Casey Kasem
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amen "Casey" Kasemwas an American disc jockey, music historian, radio personality, voice actor, and actor, known for being the host of several music radio countdown programs, most notably American Top 40, from 1970 until his retirement in 2009, and for providing the voice of "Shaggy" Rogers in the Scooby-Doo franchise from 1969 to 1997, and again from 2002 until 2009...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionTV Show Host
Date of Birth27 April 1932
CityDetroit, MI
CountryUnited States of America
That something extra, I believe, is a certain humanity that comes from upbeat and positive human interest letters and success stories. Advertisers like to be associated with those qualities.
Always be consistent.
It's been amazing, the number of commercials that I've done, starting back in 1968. It must be 8,000.
I started radio in 1950 on the Lone Ranger radio program, a dramatic show that emanated from Detroit when I was 18 years old and just beginning college. I did that for a couple of years.
I was drafted and went to Korea where I had an opportunity to create a production team that did dramatic and comedy shows. I had also done a little disc jockeying.
The first syndicating I tried was when two partners and I created a production company in 1952. We wanted to syndicate famous Bible stories and sell them for $25 a show.
Interestingly, songs used to be short, then they became longer, and now they're getting shorter.
Because of my background in theater and radio acting, I knew that I could make a living as an actor.
But otherwise, music is about a beat and a message.
Growing up, I actually wanted to be a professional Baseball player, instead of a radio DJ. Believe it or not.
I accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative. That is the timeless thing,
The stories are success stories. The letters from listeners often touch the heart and can be inspiring.
I like the storytelling and reading the letters, the long-distance dedications.
I probably would be continuing to do voice-overs, continuing to do cartoon shows, and at the same time I'd probably be on a sitcom or a dramatic television show.