Casey Kasem

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His real name is Kemal Amin Kasem, but he is known as Casey Kasem.  He was born in Detroit, Michigan on April 27, 1932.  Casey Kasem is a Lebanese Druze.  He is also a vegan.  Kasem went to college and graduated from Wayne State University.  His trade mark is his distinguishing voice. (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0440487/bio)

Kasem married Linda Myers, an actress, in 1972.  They had three children, but divorced in 1979.  Two of his children followed in his footsteps.  His only son, Mike, is also a voice-over actor and one of his daughters Kerri, has also developed a television and radio personality.  He re-married a woman named Jean Thompson in 1980.  They have a daughter together named Liberty.  Casey Kasem remains married to his second wife. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Kasem)

A Picture of Casey Kasem and His Wife, Jean

Photo Courtesy of http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Casey_Kasem_and_wife_Jean_848.jpg

Kasem is a radio personality in America.  He started out as a disc jockey in the 1960s in California, but his radio career actually started before that.  In the 1950s, Casey worked for radio station WJBK in Detroit, Michigan.  He traveled to many cities such as New York, Boston, and Los Angeles to pursue his radio career through the late 60s.  The American Top 40 was founded by Casey Kasem in 1970.  He was the host of this radio show for 24 years; from 1970-1988 and 1998-2004.  In 2004, host Ryan Seacrest took over his show.  During the years of 1989 and 1998, he hosted many other radio shows including Casey’s Top 40 and Casey’s Countdown.  (Battistini)  “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars” is his most standard and common sign-off saying for radio. (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0440487/bio)

 How it all began...

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Casey Kasem is also a voice actor and has done voices for many commercials, movies, and television shows.  Some include Sesame Street, the voice of Shaggy from Scooby Doo, and a staff announcer for the NBC television network.  Kasem has also made several appearances on Saved by the Bell and a Nick at Nite New Year’s Eve Countdown special.  Currently, he is working on infomercials about music complications. (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0440487/)

YouTube Clip with Casey Kasem starring as Shaggy from Scooby Doo

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Casey Kasem has entered the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame.  He was inducted into the radio division. On April 27, 1981, Casey received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  This happened to be his 49th birthday.

A Fan Posing in front of Casey Kasem's Hollywood Star

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Casey Kasem supports Lebanese-American and Arab-American issues and political people of those beliefs.  He has influenced Arab-Americans in that he wrote a brochure called “Arab-Americans: Making a Difference” which was publishes by the Arab-American Institute.

The Arab American Institute Website:  www.aaiusa.org/

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