Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve '09 With Ryan Seacrest

For the 37th year, Clark will be in Times Square to mark the new year and, as he has since suffering a stroke a few years back, he'll get a lot of help from Seacrest during the night. Performers include the Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift and Lionel Richie.

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest returns to ABC tonight, hosted primarily by American Idol's one-man media conglomerate. Though it's unclear how much airtime Clark, 79, will have, he's scheduled to appear for the fourth straight year and the 36th of 37 shows since it premiered in 1972. "Dick will do the countdown and bring the ball in, and we'll do a bunch of (short segments) with him," says longtime show producer Larry Klein.

Clark, who has made limited appearances since his stroke in 2004 — often speaking haltingly and using a walker or wheelchair — told the Associated Press in an e-mail interview, "I am one of the fortunate ones who survived and have been minimally impaired, so I'm just thankful I'm still able to enjoy this once-a-year treat of bringing in the New Year."Says Seacrest, 34: "I saw him recently, and he was in a fantastic mood. I know he loves this show and loves being in Times Square. What's great about Dick is he doesn't need much of a plan."