Casey Kasem

Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 - June 15, 2014) is an American former radio personality and voice actor, known for being the host of the Top 40 countdown show American Top 40 and for playing the character Shaggy in the cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.

Early Life
Kasem was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Lebanese Druze parents who emigrated from the British Mandate of Palestine to Lebanon. After arriving in the United States, they settled in Michigan, where they worked as grocers. Kasem is a graduate of Northwestern High School in Detroit and Wayne State University.

Background
Kasem, along with Don Bustany and Ron Jacobs, founded the popular American Top 40 franchise in 1970, hosting it from July 4, 1970 to August 6, 1988; and then from March 28, 1998 to January 3, 2004. Between January 1989 and early 1998, he was the host of Casey's Top 40, Casey's Hot 20, and Casey's Countdown.

Previously, Kasem was heard on Premiere Radio Networks' weekly syndicated radio programs based on the American Top 40 franchise: Casey Kasem's American Top 40: The '70s and Casey Kasem's American Top 40: The '80s are replays of AT40 shows from the respective decades. He also hosted American Top 20 and American Top 10. Kasem retired from AT20 and AT10 on July 4, 2009 and both shows ended on that day.

He died on June 15, 2014, after having been missing for days.

Appearances

 * Dancing to the Max
 * Rockumentary

Trivia

 * Kasem's signature sign-off was "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars."
 * From 1977 to 1981 Casey Kasem narrated all of the national promotional announcements for shows on NBC television.