Casey Kasem is a legendary figure in America who worked as an actor and a DJ. His radio show American Top 40 is considered to be popular among many young people.
Besides that, the late actor Casey is also known for his voice works in movies. He was the first-ever voice of the iconic Shaggy Rodgers from Scooby-Doo shows and movies.
Kasem passed away on June 15, 2014, and his death created a lot of controversies. His wife at the time of his death was Jean Kasem. He left four kids who are Kerri Kasem, Mike Kasem, Liberty Jean Kasem, and Julie Kasem.
Was Married To Jean Kasem At The Time Of His Death
Casey Kasem was the husband of Jean Kasem when he passed away. The two had exchanged their wedding vows on December 21, 1980, and were together till his death on June 15, 2014.
The promising couple Casey and Jean had walked down the aisle in an expensive hotel in Los Angeles in the presence of around 500 people.
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Kasem first met Jean in 1979 through his agent. She used to work as a secretary for his agent. He fell head over heels for her and the two started to date before tying the knot the following year.
Some people took issue with Casey and Jean's marriage regarding their age gap as his wife was 22 years younger than her.
Kasem's Net Worth At The Time Of His Death
Casey Kasem left behind an estimated net worth of $80 Million when he passed away. His huge wealth can be credited to his radio and voice artists' works. His radio show, American Top 40 was hugely popular and helped him to make a lot of money.
Other than radio, Kasem is also known for his voice works in a lot of classic animated shows. The most popular one is the voice of Shaggy in Scooby-Doo. Besides that, he also did voice works for other popular cartoons like The Looney Tunes, The Transformers, and Ghostbusters.
Kasem also left behind a really big house in LA. He used to live in this house with his wife in Hombly Hills. The white-colored property was a 12,000-square-foot land with eight bedrooms and a little swimming pool shaped like a heart. After the DJ's death, the property was sold for $34 Million.
Left Behind Four Kids
Kasem made four people fatherless when he passed away. He had a total of three daughters and a son from his two marriages. Their names are Kerri Kasem, Liberty Jean Kasem, Julie Kasem, and Mike Kasem.
Kasem had Kerri, Julie, and Mike from his first wife, Linda, and Liberty from his second wife, Jean.
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Kerri was born on July 12, 1972, and much like her father she also works on the radio. As of now, she is working as a radio and TV host. Her Instagram bio says she is also a Law Maker.
Casey's only son, Mike was born on August 24, 1973, and he is also a radio DJ and currently works at Mediacorp. Julie is more private compared to Kasem's other kids. She and her cardiologist husband, Dr. Jamil Aboulhosn live a quiet life. And her daughter, Liberty is a musician by profession.
Previously Married To Linda Myers Kasem
Casey Kasem's wife was Jean Kasem at the time of his death but, she wasn't the only woman he ever tied the knot to. Before Jean, he was married to Linda Myers Kasem. The two had got hitched in 1969. Their marriage officially ended on November 20, 1980, but they had already split in 1979.
Linda has lived a low-profile life following her divorce from Kasem. She previously has done a bit of acting in the past. She played the Butch Officer in the 1980 film Up The Academy. The film also featured The Karate Kid's, Ralph Macchio.
Kasem Honored Values Over Work
Casey Kasem other than his works was also known for standing up for what he believed was right. He had a history of saying no to things if they clashed with his values and the things he stood up for.
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Kasem coming from Arab background always stood up for his community. He famously quit The Transformers after one of the episodes where Arabs were shown stereotypically. He also quit his most iconic character Shaggy after he was asked to do a Burger King commercial featuring his character as he is a vegan in real life.
But that's not all as the American Top 40 creator Kasem also quit his narration job for the show, Soap after just the first episode. He wasn't a fan of the adult humor of the show and hence, he quit. Kasem has always prioritized his values over everything.
Died Because Of Sepsis
Kasem tragically lost his life because of sepsis which happened due to injuries to his skin. He was at St. Anthony's Hospital in Gig Harbor, Washington at the time of passing on June 15, 2014. He was 82 years old at the time.
The former American Top 40 Host had to suffer a lot when he was on his deathbed. Not only, he had bedsores but he was also suffering from dementia at that time, as mentioned by People in their article. His body was buried in Oslo, Norway at Oslo Western Civil Cemetery.
A Brief On Casey Kasem's Incredible Career
Kasem has celebrated as a Hollywood icon today thanks to his amazing career in showbiz. More than his face, it was his voice that made him famous. He was the star of Radio at the time and was known for his program, American Top 40, the show currently hosted by Ryan Seacrest.
Like many celebrities, Kasem also started with humble beginnings. He first announced himself as a DJ/Announcer with the Army as he worked at the Armed Forces Radio Korea Network in Korea. He had also previously worked on KYA Radio and KEWB station.
Other than radio, Kasem has also given voice in some of the classic cartoons. His most popular voice work is the voice of Shaggy in Scooby-Doo. He has also voiced in other popular cartoons like The Transformers, and Ghostbusters. His incredible career also landed him a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on April 27, 1981.
The Death Of Casey Kasem Was Controversial
Casey Kasem's death was controversial and the controversy happened because of his wife, Jean. She and the radio host's kids don't get along. The reason behind it is how Kasem was treated by his wife. It was alleged that Jean was a mentally unstable woman and did not care about her husband which led to his death.
The fight between Kasem's wife and kids is what led the Washington Police Department to investigate the matter. NBC News reports that the case was opened four years after the American Top 40 creator's death. The case was regarding what led to the death as the kids alleged that Jean's lack of care towards Kasem is what led to his death.
Kasem's kids Kerri, Julie, and Mike sued their stepmother, Jean, with a death suit. They alleged that she was abusive towards their father. However, the case was dismissed. Even, Kasem's first wife, Linda, and brother Mouner had said something similar about her. Despite the case, the majority of people seemed to side with the kids as they are not convinced by Jean's story.
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