Título: Casey Kasem
Seção: 1970-1988: American Top 40
Background: Kasem was born in Detroit, Michigan, on April 27, 1932, to Lebanese Druze immigrant parents, who had settled in Michigan, where they worked as grocers. Kasem was named after Turkish leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, a man Kasem said his father respected. In the 1940s, "Make Believe Ballroom" reportedly inspired Kasem to follow a career in radio and later host a national radio hits countdown show. Kasem received his first experience in radio covering sports at Northwestern High School in Detroit.

Conteúdo: On July 4, 1970, Kasem, along with Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs, launched the weekly radio program American Top 40 (AT40). At the time, top 40 radio was on the decline as DJs preferred to play album-oriented progressive rock. Loosely based on the TV program Your Hit Parade, the show counted down from #40 on the pop charts to #1--the first #1 was Three Dog Night's "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)"--based on the Billboard Hot 100 each week. The show, however, was not just about the countdown. Kasem mixed in biographical information about the artists, flashback, and "long-distance dedication" segments where he read letters written by listeners to dedicate songs of their choice to far away loved ones. He often included trivia facts about songs he played and artists whose work he showcased. Frequently, he mentioned a trivia fact about an unnamed singer before a commercial break, then provided the name of the singer after returning from the break. Kasem ended the program with his signature sign-off, "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars."  The show debuted on seven stations, but on the back of Kasem's "always friendly and upbeat" baritone voice it soon went nationwide. In October 1978, the show expanded from three hours a week to four. American Top 40's success spawned several imitators including a weekly half-hour music video television show, America's Top 10, hosted by Kasem himself. "When we first went on the air, I thought we would be around for at

user: What did he have to do with the American Top 40?

assistant: Kasem, along with Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs, launched the weekly radio program American Top 40 (AT40).

user: When did they launch the program?

assistant: On July 4, 1970,

user: What else happened during this time period?

assistant: Loosely based on the TV program Your Hit Parade, the show counted down from #40 on the pop charts to #1--

user: How long did the show run?

assistant: In October 1978, the show expanded from three hours a week to four. American Top 40's success spawned several imitators including a weekly half-hour music

user: How many viewers/listeners did the show have?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: What else is interesting about the Top 40?

assistant: Due to his great knowledge of music, Kasem became known as not just a disc jockey, but also a music historian.

user: Were there any spin-offs or other shows similar to the Top 40?

assistant: In 1971, Kasem provided the character voice of Peter Cottontail in the Rankin/Bass production of Here Comes Peter Cottontail.

user: Did he have a lot of voice acting roles?

assistant: In the same year, he appeared in the low-budget film The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant, in what was probably his best remembered acting role.