Casey Kasem, who became a household name as the host of popular radio countdown shows such as “American Top 40? and “Casey’s Top 40,” died early on Sunday according to a statement released by Kasem’s representative Danny Deraney on behalf of the entertainer’s children. Kasem was 82 and had been under a doctor’s care in hospital in Washington state for two weeks, suffering from progressive dementia.
Apart from being a radio celebrity for over four decades, Kasem lent his vocal talents to numerous cartoons over the years, including playing the role of Robin on The Batman/Superman Hour and Super Friends, and famously remembered for his voiceover for Shaggy in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You and its many reimaginings from the late 1960s on. On top of character work, Kasem also often played animated alter-egos on cartoon episodes and films.
He is survived by his wife, four children, and four grandchildren.