Info: Kasem made his radio debut while in high school, studied radio broadcasting at Wayne State University, and then became involved in radio acting with roles on shows like The Lone Ranger. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952, where he became a successful announcer and DJ for the Armed Forces Radio Korea Network.



When his time in the service was over, he worked diligently for two decades to make it to the top in the radio broadcasting world. In 1970, while working with childhood friend and Hollywood producer Don Bustany, Kasem proposed a count- down radio show loosely based on the 1940-50s show Your Hit Parade. The result was American Top 40, which debuted on July 4, 1970 on seven radio stations.



Soon, American Top 40 was one of the most popular syndicated radio shows in the country and then around the world. At the height of its popularity, AT40 was featured on more than 1,000 radio stations in 50 countries around the world. The show's spin-off, America's top 10, featured Kasem counting down the week's top 10 hits and playing music videos.



Aside from his radio success, Kasem has also done well as a voice-over actor. He was the voice of Shaggy in various incarnations of the Scooby-Doo show for 40 years. He has also appeared in a wide range of other shows including The Adventures of Batman and Josie and the Pussycats.