Clark’s New Year’s Eve Countdown Is on Hold Due to Stroke

For 32 years, Dick Clark held America’s hand as one year gave way to another. But after the announcement Wednesday that the veteran television personality had a stroke this week, there were questions about whether he would be in New York’s Times Square this year to watch the ball drop.

Long dubbed “the World’s Oldest Teenager” because of his youthful appearance, Clark, who turned 75 on Nov. 30, had the minor stroke Monday morning at his home in Malibu, his spokesman Paul Sheffrin said. He said Clark was still in the hospital as of Wednesday afternoon but he declined to identify the facility.

A statement attributed to Clark was upbeat: “The doctors tell me I should be back in the swing of things before too long so I’m hopeful to be able to make it to Times Square to help lead the country in bringing in the New Year once again.”

In the short term, Clark will skip the Golden Globe nominations announcement Monday, Sheffrin said. “As for New Year’s Eve, that’s something no one can say 100%.”

ABC is set to air “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” on Dec. 31 from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. of 2005’s first morning. Much of the programming is prerecorded -- this year that will include taped performances by Elton John, Avril Lavigne and Aerosmith -- and is split between Times Square and festivities in Hollywood.

Still, Clark’s countdown of the final seconds of each year is as much a staple of the holiday as the choruses of “Auld Lang Syne”

“All of us at ABC look forward to Dick’s fast and full recovery,’ said a statement released by executive vice president Andrew Wong, in charge of alternatives, specials and late-night programming.

In private conversation, other executives said that no alternative plans had been set in place yet if Clark were not ready to return to the microphone in 22 days. Some industry insiders familiar with the network and the annual show said a substitute, perhaps late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, could be lined up if Clark’s recovery were not complete. Clark has been a pop culture fixture, a famous face through decades of shows such as “American Bandstand” and “TV’s Bloopers & Practical Jokes.”

But his off-air presence has been just as defining, first as a radio power during the advent of rock ‘n’ roll and then in television with his namesake production company, whose signature shows have included the “American Music Awards” “The Golden Globes,” and “Academy of Country Music Awards.”

He has proved to be a savvy businessman. Clark founded his production company in 1957 and sold it in 2001 for $137 million to a group of private investors, but stayed on as chairman and chief executive. He continues to be the very visible guiding hand of the awards shows, both as on-air speaker and as an offstage organizer known as a stickler for details and keeping shows brisk and on time.

*

Times staff writers Meg James and Scott Collins contributed to this report.