American Band Stand."

Years after his departure, Dick Clark came back to Utica for the 25th anniversary of the station.

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