Dane Clark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dane Clark
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Clark in 1963
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| Born |
Bernhardt Zanvilevitz
February 26, 1912 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
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| Died | September 11, 1998 (aged 86) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Cornell University St. John's University School of Law |
| Years active | 1935–1989 |
| Spouse(s) |
Margot Yoder
(m. 1941; died 1970)Geraldine Frank
(m. 1971) |
Dane Clark (born Bernhardt Zanvilevitz; February 26, 1912 – September 11, 1998) was an American actor. He was known for playing "Joe Average," a term he used to describe his common-man roles. Clark had a long career in movies, on stage, and on television.
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Early Life and Education
Dane Clark was born Bernhardt Zanvilevitz in Brooklyn, New York. His parents were Samuel and Rose. Samuel owned a sporting goods store.
Clark went to Cornell University and graduated in 1936. He then earned a law degree in 1938 from St. John's University School of Law. This was before the school moved to its current campus. During the Great Depression, a tough economic time, Clark worked many different jobs. He was a professional boxer, a minor league baseball player, a construction worker, and even a model.
Becoming an Actor
Clark's work as a model helped him meet people involved in the arts. He decided to try acting himself. He wanted to show that anyone could do it.
Stage Performances
Clark started his acting career in the theater. He worked with the Group Theatre in New York City. He began with small roles on Broadway. Soon, he moved on to bigger parts. One of his notable roles was playing George in the 1937 play Of Mice and Men. He also appeared in other Broadway shows like A Thousand Clowns and Dead End.
Early Film Roles
Clark's first movie was The Pride of the Yankees in 1942. He had a small, uncredited role in The Glass Key that same year.
Joining Warner Bros.
Clark got his big break when he signed with Warner Bros. in 1943. He worked with many famous actors of his time. He often appeared in war movies. His breakthrough role was in Action in the North Atlantic (1943), where he acted alongside Humphrey Bogart. Bogart actually gave him his stage name, Dane Clark.
He had important roles in movies like Destination Tokyo (1943) with Cary Grant. He also starred in Hollywood Canteen (1944). In this movie, he played a main character, while many other stars made short guest appearances. Clark also starred in the short film I Won't Play (1944), which won an Academy Award in 1945. He continued to act in popular films like God Is My Co-Pilot (1945) and Pride of the Marines (1945).
Becoming a Leading Man
After his success at Warner Bros., Clark started getting lead roles. He starred in crime films like Her Kind of Man (1946). He also appeared in Deep Valley (1947) and Moonrise (1948). He traveled to England and France for films such as Highly Dangerous (1950) and Gunman in the Streets (1951). In the 1950s, he became a life member of the Actors Studio, a famous group for actors.
Radio and Television Work
Dane Clark also worked in radio and television. He played Peter Chambers in the radio show Crime and Peter Chambers in 1954.
He started appearing on television in the late 1940s. By the mid-1950s, he worked more in TV than in movies. He co-starred in the crime drama Justice (1954-1955). In 1959, he played Slate in the TV series Bold Venture. He also made guest appearances on many popular shows. These included Rawhide and The Twilight Zone.
In the 1970s, he continued to act in TV shows like The Silent Force and The Virginian. He also played Lieutenant Tragg in the 1973 revival of the Perry Mason series.
Later Life and Death
Dane Clark continued acting until the late 1980s. He passed away on September 11, 1998, in Santa Monica, California. He was 86 years old.
Images for kids
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Clark in a 1956 TV episode of Wire Service
