Rigdon Osmond Dees III was born on the 14th March 1950, in Jacksonville, Florida USA, and is a Golden Globe Award-nominated actor, comedian and radio personality, best known for his radio show “The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown” which has aired since 1983. Dees has also worked in such movies as “Saturday Night Fever” (1977) and “La Bamba” (1987). Rick was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1999, and the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2007. His career started in 1976.
Have you ever wondered how rich Rick Dees is as of early 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Dees’ net worth is as high as $35 million, an amount earned thanks to his successful career on the radio. In addition to being a host of popular radio shows, Dees also worked as an actor and appeared on television as well, which improved his wealth.
Rick Dees Net Worth $35 Million
Rick Dees grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he went to the Grimsley High School, and later graduated with a bachelor’s degree in motion pictures, TV, and radio from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Rick began working on radio while at high school, while in 1976, he recorded the song called “Disco Duck”, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and achieved over six million sales. In 1977, Dees worked on the soundtrack of the Oscar-nominated movie “Saturday Night Fever” starring John Travolta, Karen Lynn Gorney, and Barry Miller, while in 1978, he had a role in “Record City”. He continued appearing in numerous series during the ‘80s, and from 1986 to 1988, Rick lent his voice to various characters in TV series“The Flintstone Kids”. In 1987, he had a minor part in the Golden Globe Award-nominated “La Bamba” starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, and Rosanna DeSoto, and more recently, he appeared in two episodes of “The Young and the Restless” in 2008.
Rick Dees also works as a host, including on 11 episodes of a Primetime Emmy Award-winning “Solid Gold” (1984-1985), and 20 episodes of Primetime Emmy Award-nominated “Into the Night” (1990-1991), among others. In addition to being a regular on radio, on which he has made most of his fortune, Dees has also released five albums: “The Original Disco Duck” (1976), “Hurt Me Baby, Make Me Write Bad Checks” (1983), “Put It Where the Moon Don’t Shine” (1984), “I’m Not Crazy” (1985), and “Spousal Arousal” (1996), adding to his net worth.
In 1984, Rick asked Marvin Fisher, the owner of the copyright to the music of the song “When Sunny Gets Blue”, to give him permission to use the sample of the song on his album “Put It Where the Moon Don’t Shine”. Fisher refused, but Dees decided to go with it and used the song, and Fisher later sued him for copyright infringement. The trial court concluded that Dees is not guilty of infringement as the song was used to “poke fun”.
Regarding his personal life, Rock Dees was married to Nancy Carmody from 1970 to 1976, and then married Julie McWhirter in 1978, with whom he has a child.
Disco Duck, Hurt Me Baby Make Me Write Bad Checks!
Nominations
Juno Award for International Single of the Year
Movies
Jetsons: The Movie, La Bamba, The Gladiator, Stanley the Ugly Duckling, Record City, Dan Savage's New Threat to Rick Santorum
TV Shows
Solid Gold
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Fact
1
Received his Bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1972).
2
Attended and graduated from Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina (1968).
3
Named morning radio host of KHHT 92.3 FM in Los Angeles, California. [March 2012]
4
Named morning show host of Movin 93.9 FM in Los Angeles, California. [August 2006]
5
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio at 1560 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California on September 17, 1984.
6
Was replaced with entertainment personality Ryan Seacrest from his 20 year position in radio, as producers for his show wanted to go with someone younger. [January 2004]
7
Inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1999 and the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2007.
8
As Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots, he hit #1 on the Billboard Charts in 1976 with the song "Disco Duck".
9
(1983-present) Counts down two different versions (Contemporary Hit Radio and Hot AC) of "The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40" on international radio.
10
He appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices That Care".
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Dan Savage's New Threat to Rick Santorum
2011
Short
The Young and the Restless
2008
TV Series
Bartender
Diagnosis Murder
1996
TV Series
Rick Dees
Burke's Law
1994
TV Series
Roseanne
1992
TV Series
Ken
Jetsons: The Movie
1990
Rocket Rick Ragnarok (voice)
The Flintstone Kids
1986-1988
TV Series
Additional Voices
La Bamba
1987
Ted Quillin
The Gladiator
1986
TV Movie
Garth Masters
Pink Panther and Sons
1984
TV Series
Additional Voices
The Greatest American Hero
1983
TV Series
Announcer
The Gary Coleman Show
1982
TV Series
Additional Voices
Stanley, the Ugly Duckling
1982
TV Movie
D.J. (voice)
The Love Boat
1982
TV Series
Melvin
Strike Force
1982
TV Series
Lothario
Top Ten
1980
TV Movie
Casper and the Angels
1979
TV Series voice
Record City
1978
Gordon
Days of Our Lives
1965
TV Series
Ricardo Diaz (1999)
Writer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Live Fearless
2011
TV Series
Cigars!: The New Rage!
1996
Video documentary written by
Into the Night
TV Series creator - 6 episodes, 1990 - 1991 writer - 6 episodes, 1990 - 1991
Solid Gold
TV Series 10 episodes, 1984 - 1985 writer - 1 episode, 1984
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Cinema Snob
2016
TV Series performer - 1 episode
One Hit Wonderland
TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode, 2012 writer - 1 episode, 2012