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Casey Kasem, who entertained radio listeners for almost four decades as the host of countdown shows such as "American Top 40" and "Casey's Top 40," died early Sunday, June 15, according to a Facebook post from his daughter Kerri Kasem.
Kasem, the legendary DJ, host and voice-over talent, was born in Detroit and got his start at Michigan radio stations. Here he is in the DJ booth at Detroit's WJBK in 1957.
Kasem moved to the West Coast in the early '60s. He hosted the KTLA music show "Shebang!" in Los Angeles in 1965.
Kasem was also an actor, though his films weren't necessarily Oscar material. In 1971, he starred in "The Incredible 2-Headed Transplant" with Berry Kroeger, left, and Bruce Dern.
He made occasional TV guest appearances as well. "The Mystery of the Hollywood Phantom," an episode of "The Hardy Boys Mysteries" in which Kasem affected a Columbo-like persona, also starred Pamela Sue Martin (as Nancy Drew) and Parker Stevenson (as Frank Hardy).
Kasem married Jean Thompson in 1980.
Casey and Jean Kasem attend the 21st Annual International Broadcasting Awards in Century City, California, in 1981.
Casey and Jean Kasem are shown with children Kerri Kasem, Michael Kasem and Julie Kasem at the Lebanon-Syrian American Society of Greater Los Angeles Man of the Year Awards in Beverly Hills, California, in 1985. The children are all from Casey Kasem's first marriage, to Linda Myers.
Casey and Jean Kasem were frequent participants in the Hollywood social circuit. Here, they attend the Stars 'N Hearts Benefit Fund-raiser for Animals in 1982.
Kasem was an in-demand voice-over artist. He's probably best known for supplying the voice of Shaggy in the "Scooby-Doo" cartoon series.
Kasem hosted a number of countdown shows, including "American Top 40," "Casey's Top 40" and "America's Top 10." He handed off "AT40" to Ryan Seacrest in 2004.
Casey and Jean Kasem ride in the 2007 Hollywood's Santa Parade in Hollywood, California, on November 25, 2007.
Even after leaving his long-running radio shows, Kasem stayed active. He attended Fred Segal's birthday charity event and auction at a private residence in Malibu, California, on August 29, 2009.
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- A Washington funeral director says he sent Kasem's remains to Canada last week
- Kasem's wife, Jean, requested the body be flown to Montreal, the funeral director says
- Kasem's daughter Kerri accuses her stepmother of abusing her elderly father
- Casey Kasem was 82 when he died in Washington state last month
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Casey Kasem's body was flown to Canada a month after he died, a funeral home director told CNN Tuesday.
Kasem's corpse was taken from a Washington state funeral home last week before the radio icon's daughter could enforce a court order against it being removed, according to the director of Tacoma's Gaffney Funeral Home.
A lawyer delivered the order a day after the body was sent out of the country, Corey Gaffney said.
"I disclosed to her attorney that the body was no longer in our care," Gaffney said.
Kasem's wife, Jean Kasem, said she has been "blackmailed" by her husband's children for 35 years.
"This is a shakedown and I will not negotiate with terrorists," she told CNN. "I will not give in to their blackmail and attacks."
Casey Kasem's son speaks out
Casey Kasem: A legendary voice in radio
Casey Kasem's body is missing, daughter says
Daughter Kerri Kasem accuses her stepmother of abusing her elderly father and contributing to his death by taking him from a Santa Monica, California, care facility in May and relocating him to Washington.
Santa Monica Police have "an open and ongoing investigation" into the elder abuse allegation, Sgt. Rudy Camarena said last week.
Kasem, who entertained radio listeners for almost four decades as the host of countdown shows such as "American Top 40" and "Casey's Top 40," died in a hospital in Gig Harbor, Washington, on June 15. He was 82.
Gaffney said Kasem was kept in his funeral home until he was instructed by Jean Kasem to send it to Montreal last week.
"I took Casey to the airport myself, oversaw every detail myself from the moment we brought him into care," Gaffney said. He tracked its arrival in Montreal, he said.
The death certificate listed Urgel Bourgie, a funeral and cemetery business in Montreal, as the planned destination, he said. CNN has not independently confirmed the details of the death certificate or the arrival of the remains at the Montreal funeral home.
Danny Deraney, a representative for Kerri Kasem, said Jean Kasem has the legal right to control her late husband's remains. "The bottom line is that they want to know where he'll be buried," Deraney said. "I think they have that right."
Kerri Kasem is pushing for a new law in California to give adult children visitation rights with their aging or incapacitated parents.
"There are so many people dealing with the same situation my family is dealing with, and we are receiving so many letters and e-mails," she said in a posting on her Facebook page Tuesday.
Casey Kasem tributes: 'Keep reaching for the stars'
Casey Kasem's global reach: long-distance dedications
