Information AboutCasey Kasem |
|
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (born on April 27 1932 , in Detroit, Michigan , USA , of Palestinian , Lebanese , and Druze heritage) is an American Radio personality and Voice Actor . Kasem founded the popular American Top 40 franchise in 1970, hosting it from 1970-1988 and then from 1999-2004. Between 1989-1998, he was the host of Casey's Top 40 , Casey's Hot 20, and Casey's Countdown. He currently hosts four weekly syndicated radio programs based on the American Top 40 franchise: ''American Top 20 with Casey Kasem'', ''American Top 10 with Casey Kasem'', ''Casey Kasem's American Top 40: The 70s'', and ''Casey Kasem's American Top 40: The 80s''. In addition to his radio shows, Kasem also provides the voice of many commercials, has done many voices for Sesame Street , was the voice for the bumpers of Saturday morning cartoon shows on NBC , helps out with the annual Jerry Lewis Telethon , and most notably the cartoon voice of Robin , Shaggy from '' Scooby-Doo '' and a number of characters for the ''Transformers'' cartoon series of the 1980s. RADIO Kasem is best known by name as a music historian and disc jockey, most notably as host of the weekly '' American Top 40 '' radio program from 1970 to 1988, and again from March 1998 until January 10 , 2004 , when Ryan Seacrest succeeded him. He hosted a spin-off television show called '' America's Top 10 '' for a time in the 1980s. He was the host of the short-lived American version of '' 100% '' in 1999. For a period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Kasem was the staff announcer for the NBC television network. More recently, he has appeared on Infomercial s about CD music compilations. Kasem was inducted into the Radio Hall Of Fame in 1992. He is a graduate of Wayne State University . From January 1989 to March 1998 when he was not at the helm of American Top 40, he was host of Casey's Top 40 , Casey's Hot 20, and Casey's Countdown syndicated out of the Westwood One Radio Networks. These shows competed with his former show, American Top 40, which was hosted by Shadoe Stevens from 1988–1995. In August 2006 XM Satellite Radio began airing newly restored versions of the original American Top 40 radio show from the 1970s and 1980s. Premiere Radio Networks also started airing reruns of AT40 (dating from 1970 to 1978) in January 2007. Casey Kasem developed his rock-trivia persona from his work as a Disc Jockey in the early 1960s at KEWB in Oakland, California . His radio career actually started in the mid 1950s in Detroit, with station WJBK. He also worked for several other stations across the country, including WYSL in Buffalo, New York , before launching the national show. Many times, Kasem starts talking (usually after a commercial break or song) with, "Ya know..." TELEVISION Kasem is a prominent voice-over actor, most notably the voice of Shaggy Rogers in Hanna-Barbera 's '' Scooby-Doo '' cartoons from 1969 onwards. He has done work for many other Animated Series , such as the voice of Robin, The Boy/Teen Wonder in the 1968 ''Batman'' Cartoons and various versions of '' SuperFriends '', the Drummer Groove from '' The Cattanooga Cats '' (1969), Alexander Cabot III from '' Josie And The Pussycats '' (1970, 1972), and television specials such as Rankin-Bass ' '' Here Comes Peter Cottontail ''. Kasem has also done many TV commercial voiceovers for companies and products like A&P , Chevron , Ford , Red Lobster , Raid , Hoover Vacuum Cleaners , Joy dish soap, Heinz Ketchup, Sears , Prestone , Continental Airlines , the California Raisin Advisory Board , the National Cancer Institute , and 1976–1988 promos for the NBC television network . He also played the Voice of Mark, the American name of Ken Washio in '' Battle Of The Planets '', the first American version of '' Gatchaman ''. He has also lent his voice for many animated characters on '' Sesame Street '' in the 1970s and 80s. In addition to voice-acting, Kasem has appeared on camera on Nick-at-Nite on New Year's Eve from 1989 to 1998, counting down the top reruns of the year (billed as " Nick At Nite's Rerun Countdown " from 1989 to 1992, " Nick At Nite's Classic TV Countdown " from 1993–1997 and " Nick At Nite's TV Hits Countdown " in 1998), in which Kasem spoofed his image as the master of countdowns. He was once also seen on "The Late Show with David Letterman" performing a Top Ten list - the Top Ten Numbers. This hysterical countdown of numbers - which had Kasem primarily just reading a number to camera which was different to the Top Ten number, was paused at number 2 for Kasem to spoof one of his long distance dedications. David Letterman could be heard laughing loudly in the background. Additionally, he has appeared on-camera as a co-host of Jerry Lewis's annual Labor Day Telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association since 1983. Kasem also anchored the local segments of the telethon in Los Angeles , and when the telethon returned to Las Vegas in 2006, he appeared only in pre-recorded statements nationally, and anchored the Local L.A. telethon segments. Kasem also made two separate cameo appearances on the TV show '''' talking to Matthew Lillard , who played Shaggy in the 2002 Film Adaptation Of ''Scooby-Doo'' . Kasem has been known to walk away from numerous roles due to his objections to the content. According to game show announcer , had also taken over the role of Messick's '' Scooby-Doo ''. Kasem felt that it was not appropriate for the Character to eat anything Meat based; he has said more than once that Shaggy should also to be a vegetarian (this may or may not be the reason he turned down the Role in the most recent series, as the first episode refers to "hot dog tacos"). He returned to the character in 2002, after Hanna-Barbera (or rather Warner Bros.) agreed to portray Shaggy as a strict vegetarian, notwithstanding the fact that Shaggy has been seen by countless viewers gorging himself on any food in sight, including plenty of meat, since 1969. Kasem's more recent portrayals of Shaggy can be found on the '' What's New Scooby-Doo '' series (however, he does not voice Shaggy for '' Shaggy & Scooby-Doo Get A Clue ''; Shaggy is voiced here by Scott Menville while Kasem voices Shaggy's rich uncle Albert Shaggleford). In the late 70's, Kasem portrayed an actor who imitated Columbo and had a key role in the Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries two-part episodes: The Mystery of the Hollywood Phantom Part I & Part II. PERSONAL LIFE Kasem was married to actress/singer Linda Myers from 1972 - 1979 and they have three children together. Casey and Linda's son, Mike Kasem, is a voice-over actor and in 1997, presented the MTV US Top 20 Countdown for the is television and radio host. Kasem also has one daughter, Liberty Irene Kasem (b. 31 May 1990), by his second wife, the former Jean Thompson, to whom he's been married since 1980. Kasem is a Catholic and a vegan. He has been active in politics for many years, supporting Lebanese-American causes and politicians. He is currently supporting Dennis Kucinich in his 2008 presidental run. FURTHER READING
EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|