Early Life
Casey Kasem was born Kemal Amin Kasem on April 27, 1932, in Detroit, Michigan, to Lebanese Druze immigrant parents Helen Dow and Amin Kasem, both grocers. His father had emigrated from Moukhtara, Lebanon; his mother was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. He was named after Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. His parents discouraged the use of Arabic at home, encouraging assimilation into American life.1
Growing up in Detroit in the 1940s, Kasem was inspired by radio programs like Make Believe Ballroom. He attended Wayne State University, where he began voicing characters on radio productions. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1952 and served in Korea as a disc jockey and announcer for the American Forces Korea Network (AFKN), an experience that shaped his career path.1
Career
Broadcasting
After returning from Korea, Kasem worked at Detroit radio stations WJLB and WJBK. He briefly hosted Cleveland Bandstand before relocating to Los Angeles in 1963, where he joined KRLA. He built a reputation as a warm, knowledgeable on-air presence with a distinctive resonant voice.1
On July 4, 1970, Kasem co-created and launched American Top 40, a nationally syndicated weekly radio countdown of the Billboard Hot 100. The program became a cornerstone of American pop culture, mixing chart countdown segments with musical trivia and the beloved "Long-Distance Dedication" feature, in which listeners sent letters requesting dedications to loved ones. Kasem closed every program with his signature phrase: "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars." The show ran until 1988, when Kasem departed over a contract dispute with ABC Radio.1
From 1989 to 1998, Kasem hosted Casey's Top 40, using the Radio and Records chart. He regained the rights to American Top 40 in 1998 and hosted a revival of the program until his retirement from radio in July 2009, completing 39 years on the countdown format. He also served as the voice of NBC during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and hosted the American Video Awards (which he founded) from 1983 to 1987.1
Voice Acting
Kasem's voice acting career was equally distinguished. His most iconic role was Norville "Shaggy" Rogers in the Scooby-Doo franchise, which he originated in 1969 and performed continuously until 1997, then reprised from 2002 to 2009.1 He also voiced the character in several films and specials. His commitment to the role was such that, in the mid-1990s, he refused a Burger King commercial featuring Shaggy and subsequently negotiated with the producers to make the character a vegetarian, reflecting his own values.1
Other notable voice roles included Robin/Dick Grayson in Super Friends (ABC, 1973-1985), Peter Cottontail in Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971), and several characters in The Transformers animated series (1984-1986), including Cliffjumper, Bluestreak, Teletraan I, and Dr. Arkeville. He departed The Transformers mid-series after objecting to the show's portrayal of Arab characters, stating he could not in good conscience continue.1 Additional credits included Battle of the Planets, Josie and the Pussycats, and Sesame Street. He also appeared in live-action television, including episodes of The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries (1977), Matt Houston (1983), and The People Next Door (1989), and in theatrical films including Soul Hustler (1973).1
Awards and Recognition
Kasem received numerous honors across his career: a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1981), induction into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame (1985), the National Radio Hall of Fame (1992), a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Radio Hall of Fame (1997), and the Radio Icon award from the Radio Music Awards (2003).1
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters (1984)
Casey Kasem appears as himself in Ghostbusters in a voice-over cameo during Chapter 14, "Welcome Aboard." After the Ghostbusters become celebrities in New York, Kasem's countdown show is heard on the radio. He describes how the Ghostbusters captured a ghost at the fashionable dance club The Rose, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the witnesses. Dana Barrett is listening to his broadcast when the segment airs.2
Kasem was brought in at the very last minute in post-production. From the initial idea to use him, through a deal being struck and Kasem recording his segment, the entire process took approximately 24 hours.3
His real-life wife at the time, Jean Kasem, also appears in the film as the tall woman at the party whom Louis Tully dances with.2
Comics
In Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #20, Casey and Jean Kasem appear together in panel 1 on page 20, with their backs to the reader.4
In Ghostbusters Year One Issue #3, Peter Venkman alludes to Casey Kasem having covered the bust at The Rose on his radio show, even quoting Kasem's line about a "pretty pesky poltergeist."5
Personal Life
Kasem married Linda Myers in 1972; they divorced in 1979. They had three children: Mike, Julie, and Kerri Kasem.1 In 1980, he married actress Jean Thompson (known professionally as Jean Kasem), with whom he had one daughter, Liberty Jean Kasem.1 Kasem was a committed vegan and an active advocate for animal rights and environmental causes. He was also a prominent Arab-American activist, opposing the Gulf War, supporting Palestinian causes, and working to foster dialogue between Arab and Jewish Americans. He narrated advertising for George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign and fundraised for Jesse Jackson's campaigns in 1984 and 1988.1
Death
In October 2013, Kasem's daughter Kerri publicly disclosed that her father had been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia (originally described as Parkinson's disease, diagnosed in 2007).1 His wife Jean restricted family access to him in his final months, leading to legal proceedings. In May 2014, Kerri Kasem obtained temporary conservatorship.1
Casey Kasem died on June 15, 2014, at a medical facility in Gig Harbor, Washington, from sepsis resulting from an ulcerated bedsore. He was 82 years old.1 Following his death, his remains became the subject of a prolonged legal dispute between his wife and his children from his first marriage. His body was ultimately interred at Oslo Western Civil Cemetery in Norway in December 2014.1 In 2015, three of his children and his brother filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Jean Kasem, alleging elder abuse; the suits were settled in 2019.1
References
Some content on this page was researched using the Ghostbusters Wiki on Fandom.
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"Casey Kasem," Wikipedia, accessed 2026-06-13, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Kasem.
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Ghostbusters (1984), Chapter 14: "Welcome Aboard." Columbia Pictures / Ivan Reitman Productions.
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Shay, Don (November 1985). Making Ghostbusters. New York Zoetrope, New York NY USA. ISBN 0918432685. Production: "Casey Kasem was included at the very last minute during postproduction. In fact, the idea of putting him in came to us the day before we recorded it. We called him up, made the deal, he appeared the next day, read his bit and we cut it into the film -- all in 24 hours."
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Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #20 (IDW Publishing, 2013), p. 20, panel 1.
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Ghostbusters Year One Issue #3 (IDW Publishing, 2020).
